The Mankato free press., 1904-11-04
Davis & LIoyd's Furniture Store
Is Laid Low Quickly.
Furious Flames Are Subdued
After Hard Struggle.
E. W. BartIett's Drug House
Damaged --Insurance.
From Mondays Daily.


What at one time threatened to result
in a very bad confagration was headed
off in Lake Crystal Saturday night, but
not until after the fire department had
put up hard fight against the flames,
and Mankato had been called upon for
aid But the fierce blaze was finally
subdued without the assistance of the
fremen from this city who were all
prepared to go to the scene of the trou-
BILE when an order countermanding their
services was received. 1t was about as
bad a fire as Lake Crystal has expert
enced in late years.
1t was about ll:l5 o'clock when fire
was discovered in the furniture and un-
dertaking establishment conducted by
Davis & Lloyd at Main and Prince
streets. The flames were located at
point near the rear of the building close
to the repair shop on rise of the floor.
They were eating up stock at lively
rate, and the paints and oils were aiding
them in the work of destruction. An
alarm quickly brought the firemen to
the scene, and after some minutes of un-
accountable delay water was turned on.
As the building was of wood and stock
ed with considerable infammable mater
ial the fire lost no time in spreading,
and aside from two pianos and one pl-
ano player nothing of value was gotten
out of the structure. 1t was feared that
the flames would spread to the sur
rounding buildings, and should this oc-
cur the hope of saving the entire block,
and in fact much of that section of the
village, must be abandoned. 1t was at
this critical moment that aid was asked
of Mankato. A number of the members
of the department here were all ready
to 60 to Lake Crystal when word came
that the fire had been gotten under con-
troll. The Mankato firemen had already
loaded hose truck and other necessary
fire fighting paraphernalia on car furn
ished by the Omaha road and which it
was intended should be hauled to the
village with speed.
All that prevented a spread of the
fire was the solid brick wall of the
Bartlett building adjoining. This build
ing did not, however, escape the fury of
the flames. The wood work in front is
damaged. The plate glass windows were
smashed into thousand pieces and the
roof is punctured. Besides, the interior
was water soaked and well smoked up.
In this building E. w. Bartlett conduct
ed drug store. His stock was quickly
removed, but in doing so much of it was
ruined. His loss is considerable. But
the insurance carried is heavy.
Mr.. Davis of the firm of Davis &
Lloyd stated to Free Press man dur
ing the progress of the fire that the
stock handled by the firm was valued at
81 900. The firm carried insurance to
the amount of S. 200. The building was
the property of Mrs. w. c. Davis and
was insured for $1,000.
The building was two-story affair
and among the first erected in Lake Cry
stal.
How the fire originated is not known.
Mr.. Davis stated that there was no fire
in the building during Saturday. He
left the store about 1890 Saturday
night.
A number of Mankato people went to
Lake Crystal on the midnight train, the
report having been circulated that the
town was burning up.
The Lake Crystal firemen are entitled
to praise for the creditable manner in
which they handled the fire.