The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1895-02-14
Two Brick Business Blocks
Burned out of the Heart of
Main.St.
.. p. Hansen's and JnO. Batchel.
der's Stocks OfGOOds
Destroyed.
The ScheIdrup and Grundnnan
buildings Destroyed Early
ON Tuesday Morning.
Total Losses Will Exceed
$4,000, with $4,000
Insurance.

The most destructive fire which has
occurred in this CITY since the burning
of the Davidson mill, broke out soon
after midnight on Monday, in the build
ing OH Main-st., owned by John P. and
Henry Grundman, Of Pella. Iowa. occu-
pied by John Ratchelder, dealer i'll hard
ware. John Cannon and family Occur
by living rooms on the second floor OF
the Scheldrup block adjoining, separat-
ed only by lath and plaster partition
from the Grundman building, and hav.
ing common stairway. Mr.. Cannon
came up from st. Cloud on the midnight
train. and before retiring he became con-
scious of smell OF smoke. HIS wife
went into the kite hen and found every
thing all right there, but the smoke
rapidly increased in volume, and while
he went to give the alarm, Mrs. Cannon
succeeded in getting the three children
out in their night clothes. to the friendly
shelter of the Scheldrup home, over the
drug store. 1t was then impossible to
re-enter the rooms on account of the
dense smoke, and all the household fur
niture and clothing remained, to be
seriously dam aged bv smoke. heat and
water.
John Kerneghan was first at the
Batchel der store, and saw flames on
the first floor, near the rear OF the build
ing. ihe general alarm was given and
the department responded promptly and
soon four large streams OF wa ter. with
splendid pressure, were beng poured
into the building, but to no purpose.
While there was lit e fire visible, vas,
clouds of smoke poured from the build
ing at every possible point o. exit, and
it was impossible for the firemen to go
inside with the hose. Evidently the fire
was burrowIng beneath the floors and
between partitions. showing itself in lit
tie tongues of flames at the most unex-
pected places. The building is what is
known as "veneered"--a frame building
encased with single four-inch layer OF
brick.
The adjoining store occupied by S. P
Hansen, into which he removed only
two weeks ago, Vas so filled with
smoke that it was impossible to enter
the building to remove any OF the stock.
Until broad daylight the firemen worked
like beavers, pouring in water from
four large nozzles, and yet there was
no apparent Roadway made against the
concealed and stubborn flames. There
were plenty of heat and and smoke. and
it was evident that both buildings and
contents were doomed.
Alter daylight the household furni-
ture OF Mr.. Cannon was gotten out
through the second story windows, but
badly damaged. About ter o'clock
portion of the north wall of the Grund
man building collapsed, and the fire for
time burned more hereby than ever.
but with strange persistency, the roof
refused to fall. although portion of the
floor went down. Through this op ~
ing in the wall the fireman Tough, III.
flames TO finish, but it was not uIiii
after noon-twelye hours from the time
the the alarm was given-that the hre
was extinguished.
Chief Coe said that he had fought
fire for nearly fifty years, but this was
the most puzzling and obstinate one he
had ever seen, a fact due to the peculiar
construction Of the buildings. The
second floor of the Scheldrup building
was constructed of oak, one by two
inches, set edgewise AMI spiked. while
beneath it were several inches of saw
dust and an air chamber put in to dead.
en- the sound, the room above haying
Lecn used as roller skating rink.
The losses nv the fire as near as can be
ascertaine. from investigation and the
opinion of those best qualified to judge.
approximately are as follows:
]. p. and H. GruuIman OH build
ing... ...................... ........... So 900
M. A. Scheldrup. ON building...... 5000
S. P. Hansen, on stOck............. 1000
John Ratchelder on stock........... $500
John Cannon, on furniture .......... 400
First National Bank, damage...... 100
Otal.....................Sl 900
The tollowin is the insurance tahu,
lated with reference to in ii vidual losses
and also by agencies:
NJ. A. SCHELDRUP.
Phoenix OF Bartford........... S 1000
Underwriters NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1000
Continental OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. LOCO
$4,000
H. P. & HENRY GRUNDMAN.
Continental................... ...... $4,000
JOHN BATCHELDER.
American Fire, N. Y.......... S 500
Under writer's ........................ SOC
Security Of New HO.ne....... 1000
Phoenix of London............. 500
5 $500
H. p. HANSEN.
American Fire................ $1,000 "
Plue, tx of BroOklvn..... 500 o.
Security of New Haven...... 1000 90
$4,000 W'
Tie following are the. agencies. and
II cir companies involved :, ~~e'''s''- =. =
]. F. COOPER.
Continental ...................... 5000
Phoenix. Harttord...... ..... LOO
u. derwriters.. 1.5OU
American Flre................. 1.oh
$1,000
GEO. r. wHiTNEY.
Security Of New H ven...... S 200
I hoeuiy ,f Ondou Sn'
49,
S $500
MORSE & LAMB.
Phenix. ......................... S 500