The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-06-22

$500, 900 LOSS SUSTAINED IN THE
DESTRUCTION OF RYAN
BUILDING.
81 fIRfMtN ARE OVERCOME

st. Paul, June 19.-One of the most
disastrous fires in the history of st.
Paul broke out in the Ryan building, a
six story structure at Seventh and
Robert streets. at 1897 yesterday
morning, and for more than ten hours
the firemen of the Twin Cities fought
to check it. The fire burned steadily
from S:37 until midnight, and when ex-
tinguished there was little left Of the
Ryan building except the walls. The
property loss is estimated at $500,O0O,
we'll covered by insurance. The cause
of the fire has not been determined.
During the long fight the firemen
suffered heavily, thirty-seven OF the
men being overcome by the heat and
smoke.
Long, Hard Battle.
The endurance of both men and en-
gines was taxed to the uttermost, and
even after the fire had been bested
smoldering flames kept many of the
companies at work all night.
Every engine company in the city,
with the exception of those stationed
in the parks, was called into service
and three companies were sent from
Minneapolis. Even then the flames re-
sisted the efforts of the firemen, and
in the face of score of streams from
all sides of the burning building gain
ed steadily until the entire structure
was consumed.
Firemen Fight Bravely.
The firemen fought silently and des-
perately. Streams of waited poured
into the building on every floor. The
men mounted on ladders and, pushing
into the ground floor in the face of the
deathly fumes, dragged coil after coil
of hose after them and then returned
for more. Standing shoulder to shoul-
der, lodging burning embers and fall
ing glass, faint from the smoke and
reeling from sheer exhaustion, the
firemen of ST. Paul fought one of the
bravest fights in the history of any
city. Now and then pipeman would
stagger back and fall. Instantly he
was carried back through the lines
while another took his place., and
again the line closed in on the flames.
Many Narrow Escapes.
Numerous hair-breadth escapes oc-
Cured; so many in fact that they
were scarcely noticed. Several times
portions of burning floors collapsed,
crashing through the building with a
| terrific roar, while the firemen who,
| minute before, had been fighting the
| flames over their burning timbers
clambered onto the windows and
lodges of the building.
The work of the firemen saved the
adjoining buildings. The Ryan hotel,
just across the alley, was never In
danger. AS an extra precaution fire.
men were stationed on the fourth floor
fire escape to wet down the building
Several guests at the hotel were
alarmed, but were soon convinced that
there was no danger.
One of the main reasons for the in
ability of the f1remen to subdue the
flames was the large gas main situ-
ated in the basement of the building
1t was impossible to locate the main
and the burning gas spread to all parts
of the building. First Assistant Chief
Devlin in an attempt to force his way
through the smoke and reach the gas
main was overcome and was carried
away by his comrades. The firemen
were obliged to srope their way
about, guided only by each others
voices.
Breaks Out In New Places.
Several times It seemed as though
the flames were under control, but
each time the 1re broke out in new
place and on several occasions the
building apparently was doomed. That
1t did not burn to the ground is due
| alone to the efforts of the flremen,
who were called upon to put up the
hardest fight of their lives.
The Ryan building is six-story
structure, built of brick and steel. The
first and second floors and a part of
the basement were occupied by the
Palace Clothing company. Forty-two
tenants had rooms in the building.
The Palace Clothing company sustain
ed the heaviest loss, about $250,O0O,
while the loss on the building, the
| property of the New England Mutual
Life Insurance company, was about
| 100000. Other losses range from
$4,000 to $4,000. The total loss is
well covered by insurance.