The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-08-14
MINNEAPOLIS BIG FIRE
Over Two Million Dollars Worth
of Property Destroyed,
OVER FIFTEEN HUNDRED HOMELESS
Two Hundred Houses wiped Ont by the
Fiery Eiemeut-Pooplo Forced to wade
Into the River 20 Save Themselves
from Cremation.

/ Two Hundred Houses wiped Ont by the
Fiery Eiemont-PoopIo Forced to wade
Into the River TO save Themselves
from Cremation.
MNNEAPoLs Aug. 1A-Two million
dollars worth Of property went up in
flames yesterday afternoon. Over 200
houses are burned and at least 800 per
sons rendered homeless. This is tile record
made by the destroying element i'm the
short space Of two hours A kind provi-
dence, and not the fire department or the
feeble efforts OF the owners Of threatened
property, saved the greater portion of the
manufacturing and residence portions OF
the East side. The fire had gained such
headway that no human agency could
quench il, and only a change in the direc-
tiOn Of the wind prevented an awful con-
flaRratiou
Il was a little after 80 o'clock when a
watohman saw a small blaze on the river
side of J. b Clark s. Co. IS factory, on the
south end OF Nicollot Island, at the head
of st. Anthony falls. An alarm, quickly
followed by q second and third, was turned
I'm, but by the time the department. had ar
rived the flames, famed by a furious
south wind had gained such headway
that all the iiremen could do was TO turn
their attention to adjoining property.
Where the fire first started is a mystery,
but it Is thought It originated either in
Lenharts wagon works or IN an ice house
belonging TO the Cedar Lake Ice company
Immediately adjoining. Nearly all the
structures in this vicinity were Of wood,
dry as finder, and made splendid fuel for
the flames. Clarke's box factory was
DOOM ed before even a stream of water was
thrown upon it..
While this fire was at its height q spark
carried high in the air alighted on Boom
Island, nearly half mile above the fire on.
Nicolet Isl and This island is occupied
as a wood yard by the lumber firm of Mel
son, Tenuey & Co. No one noticed the
spark fall, but the whole island was soon
ablaze It was this spark that caused the
greatest loss. Quickly Jumping across tho
small stretch of water separating the ISL
and from the main land the flames gained
footing in Nelson, Tenney q Co.'s lum-
ber yard, where there were piled some TO-
0O0 900 feet OF lumber The fire fairly
walked through the yard and into that Of
E. W. Backus & Co., adjoining. Great
embers flew through the air and started
fires many blocks beyond the places where
the hremen were at work The flames
were simply irresistible Brick and stone
]
merest shells.
At the corner of Marshall street and
Thirteenth avenue stood the mammoth
brewery Of the Minneapolis Brewing com
pany. This It seemed must surely 90, but
| at this time the wind changed, and al
though the brewery was surrounded by
wooden bu ildings 1t was saved, and it is
the only structure between the river back
to Marshall street, a distance Of three
blocks, that escaped the fire. The big
brewery acted as a sort Of shield, and in
measure protected the property to the
north Had it burned, nothing could have
prevented the fire fro m running north as
far as it could find anything to burn.
Thomas Salone, an old man, fell dead
from heart disease, caused by excitement
Several fremen were injured. 1t is be-
lieved thab all the occupants of the houses
escaped with their lives. They were all
warned in time, and none need have been
lost. It is rumored that two or three men
We're penned in by the flames while trying
to rescue some of their propert Y.
About o'clock last evening the fire
| jumped the river, and for some time the
vest side sawmill district was in great
danger. Fortunately the flames were ex-
| tinguished before much damage was done
At 10 o'clock last night the east side ruins
were still ablaze, but the fire was under
control.
Hundreds Of people were either the recip
tents of charity or slept in the open air last
night Many saved only the clothes on
| their backs.
Between the Plymouth and Twentieth
avenue bridges, on the east side of the
river, there iuts out into the river a point
of land upon which some 100 people, prin-
cipally laborers and sawmill hands, reside.
| The fire soon cut or their escape by land.
and they were in imminent danger of be-
ing 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, tool
chests, furniture and even clothing were
thrown into the river, the owners hoping
that they might be able to recover them
some time. All this time great crowds
lined the bridges and watched a big fat
boat making slow headway toward the un-
fortunate people in the river. The heat
was most intense, and many of the men
in the water were compelled TO duck their
heads under it TO prevent the flames from
scorching their faces and heads One
brave fellow stripped himself and brought
a number of his neighbors across the river
before the tlatboat arrived, when all were
rescued
1t is reported that Mrs Thomas Salone,
an old lady who was bedridden, was burned
in her home. The charred remains of a
boy were found in the debris.