The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-18
Hills of Zenith City Lighted
Up for Hours by
Flames.
Great Concrete Bins With
stand the Heat, Proving
Their Worth.
Millions of Bushels of Grain
in Working House
and Bins.
Special to The journal,

Special to The Journal.
Duluth, MINI, Feb. 1.-THE Peavey
Terminal company's working house,
wooden structure filed to the top with
grain, burned to the ground tonight,
entailing a loss of probably consider
ably more than $1,000,000. It is the
most disastrous fire in the history Of
Duluth as far as the money loss 10
concerned.
The burned elevator was one Of the
|. finest at the head of the lakes. It was
built by Frank 81. Peavey about eight
years ago, and provided with the finest
equipment he could give it. It had
storage for 100000 bushels, and was
the house thru which the great con-
crete annex, consisting of thirty.fve
concrete bins, was operated.
The fire broke out about 7:15 o'clock,
but the cause has not yet been deter
mined The house had shut down about
9 CLOCK p. NJ, and no one was in it
but the Waterman. He can give no
explanation as to the origin.
I, A Spectacular Blaze.
8 The fire started in the upper part on
the floors above the huge bins, and
must have gained much Roadway be-
fore discovered, for soon after the
alarm was given flames broke thru the
great roof, 1s5 feet above the ice of
the bay below. It was a most spec
tacular blaze, and the hills of Duluth
were lighted almost as brightly as in
the day.
: For two hours and until the larger
: part of the timber portion of the struc-
: ture had burned away, great glare
9 filed the heavens. Crowds gathered
e about the fire as close as the intense
s heat would permit and they watched
one bin after another give way and
great loads Of grain pour down into the
;. flames, leaving the bright uncharred
+ interior Of the bin in full view for q
L moment before it in turn was licked up
. by the flames.
y Concrete Bins Withstand Heat.
N -Four FIRE engines poured every stream
h they could bring to bear on the flames
" but their efforts were as nothing. The
r. fire must burn itself out, and tina,
means many more hours. Great anxiety
was felt as to how the concrete hous'
would stand the intense heat, Tor th,
test to which it was subjected is ont
which it is not believed any other ha
IN had. Standing as 1t does within
few feet Of the wooden house, 1t ha'
to. bear the full brunt Of the terrifi
heat. Fortunately the wind was i
such direction that the flames did no
bear directly upon it, but it was
,ei severe strain nevertheless, and to al
appearances it stood the test perfectly
Not a crack or sign of weakness wa
apparent after the blaze from til
! wooden house was dying out.
LOSS and, Insurance.
The records Of the Duluth board 4
trade show that there were in storae
ru- tonight wheat 2,52s,706 bushels, oa'
to- 1882 bushels, barley Ia bushels, y
ner 81, s42 and fax 690,137. This grain ",
VII in the two houses, but the exact pc
as ton in each could not be told tonigh
ant Practically all Of the fax is in Il
concrete house and safe.
ene When the working house closed dow
ur- at 2 o'clock this afternoon every b
ing was filed to the top. This means tn
ari.3 a little more than one million bushe
-. Of grain were in the house. All
'ef - this was wheat, that means loss fro
800 900 to 100000. The building re
vas resented valuation of about $4,000
not and was insured for $275, 200.
The grain was fully insured, as
'ur- customary with all elevator compani!
The insurance was all placed thru t
two Manley Mchennan agency here, o
and divided among many. companies, :
risks running as nearly as could
learned from $500 to $4,000.
~ The Peavey company will suffer Sc
rs ously thru the loss of the working hot
and 1t will now have hard problems
work out. The concrete annex !
the about 100000 bushels of grain stoI
ton in it that must be taken out IN so
1000 way. To do this and load it into e:
inch viii be a difficult and slow operat,
pper with the machinery that operates