The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-15
FIRES TARDY VISIT
FIRST ALARM IN A WEEK MARKS
A PROPERTY LOSS OF
$4,000.
FURNITURE STOCK SINGED
IN AN EARLY MONDAY 4 IN
THE COMMISSION COMPANY'S
STORE.
LIEUT.. MURPHY's CLOSE CALL.
One Fireman Is Imprisoned in the
Dense Smoke and Narrowly Es-
caDes ASphyXtatiOn.
FURNITURE STOCK SINGED
LIEUT.. MuRPHY's CLOSE CALL.

The first fire alarm for one week
called out the fire department shortly
after l o'clock this morning, when
the rear of the building occupied by
the Commission Furniture e Carpet
company, 140-142 East Sixth street,
was discovered to be in flames. The
inaccessible location of the fire allowed
the flames to spread until the second
and third floors were practically burn
ed out, causing an estimated loss on
the building and stock of $1,000, fully
covered by insurance.
Lieut.. John Murphy, of Hook and
Ladder Company No. l, had a narrow
escape from death by s%uffocation dur
ing the fire. He entered the second
story of the building from a rear WIN
dow, and losing his way in the dense
smoke, fell unconscious to the floor.
Fortunately other firemen were on this
floor n when Lieut.. Murphy's groans
were heard, a search resulted in his
discovery by Capt. McNally, of Engine
Company No. 8. With the help of
other tiremen Lieut.. Murphy was car
ried to the ground, where he was soon
under the care of DR.. FinneIl. He was
4tSlCC1NdlCQ anu lGtAtu ~ his IlOItlG III
the central patrol wagon. His condi-
ton is not thought to be dangerous.
The fire started in a repair room in
the rear OF the third floor, where stoves
and furniture are renovated, and it
is thought may have been caused by
exposed gasoline, though how the ma
terial was ignited, if such is the case, is
unknown. Extending down the elevator
shaft to the second floor, though the
damage here was slight, the flames
obtained considerable Roadway and
burned StubbOrnly up through the
roof. The third story was stocked with
carpets and furniture, which is likely
to prove a total loss. BY hard work
and a perfect deluge of water, the
tiremen prevented the flames from
reaching the ground floor, containing
the most valuable part of the stock,
though the contents of this depart
ment were damaged to a considerable
extent by the drenching.
The fire smoldered to a great extent
at first, and it was not thought that it
would be of q serious nature, but when
h flames broke from the windows and
were seen to be spreading to other
parts of the building Chief Jackson
ordered a second alarm, calling out
additional apparatus, the location of
the burning building IN the midst
of a business district and it's close proX-
unity to the Hotel Ryan rendering
every precautiOn necessary. Most of
the guests of the hotel We're aroused
by the engines and excitement, but
realizing that there was no danger to
the hOStelIy, again sought their couch
es. The fire burned steadily for several
hours, but by degrees the firemen COM
pletely surrounded the building with
lines of hose, until water was being
poured in from every window and over
the. roof in a perfect deluge. The
flames were practically under control
within q short time after the arrival
of the department. so far as commune
eating to other buildings was concern
ed, but were still burning at 2:30 O'Clock,
though it was not believed they would
reach the first floor. The salvage corps
did good work on this floor.
The building is the property of the
Seabury bishOpric, of Faribault: Will
liam Dawson formerly had charge of
1t, but Stephen Jewett, treasurer, has
been looking after it lately. The loss
on the building is estimated at Sc, 5000.
MI. Levy estimates the value of his
stock at $13, 900, insured for IS, 900, with
HUghsOn & Hemenway. The Mer-
chants and Aetna are among the COM
panies writing the risk. Mr.. Levy said
the fire might nave come from a fire
which had been used in the "a
ton of stove polish for the stock of
stoves, which occupied one of the upper
floors.