The Dickinson press., 1904-12-17
HEAVY LOS, D,Y FIRE
CONFEDERATION, At EiNNEAPo
LIS ONE OF THE WORST IN
HISTORY OF CITY.
Estimated That Property Consumed
and Damaged Will Amount to Three
Quarters of a Million-Two Fire.
men Meet Death While Engaged In
Fighting the Flames-st. Paul De.
partment Sends Assistance.

Minneapolis, Dec. 1.-two meI
killed and $750,000 worth Of property
destroyed is the result of a con.
fagration. the worst in the history OF
Minneapolis. which yegan at 10
o'clock Tuesday night and at o'clock
Wednesday morning was still burning
but partially under control, as the fire.
men seemed to have the flames con.
fined to three burning buildings, two
of which are gutted, and the third,
the Powers department store, the larg.
est in the city, damaged by water and
fire to the extent of $45,00O.
The fire started in the Photographic
supply house of o. H. Peck & Co., on
Fifth street and First avenue south,
and in less than one-half hour this
building was a mass Of wreckage.
Next to the Peck building is the furni.
ture supply house Of Boutelle Broth.
ers, the largest house of its kind in
the Northwest. This building soon
caught fire and was quickly gutted
the sparks from it, waited blocks by
the cold north wind, causing several
small fires throughout the city.
Two firemen are known to be in the
ruins Of Boutell Bros building and
two others are missing, with a strong
prospect that their bodies will be
found beneath the debris of the ruined
building.
Falling Walls Destroy Engine.
Falling walls of the Boutell estab.
lishment caught fire engine No. as
1t stood in the street at Fifth street
and First avenue south. The engine
was destroyed, but the firemen sue.
ceeded in making their escape.
Because of the dense smoke it was
almost impossible to get access to the
burning buildings.
Relief was secured from st. Paul,
and that city sent over all its avail
able fire apparatus. With the strong
wind blowing. aided by zero weather,
the firemen experienced considerable
difficulty in their work.
The fire will, it seems. burn itself
out, as the firemen are placing all
their efforts on the surrounding and
adjoining property, which is still not
out of danger.
In front Of the burning Boutell
Bros building there stands a street
car totally demolished by fallen
clSCIIlC lluc pOlC lIOu WHICH several
live wires were burned. Only one
man is reported killed by these fallen
wires, though several were stunned,
how seriously is not known.
Worst Fire in city's History.
Without doubt the confagration is
the most disastrous that has ever
visited this city, through the loss of
life and property, striking the richest
and biggest firms of the city.
At 2:30 o'clock Chief Canterbury an
nounced that the fire was under con-
troll.
1t had completely destroyed the FIVE
story building at Fifth street south and
First avenue, occupied by Boutell
Bros. and the Bintliff Manufacturing
company, the three-story annex at 112
Fifth street south, occupied by o. H.
Peck, Photographic supplies, and had
gained foothold in the big building
across the street from Boutell Bros,
occupied by the Powers Mercantile
company.
1t had threatened the New England
Furniture and Carpet company's big
establishment diagonally across First
avenue from Boutell Bros store and
had threatened the Northwestern No
tional bank, the newspaper offices in
Newspaper row and several other big
Office and bank buildings.