The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-04-04

that town Dy toail. 1uo OI'Sino'
part was 40 feet in length, aud was
added to on different occasions later
From the start the building was used
for a mercantile establishment, so far
as the lower floor was concerned. The
firm was afterwards Behnke & Nor
thrup. Then the late James McMil-
Ian secured the property, then it was
Mcmillan & Northrop, then Jas. Nc
MILAN & Co., then Mcmillan & Chan
dler, then back to James Mcmillan,
who at the commencement of the 'SOs
sold out to G. A. Francois & Co.
The upper floor was The GAZETTE
office in the early days and here
Beals and Meckstroth and others
pulled machinery since replaced by
more modern power. Then it became
the home of Masonry, and afterwards
was divided into rooms.
The brick portion was built in 1887
by Mr.. Francois, and has been occu-
pied as hotel and as an addition to
the mammoth mercantile establish
ment of G.. A. Francois & Co. ever
since. Since G.. A. Francois death
the institution has been conducted by
H. G.. Schmahl, young man raised
in Redwood Falls, who brought the
institution out of state of insolvency
into liquidation during the past year,
a feat considered as a magnificent
tribute to his business ability by lead
ing eastern mercantile establishments
who happen to be creditors of the
firm.
Aside from the loss on stock and
building and household furniture Mr..
Schmahl states that there was a large
package of notes destroyed by the
fire. The safe was oren, and at the
time the fire started Mr.. Schmahl was
looking over these notes. He dropped
them on the counter and they we're
destroyed with the other goods. The
notes are worth in the neighborhood
of ten or fifteen thousand dollars,
The city water works again are to
be commended. Had it not been for
the water furnished to the hose COM
panies it is practically certain that
the whole'block of buildings would
have been,reduced to ashes, and for a
time there was a chance for the flames
to cross over to the block on the south
side of the street.
As far as,can be learned, the insur-
ance on the buildings, fixtures and
contents is about as follows:
AGENCY OF W F. DICKINSON.
Stock Hartford Fire ms Co ........ 81 10000
Stock, st. Paul Fire & Marine 500. 100000
Stock, Home ms. Co. ............ 100000
Brick building. Hartford Fire Co.. 100000
Stock, Phoenix ms. Co............... 100000
Brick. building, ST. P. F. & M. 100000
Frame building, Home ms. Co... 10000
Frame building, St. P. F. & NJ. 10000
Steam heating plant Phoenix 1. Co 100000
AGENCY OF GEO. HOUGHMASTER.
Brick building, Niagara ms. Co. -. S2,O 90
Hotel fixtures, N w. National...... 100000
Hotel fixtures. State of Des MOines. 100000
AGENCY OF ]. B. ROBINSON & CO.
Stock, National Ins. Co. 81 .OOO.O 90
Brick building, National ms Co... 100000
Fixtures, Phila. Underwriters. $500. 100000
AGENCY H. A. BALDWIN.
Hotel and fixtures. North America so .OO
Brick building, West Assurance Co. 100000
Stock, North America. 1000 O
Stock, Aetna ms. Co. ............. 100000
According to the above lists, fur
nished by the agents the insurance
on the stock was only 5000. There
was $1,000 of insurance on the two
buildings, $4,000 on hotel furniture
and fixtures, and 81 900 on the steam
heating plant.
Mrs. Francois has plans already
drawn for building to take the place
of the old frame establishment, and a
magnificent three-story brick building
sister to the hotel:. building, will prob.
ably soon be in course of erection
The present hotel building will be re-
paired as soon as the insurance adj
justers and Mrs. Francois represents
tives agree on the loss.
Mr.. Schmahl will continue the mer.
camille business in the old stand, and
while he will be unable to be out for
some time, as soon as settlement car
be perfected with the. companies, he
will put in q new and mammoth STOCK
of dry goods, groceries, etc.