The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-10-30
TWO FIRES LAST NIGHT
Adolph Lille Loses His Barn, a Horse
and Hunting Dog.
The Fire Is Supposed to Have Been
of IncendIary Origin.
From Wednesdays Daily.

From Wednesdays Daily.
After a long freedom from fires, Man,
kato is getting them in bunch Two
occurred last night, the losses in both
being nearly total, in spite of the prompt
work of the department.
At about 1880 p. m. the barn of Adolph
Lille, at DOB West Front street, was dis
covered to be on fire. The flames had
gained considerable Roadway, but Mr.
Lille and his family succeeded in saw
ing three horses A fourth horse, a work
animal valued at about SIS, could not be
gotten out and persisted in the flames,
as did also an Irish setter hunting dog.
The barn was burned entirely down.
1t was good two story structure, and
the insurance on it was $500, which will
not cover the loss. There was an insur
ance of 5000 on horses, 500 on ice tools,
and 500 on carriages, hay, etc. The
ice tools and carriages were not injured,
and the total loss that was insured was
about $500, which will fall 500 to 5000
short of the total loss. II. F. Leonard
has the insurance.
The fire started in some hay and straw
inside of the building, at the east end,
and appears to have been of incendiary
origin The horses were fed at $50 p.
M, and at 7:30 p. m. the dog was placed
in the barn At that time no smoke was
smelled.
An alarm was sent in from box So, and
the department got stream of water
turned on and saved all adjoining prop
erty.
1t is said that one or two attempts
have been made previously to burn the
barn, by unknown parties, within the
past two years.
Between four and five o'clock this
morning the building at All South Front
street, Just south of John Klein & Co.'s
furniture store was discovered to be on
fire. Clarence Keech, bus driver for
Geo. Atchison, was driving by with c.
L. Alleman in the carriage and he awak-
ened the sleeping occupants of the Sec
ond story, and then drove back to the
city hall and gave the alarm. Officer
Daniels pulled box 26 just as an en-
ploye of Higley & Co. pulled box 30, hav-
ing also discovered the fire. Box 26 regis
tered at the fire station.
The fire started in the rear of the
building, which is an old frame struc-
ture, two stories high. 1t is supposed
to have started from the chimney, either
in the first story or near the roof. The
chimney is a small and crooked one and
burned out last February, making
dangerous fire at that time. Before
it was discovered, the fire was well under
way, and the flames were soon shooting
twenty feet above the roof. The occu-
pants of the building were awakened not
a minute too soon, for they were able to
make their escape only with what cloth
ing they had.
The fire department worked with Will
and soon had the fire extinguished, but
not until the building was badly damag-
= ed, probably too much so to repair. The
rear of the second story and the roof
suffered the most, the damage to the
other parts being mainly from the
water. The adjacent buildings were
warmed up but not damaged.
The building is owned by L. G. M.
Fletcher. 1t is one of the old landmarks,
having been built in abouat 1858, and it
has belonged to him for about quarter
of century. 1t was in fairly good
condition, and brought in rental OF
$50 a month. Mr.. Fletcher estimates
his loss at about $1,000. The building
was insured for about $500 with c. A.
CHAPMAN. Mr.. Fletcher states that it
is too late to put up another building
there this fall, and he will probably let
it stand as it is until spring.
Walter E. Stearns and wife occupied
the front rooms over head. The former
is ianiter of the Ray building. About all
of the household goods that they had
were damaged or destroyed. Their loss
is 500, while they carried no insurance
What they saved was taken out after
the fire.
L. Bean, hack driver for Geo. Atchi-
son. and his wife occupied the rear
rooms. They lost everything except
their clothing. Their loss was about
$50 to $500, with no insurance.
Polchow & Aamold occupied the firs'
floor with their barber shop. They
nlace their loss at 5000, caused entirely
by water. They had no insurance. Inc!
moved their furniture and utensils u
the vacant building next to the say
mos bank this morning and will star
nm there as soon as possible. They die
not have a fire in their stove later thal
Yesterday morning. Mr.. Aamold was il