The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-06-08
A CLOSE CALL.
Fire in the Basement of the
Normal School.
Splendid Work of the Fire Department
Saves the Building From
Destruction.

row escape from destruction Dy nre MOL
day night, and that it did escape is due
to the magnificent work of the Mankato
fire department There was furnace
of flames under almost the center OF
the building before the fire was dis
covered, and the task before the fire.
men seemed almost hopeless one.
That basement fire is the most diff
cult of any to handle is conceded
everywhere.
The fire started in an apartment where
some waste paper had been piled. 1t is in
the front part of the basement, about
where the new south wing joins the
old part of the building. Close to this
on the south was large quantity of
wood piled up in readiness for use in
the furnaces when they are started up
next fall Adjoining on the north are
some of the furnaces with vacant
spaces between. The fire spread rapid
ly after it got start.
Louis Janda, who resides across
Fifth street from the normal building,
was on his lawn at 9:45 o'clock. when
he noticed that there was a fire in the
basement He knew at once that it
was serious and Immediately turned
in an alarm from box 80, at the corner
of Fifth and Hickory streets. He then
ran to the building and got the lawn
hose, which was lying in front. By
this time the flames had burst through
three of the front basement windows
and were rising as high as the win
dows on the first floor. Fearing that
these windows would be broken and
that the flames would be sucked into
the first story and spread beyond con-
troll, Mr.. Janda played the lawn hose
on the nearest flames and held them
back until the fire department arrived,
which it did in a remarkably short space
of time Then it was seen that the fire
was so serious that second alarm was
turned in. The Dukes addition hook
and ladder truck broke down on the
way.
Four streams of water were turned
on the flames, and the firemen worked
rapidly and with telling effect. The
school hose was also used. A number
of policemen and Shelf Gerlach and
son helped to keep the crowd back, so
as not to interfere with the work of
the firemen.
A rehearsal for the presentation of
Robin Hood tonight was going on in
the assembly room on the second floor
of the north wing, under the direction
of Miss Holt, but not one of the large
number of students gathered there had
any intimation of the fire that was be-
ginning to rage in the other part of
the building until the Railways sudden
ly filled with smoke, almost shutting
off the means of escape except by way
of the fire escapes. A few took to the
fire escapes and one or two young
ladies tainted after reaching the
ground The remainder made their way
out through the hallway, half choking
with smoke. The smoke soon became so
dense that the iremen could scarcely
get in, and it poured out wherever an
open window was found. The entire
building was smoked. Some of the
records were carried out, but teachers
who went in to save others were driven
back by the smoke.
10. NIo haI Oh
the last spark, and the smoke had had
chance to pass out of the windows
that were then thrown open all around
the building, an investigation of the
extent of the fire was possible. That
part of the basement where the fire had
been presented a sorry sight as Free
Press reporter joined group of fire
men who were attending line of hose
and had a couple of lanterns. The
ceiling for long distance was badly
burned, and some partitioning was
partially destroyed. The flames had
spread along the ceiling for some sixty
feet, through several compartments of
the basement. Charred woodwork was
to be seen on all sides, and the floor
above was still heated in places. The
success of the firemen was truly re-
markable. Several fremen remain ed
on the scene all night with a line of
hose, as matter of safety.
1t is difficult to estimate the damage
to the building. 1t is probable that
smoke caused more than the fire, and if
the entire building or large part of it
has to be recalsomined and repapered
the expense will run up to consider
able amount. Perhaps the damage
will fall somewhere between So, 900 and
$4,000. The building and contents are
insured for $4,000, which is about
two thirds of their value.
1t is fortunate that the fire did moi
occur Tuesday, with the assembly hall
filled with people, or a panic might
have resulted. AS it was. no one was
injured, although one or two of the
firemen suffered somewhat from smoke