The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-28

Some $4,000 worth of property went
up III flames yesterday morning, and
the fire department fought one of the
hottest blazes since the great lumber
yai d Conflagration some years ago. The
plant OF Fraser & Shepard, hardwood
manufacturers, Fifth street and Fifth
avenue north, was totally destroyed
and loss of probably 5000 sustained.
The u. H. Bennett & Co hardwood
mill adjoining was RACED to the ground
and a total less of $4,000 entailed; two
dwellings, We're totally consumed and
NUM- Der of houses within four or five
blocks were more or less damaged by
nyinS cirders.
All the property destroyed burned ike
tn DER and the department was handi-
capped in the fight by a strong west
wind, which whipped the flames into
fury and at one time threatened a
great conhagration. The Department.
worked with a viii and skiilfully. thus
preventing a fire VIII ch might haye eX-
tended over many blocks. When it ar
rived or the scene the Bennett mill and
the four-story brick plant of Fraser Sc
Shepard were a Sesthing mass of
flames and it was impossible to d. any
thing hut protect the surrounding pre- p
ertv.
The fire alarm was turned in at 9:12
by officer Linquist, who saw smoke is
sums from the Bennett mill The de-
pGTtm5ut was on hand in short order.
ana IS soon as Chief Stetson arrived a
5 c7rd ard third alarm calling cut most
of the apparatus in the city was sent
Il. The battle between fire and water
was tcen on, and for several hours the
outcome held in the balance. At 1880
the Ere fend had spent his force, ard
practically gave up the fight, but not
until he had claimed everything in the
immediate vicinity Of his advent
Tbs FIRE originated in the Bennett
mill \ boy employed there had acct
dentGily placed some shaVings in front
Of the furnace. The wind carried them
into the shaVings room, and in q mo-
mert the entire building was a mass
of flames. They swept on into the
Fraser & Shepard building.
Both structures were doomed when
the department arrived, and it was i'm
possible for the men to get near the
buildings on account OF the dense vol
uTues of smoke and the extreme heat.
The fire was fought from ali sides, the
biS tower, the Siamese nozzle and in
diVdual lines of hose pouring torrents
of water into the flames. At 10 O'clock
the north and west walls fell with a
loud crash, and at the same time dwell
ingS On the corner Of Fifth street. one
owned by a Mrs. Bouscha, caught fire
Most Of the furniture had been remov-
ed but several hundred dollars'worth of
clothing and the buildings were almost
destroyed.
Alarms began to come in from diff
ferent places in the vicinity, and be-
fore the fire was under control cind3rs
had started eight fires. A volunteer
crew, under the leadership of Aid. Phil
lips and James Mcmillan, was formed
10 look after these and the fires were
quickly eXtinguished without much
loss
There was no insurance on any of the
property destroyed. The Fraser &.
Shepard plant was mOrtgaged to Rob-
ert WetheTell. of Chester. Pa, who was
To foreclose within a few days
Just previous to the fire another had
started in two small dwellings, at Thir-
ty-second avenue northeast and Mar
shall street. Both of them were con-
stunned, and the loss will be about
9, 900. A horse belonging to engine No.
II in going TO this fire, slipped and
broke his leg. He had to be killed.