The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-14
THREE FIREMEN DIE.
Trying to Subdue 100000 Fire in
Minneapolis.

Minneapolis, Mimi, Dec. 14.-Three
f1remen lost their lives, several persons
were injured and property valued at
$4,000 was destroyed by fire, which,
starting last night, was not brought
under control until this morning.
The dead:
JACOB F. MILLER, insurance pa
trolman.
H. ]. BUCKLEY, insurance patrol
man.
JOHN FELLOWS, pipeman.
Seriously injured:
Fred Kircheff, substitute pipeman
burned about face.
Tony Wilson, pipeman, burned about
legs.
Lieutenant ]. P. Barrett, back in
jured.
For time the entire retail business
district was threatened and it's escape
from destruction was due as much to
the absence of a strong wind as to ef-
forts of the firemen.
The fire started in the Photographic
supply house of o. H. Peck company
and quickly spread to the adjoining
buildings, including the six story fur
niture house of BoutelI Brothers, one
of the largest establishments of it's
kind in the northwest.
When the BouteH building burst into
flames the firemen knew that nothing
to the adjoining buildings. Next to the
Bint1iff building is the Northwestern
National banks new white marble
building. 1t resisted the flames admir-
ably. Across the street from the Bou-
tell building stands the two story de-
partment store of the Powers Mercan-
tile company covering quarter of a
block. 1t is of very inf1ammable con-
Struction and soon flames began to ap-
pear along the caves. The fire depart
ment, however, succeeded in preventing
the fire from gaining secure hold. The
stop was made at the expense of
heavy damage to the Powers stock.
This prevented a fire that might have
gone far and included the newspaper
buildings of the Journal and the Tri-
bune.
The losses include the following:
o. H. Peck company, Photographic
supplies. building and stock, $80,000.
Boutell Brother, furniture, building
and stock, $450,000.
Bintliff Manufacturing Co, picture
frames and art goods, building and
stock, $120,O 900.
Powers Mercantile Co., building and
stock, $4,000.
Other miscellaneous losses will bring
the total loss up to $727 900; total in
surance, $500, 900.
Jacob Miller, a member of the inSur-
ance patrol, staggering under a heavy
load of tarpaulins on the fifth floor of
the Peck Photograph Supply company,
fell to the basement. Every effort was
made to rescue him but in the rising
flood of water and the roaring furnace
of flames his body could not be located.
John Fellows, a pipeman, was caught
on the fifth floor of the Boutell Brothers
furniture establishment with three of
his comrades. 1t was a critical moment
for all at once the wires that controlled
the automatic sprinkler system turned
a dull red and in another instant the
whole building from top to bottom
burst into flames The sprinkler wires
had in some way touched a live heavy
current wire. The three men who were
with Fellows succeeded in making
miraculous escapes down the fire
escapes but Fellows made the fatal
error of running to the elevator shaft
and sliding down the cable in the belief
that the lower part of the building had
not yet begun to burn. He slid into
cauldron of fame and was seen no
more.
H J. Buckley, another members of
the insurance patrol, was caught by
falling wall and killed.