The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-29
CAUSE OF FIRE. :
Oil stove in Mrs. Bookcase room.

Mrs. A. R. Booklass burned to death,
two other persons painfully burned
about the face and twenty-seven poor
families rendered homeless and desti-
tnte, was the terrible work OF a lire
that swept thru the old Higgins block
at Sl7-S23 Minnehaha avenue at 4:30
this morning.
The fire started by the bedside of
Mrs. Booklass, who is 60 years old and
who had asked her fosterdaughter, Mrs.
Mary Foley, to light the little oil stove,
as it was getting colder. AS. Mrs. Fo-
ley filled and lighted the stove there re
was q flash and the room and bed OF '
the aged woman were soon in flames.
The fire went like a fash to other parts
of the third floor and soon the whole
top of the weak frame structure was
ablaze. ~.
Daughters Heroic Attempt.
Mrs. Booklass' rooms were on the
third floor and her daughter, Mrs. Mary
Foley, lived with her. Mrs. Foley,
seeing the flames creeping about the
aged woman IS bed, made heroic dash
to save her life, but the flames drove
her back, with face and hands scorched.
Mrs. Foley's screams attracted
Charles Bates, who lives on the same
floor, and he also made an unsuccessful
attempt to save the aged woman's life.
1t WAS 70lIltSu DdCh duo was pclAA1uAAy
burned.
Early in the stage of the fire Mrs
Booklass was rendered unconscious by
the smoke, and she was undoubtedly
dead before Bates tried to rescue her.
Seeing that it would be useless to at
tempt to save her, Mr.. Bates and Mrs.
Foley escaped to the street.
e Body Badly Burned.
When recovered by firemen the body
crisp.
The building runs from 817 to 1923
Minnehaha avenue, and the fire spread
rapidly thru the dry old structure.
Much difficulty was experienced by the
fremen in getting the occupants out,
as at least 100 persons had to be taken
thru the smoky, winding halls to the
Daring Rescue by Wells.
| A. V. Wells, who lives across the
| street, at $40 Minnehaha avenue, ran
| up to the second floor and rescued the
! five children of Mrs. Charles Schwartz:
! His arm was broken some time ago and
was in a cast. 1t was rebroken this
morning and Wells is now IN care OF a
physician. i. ~.
! The tenants driven from their homes,
clad only in nightclothes, took refuge
III Su0uS anu (lOOl VI oehOA OuA.t
ings until temporary homes could be
provided for them.
The structure was one of the land
marks OF South Minneapolis and was
built about twenty-five years ago. 1t
was always looked upon as iretrap
and the fact that it did not burn long
ago was puzzle to the residents of
that neighborhood.
/ Mrs. Foley, whose foster mother was
/ burned to death, is left absolutely desti-
tute, her husband having died just a
year ago.
Painted from Fright.
T One of the narrowest escapes was
that of Mrs. Katherine Rouse, who
lives on the third floor. Her screams
attracted the neighbors and fremen
and when they broke into her room she
] was unconscious, having tainted from
fright. She was carried to the street
and was soon revived The fremen then
/ returned and visited every room in the
place to make sure that no more lives
would be lost.
Mrs. Booklass had been warned many
times about having the oil stove in the
| place and she had promised the agent
/ A. e. Carlson, that she. would not use
it. Nearly all the families in the build.
ing are very poor and many of them
will find it hard to get along until their
rooms are repaired. They carried no
insurance. The work of repairing the
building was begun this morning and
some Of the tenants can live in the
rooms by tonight.