The Saint Paul globe., 1902-02-08
HOTEL is IN RUINS
GUESTS EXPERIENCE CONSIDERA-
BILE DIFFICULTY IN ES-
GAPING
LOSS ESTIMATED AT $4,000
Several Firemen Are Hurt, but None
SeriOusIy-LOss Is Fully
Covered by In
Surance.

Shortly before o'clock yesterday
morning fire started in the basement of
the Vendome hotel, occupied by Spears
bowling alleys An alarm was turned in
promptly, and shortly after the arrival
of the department the flames spread so
rapidly to the second and third floors of
the building, that the chief found it
necessary to turn in a general alarm,
and at one time every piece of apparatus
in the city was on hand to give service.
The origin of the fire is unknown, but
1t is thought to have started from spon-
taneous combustion. The fire department
was seriously handicapped by the cold
weather. One water tower on Fourth
street directly in front of the building
was frozen in and completely enveIoped
IN a mass of ice Ice was frozen on all
She ladders that were raised, so it was
impossible to ascend or descend on them,
and they resembled a great shaft of ice
elevated skWards. The firemen, how
ever, made a plucky fight against great
odds, and the flames would not be con-
tolled by water; the steady streams that
were poured in upon them only seemed
to add to their fury. 1t was the most
stubborn fire that has visited the city for
years, and only after about eight hours
of hard work were they sufficiently sub
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leave the scene.
The streets for a block around were one
solid mass of ice and water, and the fire.
men experienced no little difficulty in
digging out the hose that had been
frozen in, and some of it will not be
taken out for some time. The fremen
themselves were completely covered with
mass of ice, SO that it was with much
trouble that they were able to get around
at all.
There were many guests at the hotel
at the time of the fire, but fortunately
they al escaped; some of them in very
scanty attire; while others were enabled
to secure their clothes. The fremen,
policemen and others did yeomen service
in waking the guests of the building and
warning them of their peril. Several in
stances Of inmates being overcome by
smoke is recorded, but no casualties have
resulted ther9from. Some people were
taken out of the burning building by way
OF the ladder route. This was accom-
pllshed with much danger and difficulty.
A number of the guests who were in the
rear of the building were unable to make
their way down the front stairway, es-
capped by way of the fire escape, but in
stead of going down they were compell-
&c to go up on the roof, and from there
to the roofs of adjoining buildings. They
were very thinly clad, and nearly per-
ished with colo before they could be got
ten to 4 place of safety.
Three fiji emen and one policeman met
with accidents, none of them are dang
erous however. They are Thomas Car
Isle, substitute Engine Co. No s, fell
down stairs and broke his leg. He was
taken to his home. John Gary, truck
No. 3, hands injured by broken glass.
T. x. Wilson chemical No. 4, knee
Wrenched. Lieutenant of Police Martin
Gtrsberg, feet frozen and may have to
be amputated. Taken to City hospital
Outside of the above no other injuries
have been reported.
Tho ic fo11o
c. n. Chadbourne. Hotel Vendome and
fixtures. Loss $4,000; insurance $7O,C COO
Geo. E. Spears bowling alley and bill
lard rooms with fixtures. Loss, $1,000;
insurance, $500
Regans restaurant loss, $1,000; insur-
arce, $500.
V. B. Clark cigar store, loss, 500; in
surance- $500.
Incidental loss, $500; insurance, $500.
The total loss is estimated at $7O,-
900 and insurance is placed at $4,000.