St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-16
LENA. ERICKSON BRAVELY LEAPS
FROM A BURNING APART
MENT HOUSE.
MONTEREY FLATS ABLAZE.
OCCUPANTS SAVE LITTLE MORE
THAN LIFE AND THEIR NIGHT
CLOTHES.
Fire Department Has Busy Sab
bath Day-GeneraI News of
Minneapolis.

The Monterey Flats, three story
brick tenement, situated at 21-2S East
seventeenth street, was damaged by
fire to the extent of several thousands
OF dollars yesterday morning When
discovered at about o'clock the flames
had secured strong headway, and the
inmates effected their escapes after an
exciting experience Several persons
We're rescued in their night-clothes
Lena Erickson, domestic dropped to
the street from a window on the third
floor, but was caught on a mattress,
and escaped injury.
The flames, according to Chief Stet-
son and Fire Marshal Pearce, had their
origin in the boiler room. From the
furnace they crept to a quantity of
shaVings near, and quickly gained ac-
cess to the gas meters of the building
The interior of the structure being of
wood, but brief time ensued when the
fire burned through the floor to the
stairway, where less obstruction was
met with. This result had been practi-
cally accomplished when it's presence
was first learned. The smell of smoke
had reached the floors above and D.
q. Mcintosh was the first to have his
suspicious aroused. He rushed through
the rear exit in his night clothes to
arouse the janitors who were sleeping
in the basement of an adjoining tene-
ment, while a guest of his rang the
electric bells of the building.
John Long, owner Of the structure
lives near, and hearing the cries turned
in a call for the department from
Seventeenth street and Vine place. Be
fore the arrival of the apparatus the
inmates had reached the street. In no
case was anything taken from the
burning building, except the few ar
ticles of wearing apparel several
snatched in their flight When it was
supposed all had reached a place of
safety, cry was heard from a window
of the third floor, and Lena Erickson
appeared on the sill and prepared to
drop. Encouraged by cries to hold for
a minute, Mr.. Long hastily secured a
mattress, and str ong arms held it while
the girl descended.
AS she did so members Of the fire de-
partment reached the scene. Seeing
the situation of the flames, and the
probability of an obstinate fight,
second and third alarms were turned
in. With the strong reinforcements
which the two calls brought, Chief
Stetson deemed it inadvisable to use
water above the ground floor and on
the two above only the chemicals were
brought into service. 1t required near
ly two hours fight to subdue the ele-
ment, and havoc was wrought on the
lower two floors, about the center of
the building. The loss to the structure,
as computed by the owner, exceeds 81
900. The building cost 100000. 1t was
insured for $4,000. Fire Marshal
Pearce inspected the premises yester-
day His estimate of the aggregate
loss is $4,000; the building, $1,000, and
the contents, $1,000. Appended is a list
of the six tenants, and an approximate
estimate of their individual losses as
furnished by each:
P. j. Connells, almost total loss on house
hold contents, declined to estimate in figures.
Insurance 81, 900. Removed to IL East Sew
enteenth street
Charles E. Cottrel, household goods prac-
tically destroyed; insurance, $1,500. Removed
to Morgan Hall building, Nicollet avenue and
Seventeenth street
J. 7. Morris, large loss on household effects,
including valuable oriental rugs, and heavy
mahogany furniture. Declined to compute
of insurance.
G. P. Kenyon was not seen, having at once
taken his family to reside with friend at
Merriam Park. His loss was said TO be quite
as heavy as that of his friends.
D. Grant Mcintosh, loss $500; insurance not
learned; future residence undecided.
A double tenement house at 2103-5
Thirteenth avenue south sustained 5000
damage by fire last Saturday night.
Police Officer Frank Lackey and
George Myers occupied the building,
but their loss was slight The origin
of the flames is unknown
call for the fire department was
sent in last evening from Thirty
street and Second avenue south. At
that point a load Of hay had accident
ally caught fire. Part of it was de-
stroyed.
Martin Ginsburg:; merchant police,
rang in an alarm for a blaze i'll the
street at Plymouth and First street
north last evening. The explosion of
a gas pipe was followed by the escap-
ing gas taking fire.
One end of a passenger car in the
Omaha yards was damaged by fire last
evening. The blaze was due to the i'm
perfect working of a stove.
HEARD ON COLLEGE HILL.