The Minneapolis journal., 1901-02-27
1T WAS A HOT FIRE
Window Block Completely Gutted
by Fire Last Evening.
GARRITY BUILDING IS DAMAGED
Loss Is About $50, O,OOO-Building
Was of Mill Construction and
Burned Rapidly.

The Window block, occupying the south
east corner of Second and Washington
avenues S, was completely gutted by fire
| last evening. The Garrity block, adjoin-
| ing at 206 Washington avenue S, was also
badly damaged. The loss is about $4,000
A dozen firms located in the buildings
were burned out. The fire started in the
| saloon of J. Cohen, 200 Washington avenue
| S. BY the time the department was
| in action the flames had crept up to the
| third floor of the building and roaring up
| the elevator shaft had broken through the
| roof before a drop of water was playing
on the fire.
! The interior, of the block was of mill
construction with many light partitions
and the rapidity with which the fire
spread made a spectacular display. Inside
of an hour portions of the. side walls,
stones from the roof and tops Of the wall
commenced to give way.
After the fire had been in progress about
two hours flames were seen breaking
through the Second avenue side The top
floor was soon in flames and the loss to
the Whiting Shirt company which occu-
pied this floor, will be total. The o. H.
Peck Photographic Supply company on the
ground floor suffered a loss of nearly $685.
900. The third and fourth floors were
badly burned and all occupants suffered
from the drenching poured into the build
ing. The following were the occupants of
the building:
List of Tenants.
First Floor. Cohen, saloon N. Krueger,
second-h hand store; o. II. Peck Photographic
Supply company.
Second Floor-C. Crossman, chemist; Build
ing Trades council; Whiting Shirt factory,
Office o. H. Peck machine shop.
Third Floor-Associated Charities, office;
Master Plumbers association; Boston sus-
pender factory; A. w. Howard, baking test:
Union printing Office; n. Goodwin, cigar
manufacturer.
Fourth Floor-Moler Barber college; Whit
ing shirt factory
The occupants of the upper floors of
the Window block included a variety of
firms Among them were the Union Print
ing company, Moler's barber school. the
Associated Charities and the Trades and
Labor Council. These firms were prac-
tically knocked out of existence.
The colored Masonic lodge, which oc-
cupied quarters in the Window block, lost
everything in last nights fire. The loss
is placed at $500. There was no insur-
ance.
Fortunately the fire was free from any
fatal injuries either to firemen or spec
tators Pipeman Charles Miethke, Chem
ical1, had the fingers of his right hand
cut by falling glass, but aside from this
minor mishap no accidents were reported.
The insurance patrol had a busy night
and did much service in protecting the
further spread of the fire.
The fire is said to have been caused by a
gasoline explosion in the rear of the
Cohen saloon
The Insurance.
The insurance on the building amounted
to 900 with loss of $35, 900. The War
wick hotel los 81 estimated at So 000 fully
covered by insurance. The Whiting Shirt
company loss by fire and water is $5 900,
fully insured. The Peck Photographic
Supply company, estimated loss SO 600,
| covered by insurance Union Printing
company, insurance $4,000; loss approxi-
mately the same. The Birkhofer Brew
ing company loss of $4,000, fully covered
by insurance. Kreger's second hand
store. insurance $4,000; loss approximate
| ly 81, 900. The Associated Charities loss
of $500 was fully covered by insurance.
Owing to the fact that there were sew
eral fires last night the work of accurate
ly adjusting the loss has been retarded.
The above figures. however, represent
the showing as arrived at this afternoon.
Charities New Quarters.
The Associated Charities officers, who
were deprived of Offices by last nights
fire, have temporary headquarters with
the Union mission, but will be in new
quarters on the seventh floor of the
Boston block tomorrow. where they will
be ready for the usual grist of business,
though somewhat handicapped for lack
of Office furniture. All of the associa-
tion's furniture was destroyed last even
ing, and the officers will be pleased to
receive contributions from furniture and
carpet houses.
Fortunately the records of the asso-
citation were not destroyed, though they
were damaged by water. They are read
able, however, SO that there is no danger
of the associations being imposed upon
by unworthy poor who might think to
take advantage of the destruction of their
records on the associations books.