The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-31
HEAVY FIRE LOSS
The Minneapolis Paper Company and
. the H. B. Strait Company Are
81 Burned Out.
Loss to Stock and Building Is Esti-
mated at $215,000, Partially
Insured.

fHe luulCCeQ Iledyy loss i'll llle WloleSdlT
district of Minneapolis last night. The
First avenue N, occupied by Minneapolis
Paper company and the H. B. Strait COM
pany, dealers in teas, ccffees and spices,
was almost totally destroyed. The losses
are estimated as follows: Minneapolis
Paper company, stock, $4,000; H. b.
Strait company, stock, $4,000; w. -.
Andrus, building, $4,000. In addition 10
these losses, surrounding property ana
stocks We're damaged by heat and water:
The fire was discovered at ll:l5. AL
that time the blaze was confined TO the
basement, but when the first company,
Chemical No. /, arrived, the names were
shooting through the roof. Captain Johh
Parker, of Chemical No. l. saw that the
fire would be bad one and Immediately
turned a second alarm. In a few minutes
the water tower arrived and began pour
ing water upon the upper floors. When
Chief Canterbury arrived. he turned IN
general alarm and all the tire-fightlng
apparatus in the city was soon battling
with the flames. The peculiar nature OF
the stock furnished excellent food Tor
the flames which mounted from moor 10
floor and gave out such q terrlflc neat as
to make it almost impossible Tor the llre-
men to approach the burning structure
A part of the companies We're statloleo
AAo~A~~S
them. The heat was so intense that the
liremen were obliged to cover their races
to prevent them from being bllstered by
the intense heat. They remained at tnelr
posts. however, until driven out by the
falling walls of the ruined building
Started In Basement.
The fire started in the basement near
the southeast corner of the building IN the
elevator shaft, and the flames crept rapid
Nv upward until they broke out through
the roof.
From the first the danger to surrounding
buildings was imminent. Inc S1A-s'olS
brick building, occupied by the LYMAN
Fliel Drug company seemed to be IN the
grsatest danger. and streams of water
were kept playing upon the walls TO pre-
vent the fire from spreading to 1t. Even
with that precaution, every ,Wlhdo" Was
either burned out or cracked by the IN
tense heat and the stock was damaseo Wy
both heat and water. The auton1atlc
sprinklers proved of value on tle uppei
floors.
The wholesale grocery house Of b. y.
Ortman First avenue N and Washington,
was also damaged by the heat and smoke
This building adjoins the Minneapolis
Paper company.
Hotel Folks Alarmed.
In the neighborhood are several hotels
and lodging houses, and great commotioii
was caused among the roomers. Al tIe
Windsor hotel, directly opposite the purn-
ing building. the guests were greatly eA,
cited Large brands from the ire teh
unon the roof of the hotel and the guests
were sure that the fire would spread 10
that structure. The hotel office was
filled with trunks and grips which mad
been brought from the various rooms ana
ARRANGEMENTS were made to remove them
at once if the hotel took fire
From the moment Chief Canterbury ar
rived on the scene ne knew ~ wouiu "
impossible to extinguish the flames ana
that the work of the department would De
To confine them to one building. with
this object in view, tons OF water were
turned upon the burning structure and
the surrounding property.
Firemen Injured.
Shortly after the department arrived on
the scene, Captain George II. smith, OF en-
CINE company Is, led his men into the alley
at the rear of the burning building. A lad
der was raised and Captain Smith, followed
by Plpeman Frank Hessek. OF the same
company, and Ladderman George Cheney
Of truck company No. 4, started to carry
a. hose to the upper floors. When Captain
Smith was about fifty feet from the
ground the ladder gave away and the
three men fell. Captain Smith re-
ceived serious injuries of his leg,
hip and back. He was taken to his home
at 400 Irving avenue N. Hessek an6
Cheney were both injured but remained al
their posts until the fire was extinguished
At 12:45 the fire was under control. II
was just an hour and a half after the first
alarm had been turned in, and yet nearly
$685. 900 worth of property had been de-
stroyed.
The officers Of the Minneapolis Paper
company are E. J. Stlllwell, of Minneap
oils, president and general manager; S. p
Barrett, Chicago, vice president, and F
B. Wright, st. Paul, secretary and treas
urer. Mr.. Stillwell said last night:
"Our stock consisted of all kinds Of pa
per, except wall paper, and at this season
of the year, it is usually very large.
cannot give the exact value of the stocl
but should estimate it at $4,000. We had
$1O2,5OO insurance, carried by Christian
& Wagner, Otto Greeley, The Belknap In
surance company and Charles w. Sexton
The stock is a total loss, and as a large