The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-08-14
Over Hundred Families Homeless and Camp
ing on the River Side from Fire That
Was the Work of an Incendiary.
Big Minneapolis Brewery All That
Stopped the Advancing Flames.
Millions Upon Millions Feet of Valuable Lum-
Der Went as Fuel to the Blazes, Along
with Many Mill Concerns.
BLOCKS SWEPT By FLAMES.
The Great Lumber District In MinneapolI
Laid " Naate.

LhiO WbStos
Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
MINNEAPoLIs, Aug. 13..Two million dol
lars W orth of property went up in flames
this afternoon. Over two hundred houses
are burned and at least 1900 people rem
dered homeless. This is the record made
by the destroying element in the short
space of two hours. The fire had gained
such head way that no human energy could
check it. 1t was little after 1:30 o'clock
when q wstchman saw q small blaze on
the river side of j. b. Clark 81 Co.'s box
factory on the south end of Nicollet island.
at the head Of st. Anthony falls. An
alarm, quickly followed by Q second and
third. was turned In. but by the time the
department. had arrived the aames
famed by furious south wind.
had gained such headway that
all the firemen could do was to turn their
attention to adjoining property. Where
the fire first started Is a mystery, but it is
thought il originated either in Lenhart's
wagon works or in an lcehouse belonging
TO the Cedar Lake Ice Company. lmme.
dlately adjoining, and is believed to
have been kindled by lncen.
diaries. Nearly all the structures
in this vicinity were of wood. dry a. tin
der. and made splendid fuel for the flames.
Clark's factory was doomed before even q
stream of water was thrown. Next to IL
north. Lenharts wagon works and the
Cedar lake icehouses were wiped ous of ex-
istence. Further north were Lintges u
Connelps boiler works. and here the
heaviest loss on the island took place.
This firm had stock valued at over $4,000
and not q cent of insurance. The other
losers are fairly well insured.
CAUSED BY SPARE.
While the fire was at its height q spark
carried high in the aIr alighted on Boon
island, nearly half q mile above the fire. on
Nicol,et island. This island is occupied as
wood yard by the lumber firm of Nelson.
Tenny & Co. No one noticed the sp ark
fall. but the whole island was soon ablsz 9.
1t was this spark that caused she greatest
loss. Quickly jumping across the small
s-.plch OF water surrounding the island
from the main land the flames ,gained g
footIng in Nelson. Tenny 81 Co.'s lumber
yard, where there were piled some ten
millions feet of lumber. The fire fairly
walked through THE yard and into that of
E.'W. Backus d Co.. adjoining. BY this
time it was mpossible to stop lt even had
the whole fire department. been on hand.
Great embers were flying through the air
and started fires many blocks away from
the places where the tremen were at work.
The flames were simply irresistible. Brick
the merest shells. Beyond the lumber yard
were the two mills belonging to f.
w. Baokus 81 Co. or these nothing
remains except the smOkestacks
and mass of twisted machinery
and charred timbera ). b. Chattenton's
cedar-post mill went the way of the Others
as did the sash and door factories of Fulton
Il Libbey aud j. w. Wilcox d Co. At the
corner of Marshall street and Thirteenth
brewery of the Minneapolis Brewing Com.
pany. This. it seemed. must surely go. but
at this time the wind changed. and
although the brewery was surrounded by
wooden buildings, it was saved and it is
the only structure between sixth avenue
and Thirteenth avenue. northeast. and
from the river bank to Marshall street. q
distance of three blocks. that escaped the
fire. The big brewery acted Is sort or
property to the north. Had is burned.
nothing could have prevented the fire from
running north as far as IL could find any
thing to burn. Along the river were
situated the sawmllls and wood and lum.
Der ards and these. too. would have gone
the way of the others. and nearly the en-.
tire sawmill industry of the olty would
have been destroyed.
The change in the direction of thewind
imperIled the lumber yards and mills on
the west side of the river. and they were
almost at the mercy of the lying sparks
and embers. The tiremen were p0werless
to render any assistance. for to reach Ply.
mouth or Twentieth avenues north 10
would have been necessary to pass through
q furnace. The bridges. too. were on ire.
and there was nothing to do but hope for
the best until some apparatus could make
a detour of three miles and reach the fre:
The employees of the yards, however. had
not been idle. They stretched lines OF
hose, and any sparks that found footing
across tho river were promptly Hooded.
Along the east bank of the river was
located the mills of the Briards W hich were
burned, and manv stores and residences.
Most OF them were occupied by employees
of the stores and labOring men. Few owned
thor buildings. and the princi pal loss will
be their personal effects. Large numbers
saved their household goods, which lie
guard to prevent their being carried away
by thieves. AT the brewery. where the fire
was checked, the citizens did much TO aid
the firemsn. With garden hose and buckets
thew extinguished all incipient blazes. and
with the changed wind all danger wns
practically over. and the fire was allowed
to burn itself out. All the available fire
apparatus In the city was IN use, and st.
Paul sent two engine companies to respond
to calls.
Late tonight it was reported that Mrs.
Thomas Salon. an old lady who was bed
ridden, was burned in her home. The
charred remains of boy were also found
in the debrls 1t is rumored that two OF
three men were penned In by the flames
while trying to rescue some of their prop
erty.
About o'clock the fire jumped the river,
and for some time the West-side sawmill
district was in great danger. Fortunately
the flames were oYtinguished before much
damage was done. At 10 o'clock tonight
the. East-side runs were still ablaZe, but
the fire is under control Hundreds of
people are either the recipients of charity
or are sleeping IN the open air to-
night. Many saved only the clothes
on their backs. Between Thirteenth and
Twentieth avenues and the north bridges
there luts ont into the river q point of land
upon which one hundred people, princi-
pally laborers and sawmill hands. reside.
The fire soon cut off their escape by land
and they were in Imminen dan ger of being
burned to death. No boats were at hand
and the residents were forced into the
river In order to save their lives
Previous TO this they attempted to
save their personal effects. Bedding,
fnrniture and even cloJhinG were
thrown into the river. the overs hoping
that they might be able to recover them
some time. All this time great crowds
lined the bridges and watched q big fiat
hoQr makiuu slow head wav sha