Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1899-03-10
Berke's Hotel on the West
Side and Berg's Residence
Destroyed.
BOTH BUILDNCS BITlRELYC0ISUIED
Fire Starts From Unknown
Causes IN Both I.
Il Places.

Cbty STOlu vudS O'u1VV NuSO ""SSAsFss.
This first Dire occurred ut about 4
O'Clock Wednesday morning, and II
resulted In the total destruction Of
the Berke hotel on the West side.
The fire originated In the attic, pre-
ably from, the chimney, and was
burning through the roof when dis
covered. The building was not used
an a hotel. but was occupied by
several families. and 50 rapid was
the progresA Oi the fire that the
family ri Alfred Carlson on the
SECOND floor had narrow escape.
Peter knOpek and Frank Miller and
IN miles also lived In the house. and
they succeeded in getting out a pOr-
tiOn OF their household goods on the
first floor, hut everyt thing In the
furniture line and all household goods
above the first floor were destroyed.
The building was owned by p. J.
Berke, Of the town II Little Falls,
and he carried only $5.lA)O insurance
$3.50 ON the building and 81 800 on
the hotel furniture.
The following IL the insurance on
the B-rke hotel building: National
Insurance company, $l.5Oo. $1.OtO on
building and $500 furniture; Man.
chester Insurance company, $500 on
furniture; Pennsy lvnnia $4,000. 81 $40
ON building and 500 ON furniture;
Phoenix Of London, 81 600 on build
ing. ~
At about $50 another alarm was
turned in, the residence ON Third
street and HecOnd avenue southeast,
owned nv j. w. Berg, ana recently
vacated by l.. o. Vessel, being dis
covered On fire. The building was
undergoing repairs. az Mr.. Berg In.
tended to remove his family to 1t
soon, and force of carpenters were
at work In the building when the fire
started. Mr.. Berg kept fire In the
furnace and man to watch the
building. to prevent the water pipes
from freezing, and although the
wnrkmen were in the building at the
Z e the fire started. they are >isnOr-
ant ~ its origin and did not discover
ir until the flames were coming
through the roof. The department
arrived In good season, but owing
to "a lack Of water pressure they
were powerless to do any thing to
save the building. and 1t being an old
frame building. it's destruction was
completed In a short time. The fire
started in the attic, and it is sup
posed was caused bv q defective
chimney. The lack OF pressure is uu-
account able, but 1t Is supposed to be
partially frozen pipes. for when the
pressure was up to 10 at the pump
ing station the stream from the
hose would not reach the roof Of the
building. - @s- ~. 4,
Owing 10 the high wind that pre-
vailed, the tiremen mad some difficulty
in saving the residence Of E. G. Hin,
situated just north of the burning
building. ,4
MIR. Berg was also In the building
at the time the fire started. He had
returned but a few minutes before
the Are started from the attic. where
he had been shO wing the improve
ments he was having made on the
building to .. Trebby. He is quite
certain that the fire originated from
the chimney. He carried $40 insur.
ance on the building. and 1t was
valued at about $2.OOO. a<*
Later-As one explanation Of the
lack of water pressure at the Berg fire,
1t ii stated the hydrantsin use on the
West side early in the morning were
left open, and 90 much water es-
capped from them that fire pressure
could not he sustained nearly a mile
from the station. The hydrant at
the Berg. corner was also damaged.
in opening this morning, and the
thread ON the valve or valve-rod
otTIpU0Os ~ C0uuOV y0S 10 O0uO
whether this condition prevented
the full opening Of the valve.
+ Alexandria Post: It will be-
hard for the Democrats to make
trusts an issue and Bryan, the
representation Of the silver trust,
their candidate.
Office seekers are now besieging
Census Director Merriam.
Red Lake county has 60.col-
umn tax list this year.
"A lodge Of Royal NeighbOrs will
be organized at Long Prairie.
BE YOUR OWN BOSS YOU III !. .t az
Mail Order Business day or evening &C
home. No peddling. You can make SIS
per Week. Either aex. Address,
N. Young, 500 Henry St., Brooklyn, n. Y.
I. lsAHK Ek.4