The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-11
HAVOC BY FIRE COMPLETE IN THE
PACKING DEPARTMENT OF
ANCHOR MILL.
THE LOSS REACHES 100000.
MILLING DISTRICT NARROWLY ES-
CAPPED A DISASTROUS CON-
FLAGRATI0N.
NONE OF THE INJURED WILL DIE.
Crossing Collision Vic Tins In a Fair
Way to RecOver-News of
Minneapolis.

The havoc wrought by the flames on
the Anchor mill packing structure
early Sunday morning was strikingly
apparent in the daylight. Only the
four walls remained, stripped and
naked, to tell of the former center of
industrial activity. The several floors
and roof went down beneath the on
slaught of the element, carrying with
them the different pieces of valuable
machinery and contents of the struc-
ture. The loss will likely totalize a
sum quite as large as formerly men
toned and reaching fully 100000.
Owing to the day and the consequent
suspension of all business it was diff
cult to obtain any accurately approx
mate estimate or the extent of the dam
age or a division of the losses. The
structure was the property of the
Langdon estate and was valued at $780,
QUO. 1t emerged from the flames with
surprising results, due to the vigor
with which the stony material with
STOOD the heat and water. The walls
are thick and solid, a veritable pali-
sade, and will be quite fit for the ex-
terror of another such structure. In
this particular, then, the damage was
seen only in the floors and roof. which
were totally destroyed
The machinery within the packing
house was estimated to be worth fullv
$20,OOO, and this was entirely DESTROYED
by the heat and fall, or rendered unfit
Tor further use. The amount of manu-
factured cereals in the place at the
time was fortunately not large, and the
loss IN that respect was in proportion.
The amount Of insurance could not be
OBTAINED yesterday, but the informa
llon secured showed that the loss above
insurance would be small 1t was
STATED that blanket" policy covers
the entire property of the district and
included the contents of the structure.
Z. b. Shove is the local agent for the
company having the insurance on the
building. He stated yesterday that he
was unable to furnish the exact amount
from memory, but it was learned at
the headquarters of the insurance pa
troll and salvage corps that tbe sim
was above $4,000. In connection with
the ire there has transpired a bit Of
interesting news which shows the start
ing margin In which was prevented
the destruction of the entire district
ana the lnestimtable loss which would
nave ensued. James Ryan, q truck
man at fire headquarters, before be-
coming identified with the department
was an employe Of the mills and in
stlnctively understanding the gravity
or the situation and the strong possibiI-
1ty of the fire element eating a massage
between the wall Separating the pack
Ing house from the Anchor mill n1ount
ed the stairs of the latter on a tour of
inspection. The action proved most
timely. On the fourth floor an OMEN
ing had been made through the wall
py the tre and thin tongue was lick
ing the immediate surroundings. The
fireman hastily unrolled the hose Of the
building and eXtinguished it. Had much
time passed before it's discovery the re-
suit would have been hard to estimate.
ne scene OF the fire was visited yes
tetday by crowds Of people, and the
ruins inspected ct close range There
was little left in the quantity of debris
to suggest the thrilling fight of the
uepdrliIieht or the splenCor Of the fiery
The alarm subsequent to the signifi-
cant Bill from box rs for a blaze in the
morrison block. on Second avenue
south, near Third street, foretold an
other fight, but of an entirely different
nature. The fire had got hold in the
hoors OF the premises occupied by the
Moffett, Thurston & Plank Printing
company, and def1ed dislodgement. The
huge volume Of smoke prevented quick
action by the firemen and puzzled them
as to it's location. When once found
1t was hard to reach inasmuch as
streams of water could not be directed
upon the element. Considerable glass
was necessarily broken, and the floor
Ing cut and torn up in the work.
When controlled the damage was es
timated at $4,000.
The night was a hard one for the
members Of the fire department. 1t
had been a long time since the third
call had been sent in and so MANY
companies attracted to one place. Not
Until the night had fairly flown did the
boys get back again to their houses
and the Sabbath was spent in strict
rest and quiet.
About $4,000 damage was done to the
contents of the Anchor mill through q.
peculiar though possibly fortunate
means. In some manner the sprinkler
in the building was set in motion, it is
thought by the heat and the water
quite flooded the premises, falling to
the lower floors with considera BILE dam
age. After being discovered 1t was
at once stopped.