The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-07-05
BIG F .;E AT fAIRMONT.
Several Bull t'nss Burned Yesterda,
Morning.
From SATURDAY. \ Daily

From SATURDAY. y Daily
| At 2:40 O'Clock yesterday morning
| the people of Fairmont were awakened
| by the fire whistle. Jumping hastily out
| of bed, they saw that the west and cen
| trail portion CT the town was lighted up
as though an immense conliagration
was raging. For long distances the dome
of the court house and tops of other
buildings that showed above the trees
could be plainly seen.
Inquiry at The phone ELECTED the re-
! ply that it was Allison's feed barn. At
F., that time it was the Adam Eden
blacksmith shop, just recently moved
from the rear of the lot on North Main
street, and nxed up in fine shape at
quite a large expense. 1t was formerly
the armory. When fire was discovered
! it had full possession of this building.
/; The fire company responded with dis
patch, considering the hour. They used
their best efforts to conNol fire and keep
it in the Eden building. This was a
frame building veneered with sheet
iron, rendering it somewhat difficult to
get at the interior From this, the
large livery, feed and board stable of J.
w. Allison caught fire. The entire
building, 40 hv 100 feet in size, was de
stroyed, with the exception of small
portion of the lower floor in the west
, end,
The firemeu were enabled to control
so that it did not extend to his new and
commodious additions, which are made
of cement stone. The Chute implement
building south of the Eden building
also caught fire and the north portion
and roof is nearly fallen in.
1t was hot fire, but the efficient SER
vices of the fire department and the
quiet of the atmosphere, there being no
perceptible breeze, saved the wiping out
of large portion of the town. On the
east across the alley is the Star Corner
saloon, two story building, also the
Sweet shoe store, the Neuman & Vessel
man block, Carver's meat market, Fair
mont Creamery office and cold storage
and the Speire saloon. Southeast is the
large Wolf 4 Habein store building
known as the Merchants & Farmers
bank block. If there had been any
wind, we believe it would have been i'm
/
As to the origin of the fire, some say
'incendiary," some say smoldering cigar
and some attribute it to other causes
IfThe cigar theory of smoldering that
length of time is not tenable. 1t is hard
for the human mind to believe that it
was the work of incendiarism. 1t may
have been tic work of some drunken
| tramps who sought shelter in the rear
of the saloon. In support of the in
cendiary claim is that the fire started
in the soutkea-t corner of the Eden
building. White a great many claim this
an evidence ,. incendiarism, it also is
an evidence of :he work of tramps, as it
is nearest sDie alley frequented by
| tramps.
The Chut, implement building is con
sidered toSa, loss. 1t is insured fol-
$500, carried: hy Dean & Palmer, with
5000 insllranc, on Chute's blacksmith
shop. which rs said to be damaged to
the extent II g35 The machinery and
buggies in IN, implement building arc
so badly sco-tl as to be nearly worth,
less. C. n. te ;crson carries 81 600 i'll
surance on II hincry. Mr.. Chute has
not espresso himself as to whether he
will rebuild or not.
The Eden building was burned to the
ground 1t was insured for $500, and
contents for $780, carried by II. w. Sin
clair Mr.. Eden says he will rebuild
and that his loss over and above in
surance is $500.
Mr.. Allison places his loss at $1,000
1t was large building, and perhaps
one of the most convenient feed barns
and stables III this state. His insurance
is $1,000 on building burned. carried by
Mathwig & Sasse. He also has $3.50 on
cement portion, carried by H. w. Sin
clair, which escaped the flames. They
succeeded in getting out all the horses
and carriages. There were some har-
nesses and robes burned, among which
were those owned by City Attorney
Mathwig and Mayor w. w. Ward. Mr..
Allison says he will rebuild.-Fairmont
Independent.