The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1894-10-04
THE FIRE.


THE FIRE. {
About lo:3a on Friday lisht were (
startled from SlUnbers ny The loud peais or
the city fire alarm immediately followed Ivy sew
er;,l whistles. making q noise that would almost
turn oyera dead man. We thought it Il small
riot until the deputys voice was heard Calling
Turn out Tie fire brigade" For a few
minutes the changing of the brakes. the shut
fling of feet along the corridors and the sup
pressed voices If tie inmates eXclamng. The
prison is on fire. made it intensly exciting.
Being assured by the night keepers that the
prison WIS safe for the present. that the fire was
outside the walls everything inside the cell
house resumed it's accustomed tranquility. Not |
so in the Yards. however. where the prison hre
| brigade came tearing up the street with hose
| carts Orders rapidly given by the officers, |
whose voices could be distinctly heard and rec
OgniZed throughout the entire cell mouse. only
made the inmates more keenly alive to the fact |
that the fire small affair. for 1t soon be-
came apparent that the prison was in danger
Large GOALS OF fire came rafting down in the
ward and upon the roofs Of the shops. and as we
could see them through the windows it seemed
raining fire. AS the flames increased iii fury,
and cast their reflections upon the windows of
the Irvine and shoe factories opposite the cell
house, every man on that side of the cell house
was sure that those buildings were burning. and
as the cracking of the cinders could be dis
tinctly heard and the flames plainly seen shoot
ing upward as reflected in the windows, more
than one man looked for a roast. or. at least,
hot-box for the night. Many who were I'M
r dressed got inside Of pants and shoes quicker
than they ever did through turn OUT sum-
| in tba md
/, take them off until the following evening. AS
, one remarked: Use gwne take no chances to
get skOched." The precautiOn was unnecessary.
At no time was the prison in danger. for through
the efficiency of the fire department. showing the
effects of thorough drilling. and the combined eI
forts of all the officers. the buildings and the
yards were kept under Il continued shower OF
3 water. AS soon as Il burning enber TELL It would
S be extnguished. The officers and fremen, the
q latter composed of nine prisoners. worked all
= night and plainly showed the effects of hard
= work the next day.
e The fire originated on the ground floor of the
L Saltwater Manufacturing Companys shop, and
r spreading, entirely consumed the warehouse OF
r the Minnesota Tbresher Mfg. Co. and four
;, dwellings, The wind, being from the southwest,
l. carried the flames to the very gates of the prison
h and were it not that such hard and efficient work
d have been reduced to ashes.
1t The Minnesota ThreSher Mfg. Co.'s ware
IS house. which was unoccupied, was formerly used
Us as a -four MILL the first built in Saltwater and
1t when it caught on fire the accumulated foul
l. dust exploded, scattering the building in every
i'll direction and several spectators and firemeI
u had narrow escapes from death. The loss Oh
ID this building was about $25,000 covered by in
It. surance The loss to the Minnesota Mfg. Co
y. is estimated at $4,000, with about eighty PEE
+. cent of insurance. Of the four dwellings burned
lie two were owned by Isaac Staples and valued a
le about $500 each. partially insured. Both house
d. were occupied. the tenants losing their entir
We household effects The other two houses. valued
G. at about $1,000 each. were partially insured.
of Mayor Staples teegraphed to st. Paul for as
Id sistance and companies No. I and in charge Q
re Chief Jackson reached the city about 80 a. m
ci- by special over the Omaha, but AS the fire wa
up by this time under control they were not III
ry loaded.
lis The owners of the Saltwater Manufacture
o. plant will Immediately rebuild. In the NEAR
ill time, seventy-five men thrown out of emplo.
so ment. This firm is engaged in the manufactur
D." of sash, doors and blinds and interior furnish
ingS Its buildings were erected about six year
ago. and occupied both sides of Main stree
about a block south of the prison. The shO
hc was frame building 6OX9O eet and three storie
VI high and all that was left standing the SmOk
iii stack Had the wind been in nOrtherly direc
vi ion and blowing stronger, the business porto
US of saltwater would have been wiped out of e,
nv istence. Too much praise cannot be given OF
'o fire department for the skilful manner in whic
%, they protected the prison. Twice each wee
ou during the summer months the deputy has pc
' sOnally drilled the nine prisoners who cOmpOs
~ the fire company, and the quicEness with whic
-. they coupled and uncOupled the hose, movlI
-, frem one point of danger to another, fro
Nv hydrant to hydrant. would do credit to the pr
,N fessiona iremen of our cities; and beyond al
~ question, were it not for their promptness al
~ thorough discipline, the residences OF the wa
~ den and deputy warden as we'll as the barns
W. the rear. would have been destroyed. 1t mig
be we'll to note here that if the city of Stillwat
~ will furnish the water, filtered of musk rats, ca
w fish, etc.. our boys can take care of any fire
~ side the enclosure; but it is impossible to get
W. stream of water from pipes that are blocked |
~. with everything that can be sucked out
7nI McCuSickS Lake. Musk rats and fish do not p
I'VE out fires. And predict that If the Ohclals co
the nected with the city water power do not renee
' S this evil, Saltwater will be laid in ashes s0I
dr. morning for want of water to eXtingulsh mr.
b a similar to the one of Friday night.