The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-30
ALDHRlNEW SEEK TO
SHIFT THE BLAME
WHAT CAUSED
THE BIG FIRE?
City Council IS Investigation Of
Recent Calamities Taken
Up with Vigor.

Unless the aldermen obtain more sat
isfactory evidence on the recent bust
ness dictrict fire than they did this
morning the generation they are
seeking may not be as complete as they
could wish. The testimony Of Fire
Chief Canterbury, Assistant Chief Hern-
lund, District Chief Kehoe, Lieutenant
Tony Wilson, Firemen Simcoe, Kerch-
off and James Sullivan Indicated that
first great danger to the Boutell build
thru the runway between the Peck
and Boutell buildings on the fourth
floor after the roof of the Peck build
ing fell. The situation before that time
was critical on account Of the ire
mendous heat from which the Boutell
building might have caught fire. But
the fire could have been fought from
various points Of vantage. When the
flames came with the force Of an ex-
plosion spreading over the fourth and
fifth floors in almost an instant, the fire.
flee for their lives.
The evidence Of the builders and
architects was the same as at the cor
ton Of Building Inspector James q.
Houghton that he was justified In leav.
ing the south wall Of the Peck build
ing for a. while and that he could not
foresee the awful accident.
The special investigating committee m
Rand, Clark and Gerber.
Charles s. Sedgwick, the first witness,
testified that he had been about the
ruins to some extent and as far as he
could see the wall which fell was a good
one. It looked straight; there were
no signs Of disintegration on the inside
and the manner in which the wall broke
indicated that it was sound. He be-
ieved that the wall would Withstand
more from the west side than from the
east. (The wall was blown down by
a westerly windy.
Saw Fire In Runways.
II. 81. Thayer, treasurer of the Hale
Homestead company, related his ex-
periences at the fire. He came down
before the flames had been communi-
Gated to the Bouten building, and had
been on the fourth floor of the latter
building. The first fire he noticed was
in the runwaYs between the Peck and
Bouten buildings.
%"What were the instructions of the
building Inspector with regard to tear
ing tho walls downs' asked Alderman
Merrill.
HHe instructed us to takeadown the
First avenue walls and the rear wall
Of the Peck building !.
- Did he order down the wall which
fell continued Mr.. Merrill.
No, he did not. The wall had 5suf.
away from that wall and very little
water had been thrown upon it. It was
pronounced safe by all who examined
"Was there any explosionq"
F'The flames shot across the fourth
floor almost with the strength Of an
explosion, coming thru the runway with
enough force to blow the doors open.' -
Trouble to Get Water. 5
'The fremen seemed to have con.
There was no water, in Fact. ;" : .:
guished if there had been water7''
"Had there been water on the fourth
floor of the Boutell building, it is doubt.
full if the fire would have broken into
the Boutell building.' ri.
Mr.. Thayer estimated that it was
alarm that the runways caught fire
and there was no water on them. f
He talked with Mr.. Boutell, who had
assured him that the doors Of the run.
way were closed.
Mr.. Thayer said further, that all the
orders of the building inspector had
been obeyed. ~. -.
Fire Chief James R. Canterbury de-
clared that the fire had been communi
Gated to the Peck building by the
"runways" and said that there was
nothing to substantiate the theory that
the fire was due to short-circuiting OF
electric wires. Water was put on the
Nrunways' as soon as they were in
flames. u
Chief Canterbury was asked numer
GUS questions as to the cause Of the fire
the danger of the runway as q fire haz
ard, and any possible warnings to thu
occupants Of the Croker hotel. -
Alderman Merrill Surprised.
"I arp surprised, in view Of what hal
been said Of the runway, that your me1
did not take means to prevent tn,
spread Of fire along them,' remarked
| Alderman Merrill.
"We put water on the runways al
soon as they were in fames,'' responded
Mr.. Canterbury.
ttvo,1 co,1d have mt uator thru III,