The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-06-09
Firemen Fight a Blaze High
Up in the Air.
Edifice is Saved After a Stub
born Contest.
Storm Broke Limbs From Trees;
Other Damage.
From Tuesdays Daily.

The extreme heat yesterday brought
on severe thunder storm last evening
at about seven o'clock, accompanied by
a high wind. The rain poured down in
torrents for a time, and the wind broke
off limbs and carried them whirling
through the air. Cutters overlooked,
and there was wild time for while.
When the storm was at its height
lightning struck the steeple of the First
Baptist church, setting it on fire. When
it was discovered the blaze had gained
quite a little Roadway. An alarm of
fire was turned in from box 81, and
the fire department was quickly on
hand. Even before their arrival the
whole upper part of the steeple was on
fire. The slate shingles held the fire
from view in its first stage, and it was
this that gave it such Roadway. Then
when the fremen arrived they were I'M
able to reach the fire with streams of
water from the ground. Several minutes
We're required to run up an extension
ladder, and then w. H. Anderson and
AL Roos pluckily went up to the roof
with line of hose, followed later by
Me Kleinschmidt and Officer Eli Klug-
hertz.
The roof proved to be a hot place for
the firemen. for shower of sparks fell
from the burning steeple, but they got
down behind ridge of the roof as
well as they could and chung tenaciously
to their vantage place. Even there
tho stream of water barely reached to
the lower portion of the area of the
steeple that was ablaze. Another line
of hose was run to the roof of the
Schweitzer house Just north of the
church, and this sent stream half way
up the blazing timbers. Another line
of hose was taken inside of the church
to prevent the fire from reaching the
auditorium.
The firemen succeeded in checking the
blaze and combining it to the upper por
tions of the steeple. The auditorium
was unframed. In the fac of the fact
that sparks and burning brands were
constantly falling down the inside of
the steeple to the floor the fremen pre-
vented its getting any further, and are
deserving of great credit. The tim
bers on the extreme upper portion of
the steeple burned until they fell away,
leaving only the center post, staunch
timber by 8. The steeple was about
100 feet high.
1t is rather difficult to estimate the
damage to the church, but all are
agreed that it will not exceed $4,000
This will include damage by water and
smoke as well as by fire. The build
ing was erected at cost of $4,000, and
was insured for $4,000. In case a
prompt adjustment of the insurance is
made it is expected that the repairs can
be completed by July lst, when the
new pastor, Rev. Martinson, will arrive
Chief Beach said that the need of an
Eastman deluge set was again felt at
this fire. This is a simple continuance
for joining the pressure of two streams
into one smaller one and forcing it a
great deal further than a single stream
would 90. The cost is but $l6O. Mr.
Beach states that if such a set had been
in the possession of the department the
burning portion of the tower could have
been reached from the ground, and the
fire gotten out sooner than it was. The
firemen also feel that a new extension
ladder ought to be bought, and say that
the need of one was felt at this fire.
While many sparks fell upon ada
cent buildings, the roofs We're wet and
no damage was done. Thousands of peo-
pie gathered to witness the strange
sight of firemen fighting fire in mid
air.