The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-14
even in spite of the great volume OF
smoke from the blazing buildings.
Eintliff Building Goes.

Bintlif Building Goes.
Having utterly wiped out the Bou-
tell building, the fire attacked the Bant-
lift structure with vigor. A thick hre-
wall separated the two, but even before
the first wall had fallen there was ire
in the picture-frame factory: 1t found
excellent material in the frames ana
pictures. Starting in the upper stories,
the fire worked it's way down till the
structure was ablaze from top to, bot
tom. Here the fire was most stubborn.
ly fought. And here the possibility OF
still greater calamity was sharply de-
fined and finally wiped out. =, -,
Across a narrow alley from the Blnt-
lift building stands the new costly home
and adjoining this, in turn, is the Bank
of Commerce building. The trend Of
the fire in this direction was fraught
with fully as much danger as the earlier
attempt it made to CROSS First avenue.
The roof Of the Northwestern Ma
tional was quickly lined with men III
helmet and rubber coats.
A dozen lines Of hose were pulled up
and the tower and turret nozzles were
massed there. It was the Waterloo OF
the fire in all the term implies. Good
generalship was displayed and stubborn
resistance. -,
The west wall Of the Bintliff build:
ing went down with an angry roar ana
clouds of smoke and steam obscured
the street for time.
! Silhouetted against the white masses
of steam or the terrifying glare OF the
flames the men on the bank looked like
! pigmies. Wires, hidden in the smoke,
became crossed and the scene was con
tinually illuminated by the menacing
blue flashes Of electricity which tod
Of still another form of impending
death.
With the Boutell building out of the
way, the Bintliff building could nov
be attacked from every side, and be
tween the gluttony Of the flames ant
the torrents Of water poured thru thu
openings in the wall, the fire began tt
show signs Of being conquered. Far
of the east alley wall fell upon tn
: stout concrete roof OF the bank. IN
firemen lodged and then, returning t.
their posts, drenched the seethin
furnace thru the new breach. By
l O'Clock it became apparent that tn
: battle had been won. Until we'll ate
4 DAYLIGHT, however, many streams wer
t directed into the steaming ruins.
}. Many Narrow Escapes.
Aside from the spectacular feature
Of the fire there were many thlns
about it which will be topics Of col
# versation for many weeks to com
o When the First avenue wall Of tt
g Boutell building fell, it carried dow
% the live trolley wires in that thor
d fare. Hundreds Of people were in m
d mentar:y peril of death and doubt l.
a cool headed men who appreciated tt
IS danger. These forced the crow
[y to part and to keep away fro
lg the wires until the current was turn
ly off. Later, employees of the sire
as railway and electric companies a
1g peared and cleared away the worst
ee the wire wreckage.
ad fortunately, the telephone, service
lie neither company was seriously impair
rs by the fire. Within half an hour of t
ar. time that the fire assumed a threat
ng ing aspect, every telephone in the bu
re- ness district for blocks around was
tu- demand. At those nearer to the see
Or there were men lined up a dozen d
ell those who had property in dang
ed Every car bound down town from IL