davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
Other Losses and Insurance.

A. B. Ewing started for himself in
the grocery business in the basement
of the building Jan. 1st, and had &C
quired fine business. He places his
loss at So, 900 to 1900. The stock was
insured for So, 100.
He had $1,000 with H. P. Christen-
sen, $500 with J. T. Williams & Son
and $500 with Cast. Davis.
Miss Nettie Porter occupied a por-
tion of the first floor with a stock of
art goods, valued at $500 to $500, and
this was destroyed, with no insurance.
Attorney A. M. Rutan and Col.
VIM. Thomas occupied the corner Of
flee on the second floor, and nothing
was saved. Mr.. Rutan's law library,
furniture, ETC., valued at $1,000,
were burned. He carried no insur-
ance Col. Thomas lost his furniture,
papers, etc., and sustained a loss Of
81 900, with no insurance. Each of
these gentlemen have large safes,
which contain their private and more
valuable papers, which are thought to
be all right. d. G. Davies, collections
and insurance, occupied another Office
and lost his furniture, books, etc.
]. B. JOhnson's building and stock
were valued at $500, and insured for
5000 or $500 with J. T. Williams &
Son and w. H. Shepard. He owned
half the party wall with the Odd Eel
lows, costing $3.50, and this was in
sured for it's full value.
L. P. Hunt places the loss on his
building at from $500 to $500, fully
covered by insurance. The principal
damage is to the ceilings and roof.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
SMALLER FIRES STARTED BY SPARKS
Mcconnell & Cummins, A. B. Ewing, J. B.
Johnson and Others Lose Heavily.
SEVERAL LODGES WERE BURNED OUT

One of the most disastrous fires
that ever visited MankatO occurred
late Saturday night and early Sunday
morning. The fine Odd Fellows
block, at the corner of Second and
Jackson streets, was entirely de-
stroyed, together with all of it's con-
tents and the adjoining shoe shop of
J. B. Johnson, while the L. P. Hunt
building was somewhat damaged and
the small residence in the rear of the
Odd Fellows block was crushed in by
falling walls. The heavy wind
scattered red hot embers all over the
center Of the 'city, and it was with
the greatest difficulty that other
serious fires were prevented. At
least a dozen small blazeS were start
ed on roofs and elsewhere but all
were promptly eXtinguished before
any particular damage had been in
ficted.
The total losses and insurance, as
nearly as we have been able to as
certain, are as follows:
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
r1cConneiI s. Cummins.

Mcconnell & Cummins occupied the
entire first floor and half of the base
ment. The FIRMS loss is placed
at $4,000. The principal part
of this falls upon the friends
of Mr.. Cummins, who have
backed the firm up heavily. The
trusteeship of A. j. Powers, of the A.
j. Powers Dry Goods Co., of St. Paul,
would have terminated May 22nd,
provided that it was agreeable to all
of the creditors concerned. The in
surance carried on the stock was made
payable to the trustee. The fire dis
solves the firm of Mcconnell s. Cum
minis, and the latter expects to
move back to Eagle Lake the
latter part of this month.
Mr.. Mcconnell was called to Kan
sas several days ago. Mr.. Cammins
has the sympathy of his many friends,
who know the circumstances connect
ed with the affairs of the company.
An insurance of $1,000 was carried
on the stock. and it is possible that
when the safe can be opened it will
be found that another policy Of $1,000
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23

ceiling. The firemen discovered this
and chopped hole in the roof near
the front, big enough for a man to
enter, and hose and chemicals ex-
tinguished the fire, after much hard
work, Had this fire had start of a
few moments longer, it is doubtful
whether the building could have been
saved. AS it was, the wood work was
all charred by the flames. The water
that was necessarily used in putting
out the'fire soaked through the vari
Gus ceilings and through the third
floor, damaging the plastering.
The walls of the Odd Fellows
block were pulled down, as a matter
Of safety. When the building col
lapsed, piece of the wall crushed in
the porch, and front cOrnice of the
frame house in the rear of the block
and owned by Mankato lodge No. Is.
When the walls were pushed in, an
other section fell on the house crush
ing in the roof. The house was not
occupied, the family having moved
out a. few days ago, but
had intended moving back this week,
so it was repo ted.
By 200 u. m. all danger was over,
and the Odd Fellows block was mass
of ruins. A stream of water was kept
turned on the mass of debris all night
and all day yesterday, to prevent
sparks from flying The bricks had
been heated to a white heat and every
little while a flame would start up.
Crowds gathered around the spot
yesterday, and boys went through the
ruins and picked up whatever they
could find from the burned stock.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
Apr. 9 16 % 30 May7 IA.
SUMMONS.

CTATE OF MINNESOTA, COUNTY OF BLUE
- Earth.-ss.-District Court, Sixth Judicial
District.
Rosetta Schneider, Plaintiff, VS.. John Schnei-
der, Defendant.
The State of Minnesota to the Above Named
Defendant:
You, are hereby summoned and required to
answer the complaint of the plaintiff in the
above entitled action, which is filed in the Of
flee of the clerk of the District court, of the
Sixth judicial district in and for the County of
Blue Earth, and State of Minnesota, and
copy of which is herewith served on you, and to
serve a copy of your answer to said COM
plant on the subscriber, at his Office, in the
City of Menkato, in said.county within 30 days
after the service of this summons upon you
exclusive of the day of such service; and if you
fail to answer the said complaint within the
time aforesaid, the plaintiff in this action will
apply to the court for the relief demanded in
the complaint,
Dated, March 10Th, 1897.
W. A. FUNK,
Plaintiffs Attorney.
Mankato National Bank Building,
Mankato, Mimi,
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
The Fire Spreads.

The flames as they burst from the
windows made hot fire, and drove
the firemen back. The air became
filled with burning brands, which the
brisk wind carried northward for half
mile, endangering the entire center
of the city. Glowing embers were
driven across Jackson street like dry
leaves before an autumn gale, and
the efforts of the firemen were direct
ed to preventing the spread of the
fire. The owners of buildings fastened
to climb to the roofs, which were wet
down with water, to prevent the dry
shingles from being ignited by the
sparks. 1t was exceedingly fortunate
for the remainder of the city that
these efforts were completely success
full, for had the fire gotten started in
the frame buildings along the alley
between Front and Second streets, no
power on earth could have prevented
general ,confagration with the
strong south wind that was blowing.
]. B. Johnson's small frame shoe
shop between the Odd Fellows block
and the FREE PRESS building was
licked up by fire and scrushed in by
the falling wall. The latter took out
the two windows on the second floor
of the L. p. Hunt building, while
blazing brands started fire on the
roof. A line Of hose was run through
the building to the roof, and eX-
tinguished the fire and played on the
awful pit of fire below.
Sparks on the roof of the Hunt
building lodged against the right
brace of the flagstaff and were fam
ned by the wind into flames
that worked down under the roof
and started conf1agration among
the frame supports of the latter
in the air space between the roof and
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
The Beet Sugar Industry.


Winona Republican:
Mr.. L. r. Brooks, formerly of this
city, now of Minneapolis, has return
ed from pleasure trip of some weeks
to the Pacific coast, spending about
month at a Coronado Beach. While
there Mr.. Brooks interviewed Claus
Spreckles, the sugar king, and speak
ing of this interview he said:
II found Mr.. Spreckles a very
pleasant man to talk to. He is
Slightly above the medium height,
well built, and rather gray. He is
great power out there and owns
varied interests all over California. L
had very interesting talk with Mr..
Spreckles about the beet sugar indus
try. He told me that the United
States imports 1925, 100000 worth of
sugar yearly and that California alone
could raise the beetS to make that
amount Of the staple. With sugar at
its present price farmers can raise
beets and make twice as much as they
could by sowing their land in wheat.
L asked Mr.. Spreckles if the beet
sugar was as good as that made from
the cane, and he told me that even
chemists could not detect any differ
ence between the two products.
"Mr. Spreckles has a large beet
sugar factory in California. 1t is
comparatively new venture, and
when they first began making sugar
it cost them $40 to handle ton of
beets, the product from which would
be abont 200 pounds of refined sugar.
Now they have reduced this to SLIGO.
There is no brown sugar made from
the beet, only the white variety such
as we use each day on our tables.
"Mr. Spreckles is now building
new beet sugar factory in Southern
California, the boilers of which are to
have capacity of 5000 horse power.
To give some idea of the magnitude
of this it may be said that the power
obtained from the new dam will be
about 10000. He told me that so far
as he could see there was no reason in
the world why Minnesota and the
DakOtaS should not raise beets just as
successfully as California. A beet
factory to be profitable must be able
to manufacture sugar on large
scale. The complete plant would cost
in the neighborhOod of 500, 000."
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
April l6 % 30 MaY7 Ii q.

STATE OF MINNESOTA, County of Blue
Earth-ss. District Court, Sixth Judicial Dis
trict.
Marsh, insolvent, plaintiff, against John Q. A.
Marsh, Sarah J. Marsh and Frederick w.
Marsh, defendants
PENDANTS:
You and each of you are hereby summoned
and required to answer the complaint in this
action which has been fled with the clerk of
said court, and to serve a copy of your answer
to said complaint on the subscriber, at his Of
fee in the city of Mankato in said county and
state, within twenty days after the service of
this summons upon yon, exclusive of the day of
such service and if you fail to answer the said
complaint within the time aforesaid, the plain
tiff in this action will apply to the court for the
relief demanded therein. and for his costs and
disbursements herein.
Dated April 10th, 1897.
A. M. RUTAN,
Plaintiffs Attorney,
Mankato, MINI.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
Apr is %
TAX JUDGMENT SALE.

Pursuant to real estatet tax judgment of the
District Court in the County of Blue Earth,
State of Minnesota, entered the 22nd day of
March, A. D., 1897, in proceedings for enforcing
payment of taxes and penalties upon real estate
in the County of Blue Earth, State of Mime
sofa, remaining delinquent on the first Monday
in January 1897, and of the Statutes in such
case made and provided. shall on the first
first Monday, being the Bird day of May, A. D.,
1897, at 10 o'clock in the forenoon, at my office
in the Court House, in tn City of Mankato and
County of Blue Earth, State of Minnesota, sell
the lands which are charged with taxes, penal
ties and costs in said judgment, and on which
taxes, penalties and costs shall not have been
previously paid
Dated at Mankato, Mimi, this twelfth day
of April. A. ID. 1897.
lsEAL. p. A. GUNDERS,
Auditor Blue Earth Ciunty, MINI,
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23

$500 insurance in the Hanover COM
pany, and this will nearly offset it's
loss.
Alexander Wilkin post, G. A. r.
lost it's fine silk flag, it's valuable war
M APPS, bass drum and other property,
and had no insurance. The drum
corps instruments were not kept
there except the bass drum. The loss
is $780,
The Womens' Relief Corps lost all
that it had in the hall, with no in
suraDce.
The Knights of Honor lost their
parapbernalia, valued at 200, with no
insurance.
The above were the various lodges
that met in the hall, the others hav-
ing moved into the A. O. U. w. hall.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
The Building Doomed.

The fire department brought out
nearly all the hose lin the city, and
every good nozzle was attached, so
that eight or nine streams were play
ing on the building.
The windows were knocked out, one
after another, and floods or water
were poured into the building. Five
minutes later the fire was into the
second story, and in another few
moments it burst out of all the win
dows on that floor in a mighty flame
that reached up around the third
story and roof, licking like the red
tongue of some dreadful dragon at a
choice mOrsel. 1t was then seen
that no human agency could save the
building, and the third floor, with it's
lodge room, banquet hall and
other rooms was added to
the domain of the fire king, who now
held mighty revel. The .entire in.
terror of the building, filled as it was
with goods and articles of a highly
infiammable nature, became roaring,
seething furnace of flame. Soon the
supports Of the second floor gave way,
and crushed down through the first
floor to the basement, two heavy iron
safes crashing to the bottom. Then
the third floor gave way, and finally
the entire building collapsed, the roof
falling in and the walls going both
WAYS.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
OUR BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS.

The excavation for Thos. A. Sherks
new store, at the corner OF Front and
Liberty streets, is nearly completed.
The foundation for the new Swed-
ish church, on Fourth street near
Hickory, is we'll under way.
Martin Wiltgen's new livery barn,
on Washington street, is we'll ad-
vanced.
A. G. Barney's store on South + ront
street is enclosed.
The walls Of A. G. Meyers store, on
Hickory street, are under way.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
It Burned Slowly,

The fire department arrived
promptly on the scene and soon
had one or two streams turned in
to sthe basement in the direction
in which the fire seemed to be.
About all that could be seen was a
thick smudge, which made it i'm
possible for the firemen to enter the
basement. For about an hour the
fight went on, and the firemen seemed
to be acquiring the upper hand. In
fact, most of the spectators went
home, thinking that the fire was
practically out. They were mistaken,
however, for the flames gradually
worked their way along the wood
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23

Chief Phillips states that the de-
partment needs more hose, and that
the council will be asked for it. All
of the hose and noZzles in the city
were used, and if another fire had
broken out, the department would
not have had the means with which
to combat it. Nine streams were
playing at one time.
Gus Lorentz was badly burned about
the face, and Architect Gerlach re-
ceived a painful cut from broken
glass.
The fire department did magnificent
service and fully demonstrated it's abil-
ity to cope with large fires. The SER
vice was long and arduous, but the
boys were equal to the occasion. Be-
yond any other institution in the city,
our people should be proud of the fire
department.
Had it been thought at first that
the fire could not be stopped, good
deal of property could have been
saved, but when it was realized that
the building was doomed, it was too
late.
The government building withstood
the tremendous heat without damage.
Not a single section of hose burst
during the fire.
The Sons of Veterans lost a flag and
other property.
Masonic Lodge No. IL, and Schiller
Lodge, l. o. o. F., promptly extended
invitations to No. Is to hold it's
meetings in their halls. 1t is an unus-
ual action on the part of Masons to in
vite lodge of another order to meet
in their hall, and lit is all the more
appreciated by No. Is on this account.
1t will meet tonight in Schiller hall,
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23

work, behind partitions that kept the
water away, and came crawling up
the stairway to the second floor. BY
midnight dense black smoke was
pouring from the building, driving
everybody away from the Jackson
street side, which was as black as
night. Occasionally a lurid glare
would be seen for an instant back of
the windows, and then the smoke
would oil out in denser volumes than
eVe~
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
For Bargain go to o. w. Schmidt's
Saddlery Co.

Fifty set of heavy team harness
always on hand to select from, made
of the best No. oak tanned leather,
and every stitch handmade. The
only kind we make at prices of inferior
qualities. If you want good durable
work harness, you will miss it by not
eXaming our stock and getting our
prices. We carry the largest and best
stock ever shown in the city.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
Sparks.

Great credit is due Mr.. T. III. Will
liams and young Mr. Williamson, bet
ter known as Buffalo Bill" for un-
ceasing efforts to save the L. +. Hunt
building. The entire fire department
is also deserving of the highest praise
in this connection.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23

Ell. P. Jensen was the first to discov-
er the fire, and noticed the smoke is
suing from the upper southeast corner
of the building, apparently from un-
der the roof. He opened the door to
the stairway to the lodge hall and
found it full of smoke, and ran to G..
M. Phillips barn. The two made an
examination and then turned in an
alarm. The fire seemed to them to be
in the rear of the basement.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
Other Fires.

At least dozen small blazes were
started by sparks and embers that
were carried over the city by the
wind, dropped in dry place and
famed into blaze. The most SER
ious was in the rear of Young & Mon
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23

had not yet expired. The stock was
mostly new, as the old portion had
been almost entirely closed out. Last
September the stock invoiced at S17,-
900, and very little change was made
in the amount carried after that. The
company's safe weighed 2,400 pounds.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23
Push 1t Along.

MadeIia Messenger:
The Mankato board of trade has
made move toward securing beet
sugar factory in that town. No bet
ter location for an institution of that
kind can be found in the northwest
than right here in Madelia, Push
it along.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23

-WANTED-Active and reliable
young man to take care of soda fount-
ain and do other work in a fancy
grocery. Write or call on at once.
G.. A. ROBERTS, GAINESVILLE, MINI.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23

The electric light wires were
burned off, but the current on that
circuit was shut off previously, so as
not to endanger life. The repairs
were made yesterday.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23

The safes were dug out from the
debris this afternoon. The combina-
tion to Mr.. Cummins' would not work.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23

The question OF rebuilding will
come up at to-night's meeting of Man
kato Lodge No. 10, and full attend
ance will probably turn out. From
the utterances of leading members, it
is evident that the lodge will erect a
handsomer and larger building than
before, and one more adapted to it's
present needs.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-23

owing to the paraphernalia being
there.
The record-union., 1897-11-01
Naval Organization.

Naval apprentices, third class, an
enlisted on board the receiving ships a
the large navy yards ON both coasts
They must be between the ages OF Il
and II, have the consent OF then
parents and guardians, and agree te
serve until they are p years Of age
To enter they must be OF robust frame
intelligent, and as the regulation goes
..be Of perfectly sound and healthy con-
stitutior,. free from any physical de-
fects or malformation, and not subject
to fits" They must be able to read
and write, though in special cases
where the boy shows a generai inteiii'
gence, he may be enlisted notwith'
standing that his reading and writing
are imperfect No boy who has beer
convicted OF crime or Is of known bad
character can be enlisted. Upon en-
listment he receives months outht'
and is entered ON the ships books a.
entitled to a monthly payment OF s.
and a ration. Round Table.
The record-union., 1897-11-01
NEW TO-DAY.
To the People Of Sacramento Cit)
-AND-
VOTERS OF THE FIRST WARD.

GENTLEMEN AND FELLOW-vO1'-
ers-l take this occasion to address you as
my record made in the Board of Trustees
entirely In your hands that you may judge
Of my qualifications. AS the representa-
years have attempted to make the inter-
ests of the city personal matter, unpre-
jrdiced. unbiased and uncontr oiled by any
thought and economy in action has always
been matter of deep consideration with
me in all matters pertaining to the affairs
OF the city. l have it's welfare at heart
and for the love Of my adopted country.
for the love of my home and tor the cher-
ished feeling of endearment for the future
success of my children, l have ever been
hopeful Of Sacramento's prosperity.
My views on the bonded question have
often been expressed p & ana being thorSGngn. a.
had a desire to be party to the cancella-
tion of this long standing obligation, that
will deliver to the people free, indepen-
dent and fiourishing municipality.
My aim and ambition as member OF
the Board Of Trustees has always been
better the condition of our financial affairs
in order to give the people a new City
Hall. the best and most improved and
healthy water. better wharfage and nav
igation facilities, and provide for more
school buildings TO meet the ideas of an
could not consistently vote FOR the crea-
tion Of any new Indebtedness, except such
as became absolutely necessary by public
demand safety or threatened danger, re
alizing the enormous bonded debt now al
most due and soon to be paid.
Should be so unfortunate as to be be-
trayed by my friends on the day of cleo
tion. to satisfy some selfish motives bet
ter known to themselves. trust that my
successor will ever have in view all that
will be most beneficial to the interests OF
the city, and that he will favor the strict
est economy and the lowest possible tax
rate. Very respectfully,
n. WACHHORST.
Sacramento November l. 1897 1t
The record-union., 1897-11-01
weather Reports.

The Weather Bureau reports show
the highest and lowest temperatures
yesterday to have been 73 and 46 de-
grees. with gentle southerly winds and
partly cloudy weather prevailing.
The highest and lowest temperatures
one year ago yesterday were SO and 81
degrees. with a trace Of rain, and one
year ago to-day 65 and A degrees.
The average temperature was 90 and
the normal 81 degrees. showing yester-
day to have been 3 degrees warmer
than usual for the 31st Of October
The wet thermometer at 5 D. m was
81. being 8 degrees cooler than the dry
thermometer at the same hour.
The Percentage of moisture in the air
at 8 a. m. and 3 p. m was 93 per cent.
and 81 per cent. as against 50 per cent.
and 4S per cent. at corresponding hours
on Saturday.