The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-05

ed to death, and several others injured.
John Judge was wedged in with debris.
Across his feet lay the body of Mappes,
but with cool head he directed the ef-
forts of his comrades in their work Of
rescue. When he was finally removed
he was taken to the hospital in an ambu-
lance, where several others of the injured
had been removed.
SPREAD OF THE FLAMES.
From Broadway the flames ate their
way through to a number Of three and
four-story structures, occupied by nu-
merous firms in various lines of business
These were soon On fire from top to bot
tom and were gutted. Heroic efforts were
made to keep the flames from the build
ing on the corner of Fourth street and
Franklin avenue, occupied by the Ger
nan-An1erican bank, and they were sue
cessfuE. This and two buildings adjoin-
ing on the south were saved.
ROW OF BUILDINGS.
Across on Fourth street, and extend
ing up to Third street, was row of old
buildings occupied by the Chisler-Cor-
nela Seed company, the Plant Seed conf
paly. Krennings Glassware and Crock
cry company, Basset, Plumb & Co.. Null
ler-Block Commission company, Nelson
Distilling company, McLain & Alcom
Commission company, Hake & Sons, COM
mission house; Benton & Co., commission
house; Baur Flour company, and Will
liam Books saloon. Here the fremen
were able to stop the spread of the Gre
to the east, but 1t was many hours be-
fore the flames were quenched, after tons
of water had been expended. The in
teriors and stocks Of merchandise of all
these buildings were destroyed.
Before this, occupants Of buildings east
on Third and Second streets, fearing
remove their books and stock, but at 3
o'clock 1t became evident that the fire
was under control.
At this point Third street widens out,
and this helped the firemen to keep the
flames In check If the fire had broken
beyond bounds here, the loss would have
been enormous. This is the middle Of
the commission district, where the streets
are narrow and the buildings old and
their contents of a combustible nature.
Nothing could have prevented the fire
from sweeping over everything to the
river.
AN 4 II
In the meantime scores Of buildings on
the north side of Franklin avenue for
half block east and west Of Broadway
were suffering. The great neat from the
burning buildings opposite broke the
windows and soon flying en.bers had
started blazes in a half-dozen different
places. The tenants living above hastily
moved as much of their property as pos
sible Good work by the firemen pre-
vented much loss at this point. The
drug store of Johnson Bros, at the cor
ner of Franklin and Broadway, and a
saloon on the opposite corner, with some
small shops adjoining, which were par
TALLY destroyed, were the heaviest losers
The other losses were confined to broken
glass and scorched store fronts.
The trolley wires along Broadway and
Franklin avenue were source of dam
ger, and until they were cut, on the
mayors orders, there were numerous
narrow escapes from electrocution.
District Superintendent Baumhoff, Of
the United Railway company, and
corps of men set about rescuing de-
rallied car at Fourth and Morgan streets
Snatching long haul from grip car,
the power of the cable was used to maui
it out of the way of the firemen. The
eripman started his car, but did not re-
bumped along over the street, crashed
into a fire engine which was stationed
on the corner and crushed Fireman Ham
more. He was removed to the dispen-
sary, where his injuries were pronounced
fatal.
For hours after the fire broke out the
scene of the fire was thronged with thou
sands of spectators who had been drawn
from churches and homes by the report
that the city was burning up. Every po-
liceman available was hurried to the
scene, and rope barriers were erected
around the section in which the flames
were raging. The streets were crowded
until the fire was under control.
Late tonight John Cummings, private
watchman of Penny & Gentles, was ar
rested and is being held pending an In
vestigation into the origin of the fire. Fte
was taken into custody as the result OF
a statement by woman rooming oppo-
site, to the effect that she had seen
man answering the watchman's descrip
tiion lighting matches in the store previ-
Gus to the fire. Cummings states that he
was at home when the fire broke out.