The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-18

and Third streets, yesterday afternoon.
Hundreds Of travellers were in the
union depot across the alley at the
time. Hundreds more of country peO-
pie and chance visitors thronged the
streets in the immediate vicinity of
the blaze.
Startled by the cries of the panic
stricken factory girls, these hundreds
poured from the hotels, restaurants.
stores and the depot waiting room and
fiocked toward the rear of the Foley
building, whence came the thickest
clouds of smoke and the brightest
flashes of fame.
Cabmen whipped up their horses in
order to get an early view Of the fire
and the dozens of Jehus who hold down
the depot stand joined the inquisitive
throng.
Engines Split Crowd.
Suddenly there was a rattle and
street and wo-wheeled hose cart
swerved around the corner, it's wheels
grazing the curbing. LAUNDERING along
a few seconds later came ponderous
engine.
Quite naturally the crowd Of eager
sight-seers, many of whom had never
witnessed a metropolitan fire in their
lives, opened a ragged and trembling
pathway for the first piece Of appa-
ratus.
Then it closed again and once more
became intensely engrossed In the
cries Of the endangered women and
the force of the blaze.
Into this mass Of awe-stricken peo-
pie the engine dashed before the driv-
er could see that the roadway around
the corner was blocked with human
ity. BY Herculean tugging on the
lines, however, he managed to sWerve
the big engine so that open escape
was possible on all sides and for a
second time the crowd settled down to
view the fire.
But another engine came and an
other and massive extension ladder
truck swung into the alley, led and fol-
lowed by half a dozen hose carts. Leads
of hose were strung out in the twink
ling of an eye until Sibley street,
Third street and the depot runway
were netted with leads Of throbbing
hose. Spiteful chemicals squirted and
sputtered, the pumps belched forth
showers of sparks and still they came.
IS Crowd Is Stampeded.
When the first firemen reached the
front of the building they ran to the
rear of the upper stories, filed with
frenzied girls, and with their heavy
axes began to knock out the windows.
sashes and all, in order to admit air.
Showers of crashing glass splintered
upon the granite pavement ard struck
against the walls and windows Of the
depot. Fearing that the falling glass
and general roar and racket presaged
en- explosion or the collapse of the big
structure, the crowd began to stam-
pede out of the alley anG run from the
railroad depot.
Meanwhile more apparatus was con-
stantly arriving and the panic babe
fair to result in the serious injury or
death Of many persons. The prompt
action of The police, however, in fore
ing the crowd back to a safe distance
and opening up way for the fire teams
prevented serious results.
1t took but short time for the sew
enty-five employees of the factory to
escape. None was reported missing
after the fire, and it was impossible to
keep track of those who escaped, ow-
ing to their excited condition. Many
of the girls We're on the verge Of hys-
terra and were helped from the scene
of possible death by their stronger
nerved companions.
Explosion of Cloves.
The fire was caused by the explosion
of mill dust in a clove-drying machine
1t came without warning. While one
of the operators was at work there was
a loud report, followed by sea OF
flames which burst forth from the dry
er. Then the panic began. The girls
employed in the mills scrambled for
their street clothing and tumbled down
the narrow staircase.
Thomas Cayou, the foreman of lie
mills, at once notified the office of the
fire and a telephone alarm was sound
ed. Chief Jackson upon arriving sent
in a second alarm and then -four
eleven"
The location of the blaze was such
that for a while the entire retail dis
trict of the city was imperiled Great
clouds OF smoke issued from the win
dows, giving the impression that the
interior of the building was roaring
furnace.
But such was not the case. The blaze
was confined to the rear part of the
structure. 1t originated in the spice
rooms on the fourth floor of the build
ing, near the southeast corner The
flames ate their way to the fifth anG
sixth stories, doing considerable dam.
age to the maple sugar plant.
Starts Second Time.
While Chief Jackson was calling of
| his men, after the fire was seemingly
under control, spark ignited some o.
! the stock boxes and cases stored on tks
! third floor. For a moment it looked az
! If the second fire would be more dis.
| astrous than the first one, but tht
| prompt action of the department saved
| the building. Had the flames gained
| Roadway through the large mercantil,
house the wholesale district of the city
would have been endangered. A hiCl
| wind was blowing and this addet
| greatly to the difficulty in fighting tn,
blaze.
The four-eleven alarm sounded
brought out nineteen pieces of fire ap.
paratus, ten engines, four extension
| ladders, three hose supply carts ant
! two chemicals. Before the department
was on the scene three minutes fiv,
| streams were playing on the burnin:
building. Every moment another lea(
was added, until thirty streams wcr,
! at work on the flames.
The damage done by the fire ant
water will exceed $4,000. John Kelly
president of the company, places tn,
loss at $4,000, which is fully covere;
| by insurance. The estimate given l.,
the insurance adjusters follows: Build
ing, $4,000; spice department (stock)
$4,000; machinery, spice department
$4,000; maple sugar department., $4,000
loss to other stock by water and smoke
| $4,000. President Kelly said last even.
ing that only the spice department wa.
affected and that the business of tn,
company would go on as usual today