The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-20
FIRE FIEND'S HAVOC
DISASTROUS CONFEDERATION AT
CORNER OF NINTH AND
WABASHA
THE LOSS REACHES $4,000
Fire Department Made Gallant Fight
in Face of Hot Flames, and
Saved Adjoining
Property.


that ST. Paul has known since the Towle
Syrup company's headquarters on Fifth
street burned last spring broke out in
the block at Ninth and sNabasha streets
shortly before 5 o'clock yesterday ait
erneon, and for two hours engaged the
fire department in fierce battle. The
building was owned by Mrs. Caroline E.
Boardman, and was damaged to the eA-
tent of about $4,000. s25,eO OF winch
was covered by insurance.
The Peoples Storage company Wnich
occupied the four upper floors OF the
building suffered to the eXent OF Sfo,VV-
that is, their patrons had goods worth
that amount stored there. The com.
pany carried a blanket insurance OF
$4,000. and Frederick Howard, an oIncer
of the company stated last night that
the goods burned were for the most
part insured.
Among the others who suffered by rea-
son of water were Peter Reckinger, VINO
owns q cigar store in the lower part OF
the building, in the corner. His loss
amounts to about s1.5O to stock by
water, fully covered by insurance. The
Capitol hotel in the next building south
from the burned building, was damaged
to the extent of 81 900 by water. Oscar
Sigo's barber shop was damaged about
$780,
The building itself which was erected
in 1884 at a cost of $780, 900. is complete
ly Quilted, all the windows in the rear
being broken and the walls and pard-
tons and floors throughout being down.
The fire was discovered shortly before
o'clock by a neWSboy who saw smoke
pouring out of the third-story window
on the Ninth street side. He found Off
Iyro 20 xyin vEtbn fireman
who happened to be passing. The latter
at once telephoned an alarm to head
quarters and the department responded.
Special Alarms Sent In.
AS soon as Chief Martin, who is act
ing during Chief Jackson's sick leave,
arrived he saw that it was dangerous
fire and Immediately sent in two special
alarms In, a short time ten engines
were putting forth their combined eff
forts, and within ten minutes after the
first alarm twenty streams were playing
on the building, which was by this time
q solid mass of flame.
Four hook and ladder companies re-
sponded to the call. and the ladders
were soon up gainst the building, the
gallant fire fighters climbing, hose in
hand, to combat their fiery foe.
For the first time since the cold stor-
SeDAASN
out, but 1t was not pressed into service,
although it was in readiness in a few
minutes after it's arrival.
For a time Immediately after the fire.
men arrived the building was a perfect
furnace. Flames poured out of every
opening, and, to add to the terror of the
scene, q number of loud explosions, fol-
lowing each other at short intervals,
shook the surrounding buildings and
CHI rloe 41,a IL
of the building. Broken bits of glass
and bricks filled the air., and the fire
ladies were in danger every moment
of being struck by the flying missiles.
The electric light wires in Ninth street
began to groau under the weight of the
hose Isnd flying debris, and, shortly they
fell down, sending liquid bolts Of fire
along the ground like fiery -serpeI1ts, and
filing the air with myriad or sparks
and a sulphuric odor resembling a gigan-
tic display of fireworks.
The work Of the department could
not have been improved upon. They
were there almost Immediately following
the alarm, and by 6 o'clock, although
the entire building above the first floor
was Quilted. there was not a flame to
be seen. The ruins still smeuldered I'M
der the dismal y wreatFs of blue smoke
that betoken. the end of the reign Of
Firemen Work Hard.
Up the ladders, dragging hose after
Them went the gallant boys. The flames
poured out of the broken windows and
scorched their hands and faces, but they
never abated their efforts a moment until
every vestage of the fire had disappeared
Il was o'clock, just two hours after the
alarm had been turned in, that the fire
lighters began to gather. up their APP
paratus, and half an hour later, except
for the usual engine company left there
for precautionary measures, they had re-
turned TO their houses.
The work of the companies from the
ground was lInexcelled. On the Wabasha
side half a dozen streams were thrown
into the fourth and fifth story windows
with unerring aim Three or four men
at a huge nozzle guided the stream into
the burning mass of wood.
About twenty minutes after the fire had
broken out the fifth and fourth floors fell
through. lodging on the third floor, with
q terrific crash. The top floors of the
building were bare of plaster or any kind
of covering and the big beams and rafters
stood out dry as finder waiting to be
licked up by the greedy flames Luckily,
through the foresight of the different Of
hcers of the department, no one was in
the building when the crash came or
they would surely have lost their lives
Happily not a man, as far as could be
learned, was injured to any extent at all.
A few were scorched, but not seriously,
by the shooting flames, but this was un-
avoidable as it was necessary to send
men with hose up the ladders
The only attending accidents as far as
could be ascertained occurred to the pole
team of Hook and Ladder Company No.
4. When the explosion occurred and the
wires fell to the ground throwing lneir
sparks into the air, the four horses that
had done such good service in drawing
their company to the scene of the fire
became excited and breaking away from
their tether, started on mad chase
down Ninth street. They ran as far as
Broadway when lie pole team, becoming
entangled with the harness fell to the
ground. The leaders at this point stop
ped. but not before the pole team had
been badly bruised and cut by their run
| and fall
A large detachment of policemen strung
IRE lines and We're fairly successful in
| keeping back the crowd which thronged
the three open sides of the building The
! fact that these three sides were open was
| in way responsible for the manner in
| which the fire was, handled
Quite q strong wind was blowing and il