The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-08
NINE HOMES
ARE BURNED
Total Loss Is Small But Falls
Hard Upon lndivid-
uals.
These Lose by Fire.

Mrs A. Gerson, 1915 Monroe street NE,
house and contents, $1,000; insured.
John Van Rickey, FOG Twentieth avenue,
house and contents, 1000; insurance, 5000.
Matt Backas, 70S Twentieth avenue, house
and contents 5000; insured.
Hans Opsahl, 1918 Monroe street. house and
contents, 5000; insurance, S7OO.
Peter Biurstrom, 703 Nineteenth avenue,
house damaged, $500; no insurance.
James Bailey, Tor Nineteenth avenue, house
damaged, $780, insured.
Patrick Gerrity, owner of house at 1919
Monroe street, 5000; insured.
Olaf Ekstrom, tenant 1919 Monroe street,
furnishings, $3.50; insured.
Mrs. Provo Michael. upstairs, 1916 Monroe
street, furnishings, 5000; insured.
Children playing with matches in
barn near Monroe street and Nineteenth
avenue NE this forenoon started a fire
which partially destroyed seven dwellings
and caused total loss of about 81 800.
This loss is partially covered by insur-
ance.
1t was shortly after II o'clock when lit
tie Bessie Bailey, aged 31s years, ran into
the house at TOT Nineteenth avenue NE,
where her mother, Mrs. James Bailey,
was preparing the monday meal.
Mama cried the little girl, "the barn
is all on fire." And the child jumped up
and down and clapped her hands gleefully
as she ran back to the door and saw the
red flames licking their way through the
rapidly spreading cracks in the side Of
the barn.
Mrs. Bailey ran into the avenue,
screaming for help, and two fire alarms
were sent in by neighbors. When the
first lines of hose were laid the fire had
spread to the Bailey house, and also to
the residences of Peter Biurstrom, on the
corner of Nineteenth avenue and Monroe
street and of Hans Opsahl, adjoining on
the north.
From the roofs of these buildings the
flaming brands were blown by strong
wind from the north and within few
minutes other houses in the neighbOrhood
not only in the same block but also across
Monroe street were threatened. 1t seemed
for time that the whole section would &C
and Chief Canterbury sent in second
alarm from box 173. at Central avenue and
Eighth and Half street. This brought
out altogether six engine companies, ant
a dozen lines Of hose were turned On the
fire. ..--..
The roofs Of all of the frame dwellings
in the vicinity were as dry as finder an(
took fire quickly from the sparks. The
firemen were able to control the fire il
the Darn WneTe II started aICer the con
tents had been consumed, and also in the
Bailey and Biurstrom houses. OF these
only the rear portions were burned, bu
much damage was done by smoke ant
water.
The large frame house at 1918 Monroe
street, owned and occupied by Hans Op
sahl, carpenter, was Quilted in the uppe
story and burned in the rear portion
was hard fight the fremen had at tn,
Gerson residence, and about 81 900 dam
age was done there before the fire coul,
be controlled. The large frame house a
1919, ownd by Patrick Clarity, was dam
aged about 5000, the roof and portion O
the rear being burned. Olaf Ekstron
lived UP stairs, and the damage to hi
property will amount to about $3.50.
The fire spread to the residences O
Twentieth avenue NE, around the corne
from Monroe. Patrolman John Van Rick
ley, suffered loss of nearly 1000 t
his house and furnishings, covered b
$500 insurance. Adjoining the Van Rick
ley house on the east was the home G
Matt Bacbas, a sewing machine agen
The house was damaged about $500. Mos
OF the furniture was saved.
The fire ragged for more than an hour.