The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-20
DROPPED LANTERN
CAUSES $4,000 LOSS
Thfee-siOry Building at Midway
Practically Destroyed by
Fire Last Evening.

A lighted lantern dropped on the floor
in the establishment of the Francis &
Mead company, wholesale furniture
dealers, at St. Anthony Park. at $40 o.
m. yesterday, caused loss of 100000.
The lire started near the middle OF
the second floor Of the three STORY
building at Hampden avenue and
Bradford street. occupied by the Union
Manufacturing company and the Fran
els & Mead company. A telephone call
was sent in to fire headquarters, but be-
fore the fire apparatus arrived the
building was mass of flames. The de-
partment battled for two hours before
the fire was controlled, and for time
the exposition building Of the North
western Furniture Manufacturers as
ISOLATION was gravely endangered.
The Union Manufacturing company
which was the principal loser, supplied
heat for the exposition building and
electric light and power for the entire
Midway district. The company owned
the building, which was erected about
eighteen months ago at a cost of $780,
OO0, the walls of which alone remain
standing. Its electrical apparatus
which is valued at $4,000, was dam
aged to the extent Of $4,000. Two
great dynamoS and an immense en-
CINE, beside three boilers, are included
IN this equipment. The loss on the
building will exceed $4,000.
The Francis & Mead company oc-
cupied the second and third floors OF
the building as a furniture warehouse
A large quantity Of furniture was
stored there, the loss on which will
amount to about SIS, 900. The company
Which is wholesale concern, had ONLY
part of its stock stored in the burned
building, the remainder being in an
other warehouse in that vicinity.
The loss to the Union Manufacturing
company is covered by $4,000 insur-
ance-less than half the value Of the
Mead company carried $4,000 insur-
ance on the stock destroyed.
Starts From Dropped Lantern.
L. T. Phillips, secretary and man
ager Of the Union company, in speak
ing OF the disaster, said:
The fire started from a lantern
dropped by an employe of the Francis
& Mead company. An area ten feet in
diameter was burning fiercely when ]
arrived on the scene, after having been
called by an employe. Had the fire APP
paratus arrived Immediately there
would have been no damage. The short
delay gave the flames time to spread
and when the apparatus finally came
on the scene the entire second floor
was ablaze. There are only two COM
panles within a reasonable distance OF
the place, and these arrived as soon
as possible, but were unable to cope
with the flames. I estimate our dam
age at $4,000
Our building, which is 50x145 feet
and three stories high, contains the
electrical plant which supplied many OF
the manufacturing concerns hereabout
with power and light. We also fur
niShed electric light to a large number
Of private residences in the Park.
THESE viii be in darkness for some
time, as well as the furniture EXPOSE
ton building. We also furnished light
Tor the Minnesota Transfer Office build
ing"
About a carload of furniture was
saved from the building through the
efforts Of office men and employees OF
the exposition building. Many Of the
concerns having quarters in the expo
Siuon building also removed their
stock and furnishings, under the i'm
preston that that building was on
fire.
Col. d. w. Halstead, general mana
ger of the Northwestern Furniture
manufacturers association, in speaking
of the escape of that building, said:
THE exposition building and the one
destroyed were separate. A sixteen
inch fire wall divided the buildings, and
this Is all that saved our structure
The exposition building, which meas
ures 100000 feet, was erected less than
two years ago at a cost Of $36. OO0
There are 100 exhibitors who have fur
nlture on display in the building. which
is valued at 100000"
The fire ragged for over two hours
before the fire department managed
to get the flames under control Five
engines and two trucks were on the
scene. Two engines were engaged up
to late hour last night to avoid an
other outbreak. A short time after
the fire reached the basement, where
the boilers and electrical apparatus
was Installed, the former 'blew Off
with noise that could be heard for
blocks around.
Elevator Shaft Acts as Chimney.
The elevator shaft, which extended
the entire height of the building. aided
materially in the work of destruction
The flames swept up the shaft to the
roof. which, after having been burned
through, supplied a fierce draft.
Inc Du1ldlng was completely cleaned
out. All three floors and their contents
were destroyed. When the roof fell
in the shower of sparks which arose
endangered the exposition building
but prompt work of the department
prevented the flames from gaining a
start
Lieut.. Larson, Of Engine Company
No. 13, entered the building with
line Of hose. He released his hold for
an instant, and at that moment his
companions moved from the spot
where they had been standing Larson
wandered around, but was unable to
locate the hose again, and was shortly
after overcome by smoke. He was dis
covered lying on the floor and carried
out He quickly recovered, and halt
an hour later was able to return to
work.
G. H. Shellenberger is president and
treasurer of the Union Manufacturing
company, DR.. F. D. Kendrick vice pres
ident and l.. L. Phillips secretary. The
officers of the Francis & Mead COM
pany are E. G. Francis president, w. E.
Talmadge vice president and G. K
Mead secretary and treasurer. With
the exception of W. E. Talmadge
whose home is at Sheboygan, Wis, all