The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-05-11
Portage Lake News
L Anse DESTROYED Bv
Fire Last Satur-
day.
origin Of the Fire Unknown.
"r's In the L'Anse Lumbea Mil
ana Burns Four-FI.ths o. the
Town-Othor News.

Inc village OF LAnse was visited Satur.
DAY afternoon by the most destructive
hre oil the history OF the town. Shortly
before 0 O'Clock the mill of the L'Anse
lumber company VAS discovered TO be ON
hre' and at the end of two hours the two
principal business blocks of the town
were wiped out completely, together
WIN ooth hotels and several dwellings,.
ine destruction was confined to the west
side oil the main street, but il took the
greatest effort on the part of the L'Anse
and Baraga fire departments to keep il
within those bounds.
The mill of the LAnse lumber com.
pany, owned chiefly by j. B. Smith, was
built only last season and had been run
nlng but about two weeks this wear.
Friday temporary stoppage occurred,
owing to the demands OF the mill hands
Tor a decrease in number of hours of
labor. One or two men were about the
mill at the time the fire started, but their
only explanation is that the suns heat
on certain oily waste in the upper story
must have induced spontaneous COM
bustlon. At any rate, simultaneously
with the alarm in town, the flames burst
through the roof and in an incredibly
short time communicated with the large
piles OF lumber to the north.
Urged on by strong southwest wind.
the flames soon envcloped the big trestle-
work OF the old ore dock, and it was the
situation OF this long abandoned struct-
ure that doomed the greater portion Of
L'Anse's business district to destruction.
This trestework ran from considerably
east OF the line OF the main street across
this street between the mill and the town
and terminated at the lake shore.
In very short time the fire had got
Roadway in the block IN which was stu
ated Smiths general store, though curl
ously the flames Jumped over this into
|
was one of the last to burn. Mr. August
Menge, the chief of the l. Anse fire depart
ment, one of the towns leading business
men, saw at once that with the ever in
creasing wind driving the fire on it was
impossible TO try to save that side OF the
street, and his and his mems greatest ef-
forts were directed to saving the east
side. 10 this work the Baraga depart
ment rendered the greatest service. They
were stationed between the trestlework
and the town, and yesterday the citizens
of L'Anse were loud in their praises OF
their neighbours assistance.
One man in describing the work OF de-
struction said, that the flames went by
jumps. They would leap clear over a
building, start one beyond and then burn
back. The street and vacant space
about =. Ruppe 4 Sons store was nc
apparent barrier to the destructive ee
ment. The fire was finally stopped after
partially destroying the residence o.
John O'Connel
The fret building in the path OF The
flames was the big general store OF j. b
Smith. Next came a building owned by
the Osgood estate, occupied by M. Glitter
as saloon. Then came the saloon o
Charles Gilman in the building OF Henry
Crocker; II. j. Seiffert's barber shop
August Menges saloon and William
Menges confectionery store, in doubl
building, owned by the former; the banl
and a second building owned by Angus
Menge, occupied by barber shop ant
the law offices of X. X. Mckernan.
The second block started with the gen
eral store of p. Ruppe & Sons, then cam
the saloon of Sam Began, the Old Lloy'
House owned by NJ. Wallace, drug stor
occupied by S. T. Harris, who had JUS
removed from the east side OF the street
Sam O'Connells saloon, Wallace liver
stable, the New Lloyd Hotel owned b.
j. r. Thomas, r. r. Williams hardwar
store, the town hall, the LAnse Sentint
Office aud building owned by Williar
Anger aud occupied by NJ. 7. Orr.
Ontbe lake shore the following bushes
I places and residences were burned: j.
smiths warehouse, L. Memoirs dwelling
Ruppe & Sons warehouse, Sangebush
building. two buildings of John b. 81
LANCER welch estate one building, res
dence of f. Edgerton, the old court hous
the old Bendry residence, dwelling owne
by Peter Ruppe and occupied by Harr
Jngersoll. Uony Johnson's dwelling an
livery stable. Luke welch's dwelling an
barn. John Campbell's dwelling, NJ. wa
lace's dwelling and John oConnell
dwelling.
L'Anses water system proved to be
r;obt. with it's 100 pounds pressure irol
dam two miles up the hill, but no ord
nary fire.ighting appliances would hay
nroved of avail, and August Meng
though he is heavy looser' had nothln
but praise for the water system ana u
work of the departments. During u
oor,v mart of the confagration the n
engine was placed at the creek just sou'
ot the Lloyd House, but the fire game
40 rapidly that it had to be aoanuon'
and Yesterday it presented a wrecked a
pearance. .,os p
when II was seen that there was
- -, saving the west side OF the sire
manv Of the merchants moved valuao
n.ners TO the little bank building wnl'
was considered freprooI The bulldir
!. ., sandstone and had an iron roo'' o'