The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-07-26
TWO FIRES.
Evidence That There is
Another Fire Bug.
Attempt Made to Set Fire to L.
A. Linder'S Shed .---ChdS.
Thayer and A. c.
Burns Lose.

Burns Lose.
1t begins to look as though Mankato
has another fire bug on its hands. Two
fires of mysterious origin have occur
red the last two nights, and an at
tempt was made Sunday night to fire L.
A. Linder's shed, which would have
meant injury or destruction to sew
eral adjoining buildings.
At 10 o'clock Sunday morning,
Officer Bienapf saw that house on
Bunker hill was on fire and turned in
the alarm from box 81. The hook and
ladder company went to the scene, the
fact that there are no water mains
there making it unnecessary for the
hose wagons to go.
The house was owned by Chas.
Thayer and leased by Joel Reed, a trav-
cling man. The fire started in the
barn from some unknown cause and
spread to the house, both being totally
destroyed. Other houses were close
by, and the fremen used their chemi-
calls to save these, as the wind was
dropping a shower of sparks for the
distance of block.
Mr.. Reed saved some of his house
hold goods, but his loss will probably
amount to $780, He carried $500
insurance. The house and barn were
large and Mr.. Thayer's loss is con-
siderable.
A house on West Fourth street, in
West Mankato, owned by Albert G.
Burns. was damaged by fire at clock
Sunday morning. One of his sons
smelled smoke and awoke the family.
The house is brick one with frame
addition used as a kitchen. The fire
started in this addition from some I'M
known cause and spread to the roof of
the brick part and also damaged one
room.
Some delay occurred in turning in
an alarm, although telephones were
near by, and when somebody did tele-
phone, the fremen could not under
stand him. An alarm was finally
turned in from box 60, after hunt for
a key.
The West Mankato company laid a
line of hose, and when the central sta
ton boys arrived they coupled on and
made it long enough to reach the
house. The fire was then extinguish-
ed, after it had burned the frame ad-
dition down. The brick part was not
damaged greatly, and the household
goods were mostly saved.
Mr.. Burns had recently purchase d
the house. He carried $1,000 insur-
ance on his household goods and also
had insurance on the house. The
damage to the latter will probably not
exceed $500.
The central station fremen make a
practice of waiting to learn the exact
location of fires in West Mankato, as
,, there is only one box there and there il
we'll equipped hose wagon and hook
and ladder company there. When it
learns by telephone.whether it is need
ed, it sends such of it's equipment as
is necessary. This was done last night,
and there would not have been as much
delay..if the telephone had been used
promptly and distinctly.
Monday morning l.. A. Under discov.
cred an old Swedish newspaper, crum,
pied up and partially burned, under his
woodshed, which is several feet from
his house. 1t had been thrust into al
opening in the bottom that had beer
left for the cat to use, and dry WOOD
and rubbish was scattered all about.
1t looks as though some person hai
deliberately attempted to set fire to hi
shed by lighting the paper and thrust
ing the lighted end into the opening
1t appears that the fire soon went ou
without doing any damage. Had thu
fire started, it would have consumed
the building and probably S. A.
Rouse's barn. S. W. Burgess house
is twelve feet away and on the side
that the wind was blowing towards
and it would have been difficult to have
saved this and Mr.. Rouse's house haG
the shed and barn gotten good start
Mr.. Under turned the paper over tc
the police, who are inclined to believe
that the party who placed it under the
shed also set fire to Mr.. Thayer's barr
and to Mr.. Burns house. There is a.
yet no clue to the party. The outside
page of the paper was missing, so il
cannot be discovered to whom it be
longed.
1t is not definitely known whethel
the paper was placed under the shet
last night, but it is thought so from
the fact that sprinkler which Mr.
Under had near the shed, attached tt
his lawn hose, was tipped over Monday
morning. 1t was known to have beer
upright late Sunday night.
DRUGGISTS ORGANIZE.