The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-05
.SIILLWATER'S
HEAVY Loss
Grand Opera-House Block Burned
and Two Other Brick struc-
lures Badly Damaged.
Combined Loss in the Neighborhood
Of 100000, With Insurance
Much Less.
Fire Apparatus Sent by Special
Train From St. Paul-Family
Saved by Dog. ~
Special to The Journal,


magnificent opera house was totally de-
stroyed by fire shortly after o'clock this
morning. The building was known as
the Grand opera-house block, and wl1eel
constructed in 1880 was accounted one
OF the finest playhouses in the west. Z
The Holcombe and Disch brick blocks
adjoining were Quilted by the fire, which
was one Of the fiercest and most disas-
trous in the history of Saltwater. The
total loss is between s150,000 and $780,
900, with insurance much below these
figures ,.r ..,..r
- Fire Below the Stage.
The fire was discovered In the rear Of
the opera house just below the stage at
$40 o'clock. No one knows how it orig
mated. The alarm was at once sounded,
and the department hurriedly responded.
The building was then a mass of flames
and was seen to be doomed. The flames
shining through the snow, which was
falling, made a singularly weird spectacle
and alarmed everybody in town, even
those at remote distances on the hill.
Excitement ran high, but there were
enough cool heads, to direct the work
and soon all property that could be
reached. was safe.
st. Paul Asked for Help. s,
* A frantic and urgent request was sent
to st. Paul for help, and an engine, hose
cart and crew of men, were sent over
by special train on the Omaha, arriving
about 6 o'clock. The con1agration was
was not unloaded. !. ..@a--
Stocks Total Loss. r.
j. o. Holen & Co., wholesale and re-
first floor of the Grand opera house block.
Their stock was worth from $4,000 to
$1,000, and they had insurance Of 81, 900.
Not scrap Of anything was saved. =.
The Ancient Order of IIibernians occu-
pied a hall on the third floor of the block.
All the fixtures and paraphernalia are
a loss. The insurance Is small.
The offices of E. w. Durant were on
the second floor and everything in them
was burned. His large safe is in the
basement covered with ashes and debris.
His loss is partly covered by insurance.
The loss on the opera house block, is
$4,000 and the insurance will not exceed
81, 900. :; ~ I'D s= 5ss-4s 1. 8
~ Holcombe and Dtsch Blocka. x b..
The Holcombe and Disch. blocks, which
were glattel by the: fire, are owned by
G: Henningser of saltwater. Each was
valued at $4,000 and the insurance on
each is $4,000. :sBotll, like the opera
house, are of brick. ~.
c.. Kirk, dealer in boots and shoes, had
a $4,000 stock on the ground floor OF
the Disch block and was heavily dam
aged by water and smoke. His insurance
is $6;0O0 = $500 49,.
clothing on the first floor in the Holcombe
block and are insured against their large
loss by water and smoke. The flames
were confined to the third floors Of these
blocks. z -
Saved by Dog. ,,
70 The family of Emil Okerblad, who lived
in rooms on the third floor, owe their
lives to the frantic barking of a pet dog
which awakened them from sound sleep.
Their apartments were then full Of smoke,
and all they could save were a few articles
Of wearing apparel snatched up as they
rushed for the exits. Mr. Okerblad, for
merly Of Minneapolis, had a photograph
gallery and lost all his business and
household effects. His loss is $4,000; in
surance, $1,400. :@...... ~.~~+
+. DR.. j. F. Johnson, a tenant in the Hol-
combe block, and Sullivan Bros, insur-
ance men with offices in the Disch block
both on second floors, have some insurance
against a loss sustained by smoke and
water. q. ~. -.-,..s ,:,:-A+,.,..- -
In the earlier stages Of the fire it was
supposed that Nick Clark, the opera-house
watchma11, had lost his life. He escaped,
however, in his night clothes. He can
not explain the origin Of the fire, and it
will probably never be known. ~. -..~
.:~<@ Burned Opera house. 81 49,. -.
Only two walls of the house are
standing, and the ruin is complete. The
building was erected in 1880 and was
owi1ed by a syndicate composed of E.. w.
Durant and the jerks and l.. E. Torinus
estates. 1t was a massive three-story
brick building extending from Main street
back to Water street and having a 'front.'
age Of 100 feet. There Is small chance Of
its being rebuilt. All the interior furnish
ings and fixtures were costly and rich and
Of modern patterns. Il ~. III -