The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-14
AN ELEVATOR BURNS
Brooks-Griflths House at Fourth
Ave. S. E. and Division.
TOTAL LOSS OF ABOUT $4,000
Fully Covered by Insurance-ThOuSh
to Have Caught From
Electric Spark, -

o.. -. go. 20
The Brooks-Grifiths elevator at Fourth
avenue Sc and Division street, a little
below the intersection NOT the Great
Northern and Northern Pacific railroad
tracks, was destroyed by fire early this
morning. The fire thought to have start
ed about 3 o'clock The Waterman in the
Minneapolis Bedding factory which is
across the street noticed red patch in
the side of the elevator, but he says
he thought it was the moon ant, took no
more notice Of it. About four. observing
that the moon was assuming alarming
proportions he ran out into the street
and conferred with the Waterman from the
Minneapolis Furniture company and to-
gether they sent in an alarm from box 1875.
It was shortly after 4 when the first COM
pany arrived at the fire which was then
just bursting through the roof. AS soon
as Chief Canterbury arrived he sent In the
second and third alarms combined which
brought about a dozen engine companies
to the scene. ..-,- -: .
The fire was at once attacked with
great vigor from all sides, but it was
burning so fiercely when the department
arrived that it, proved impossible to pre-
vent the flames from spreading, into the
addition G, which was connected by run
way. The firemen fought the progress of
| the flames step by step, but were
finally driven out of the burning building
by the heat and smoke. About o'clock
the roof of the original elevator fell in
with a crash, sending great clouds of
sparks into the air. A little later the
side Of the addition collapsed and let out
flood Of bran, upsetting couple of box
cars which were on the sidetrack Several
cars nearby were burned. "-z .-
The elevators were used for cleaning
| wheat and making feed, and were filled
| with bran, shorts, red dog flour and
similar material. The combined capacity
was about 100, 600 bushels. .r--..
Practically Total Loss.
Two sheds adjoining the elevators, and
which were used as storehouses, were also
partially destroyed. The walls of the ele-
vator and addition are still standing, but
they are practically total loss. 1t is es-
timated that the damage to buildings
| and contents will be about $4,000, as
follows: soriginal elevator and store
house, $15,O0O;s addition, and storehouse,
$15,000; contents, about $4,000. ..
1t is understood the loss Is we'll COW
cred by insurance. The fire is supposed
to have been started before the elevator
closed down in the afternoon. The theory
is that nail lodged in one of the clean
/ ing devices and that a spark was thrown
off which lodged in the dry bran and
smouldered for a long time before it &C
tually broke out.
The elevators were of wood. iron
sheathed. One was built in 1897, the other
in 1894. The value Of the contents was
between $4,000 and $4,000. On this will
be salvage which cannot be estimated for
several days. The plant was run by cleo
tricity generated in a freproof, detached
engine room. It is supposed that the
motors and machinery in this building are
intact.
The machinery plant was not running.
The buildings were locked UP and no
Waterman was employed. The fire was
discovered about 1920 a. m. in the newer
building, some sixty or seventy feet from
the ground at a point where there were
electric wires but no machinery.
The Insurance in Detail.
Baker & Thompson placed the insur-
ance On the buildings it amounted to
| S2S, 500; on the contents to $4,000.
ORIGINAL BUILDING.
lHamburg-Bremen :...:................... 81 ,00O
! Agricultural, New York ..:.............. 1000
Imperial, Limited, England ............ 1000
Phoenix Assurance CO., sso8 London. -. 900
Insurance Company Of Philadelphia. 1000
| Springfield Fire and Marine .:....... 1000
Insurance Company of Pennsylvania LOCO
N Mpepea Assurance London 800
I Total .$l1, 800
| ADDITION.
National, Hartford Observation-Disclosures. 50, 500
National Assurance, Ireland ........... 1000
Eagle neutrality-suspicious.. ], 900
! Aetna ................ .......... ], 900
Teutonc <. ........... 1000
I Equitable Fire and Marine ............ 1000
Hartford Observation-Disclosures. 1900
/ Security; Connecticut ................... ,250
| commonwealth NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1880
Total Observation-Disclosures 12, 900
/ CONTENTS.
Phoenix Assurance Company, London. $500
Ma,lgeburg 1000
| Fir, Insurance Company Philadelphia. $500
PELHAM Assurance New York ......... 1,500
New York Fire i...... ............ 200
Security Connecticut .................. 5000
Merchants, New Jersey .................. zoo y
Boston ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1,5t0I
/ Natl, NAL Assurance, ireland ........... $3.50
| Providence, Washington ............... 2. 800
! Philadelphia Underwriters ............. 8, 600
4 Lion,1 England NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1000
National Assurance, Ireland 3............ 1900
Phoenix ...s. 1900
l Assurance Company Of America ....... 500
i Commonwealth ...... ............... 1,259
lAmerican !. 250
= &, y A.