The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-07-12
Damage Done to a Leading
MankatO Industry.
BLAZE STARTED IN CUPOLO.
ELOss to Company Between Fifteen and
Twenty Thousand Dollars; Good
Work of Department.
From Saturdays Daily.

from saturdays Daily
The plant of the Mankato Mailing
company was damaged by fire last
night, and some of the contents dam
aged by water and smoke. The fire was
discovered at GAS p. NJ, and an alarm
was at once sent in from Box II. AS
soon as the central station tiremen ar
rived they saw the seriousness of the
fight before them and sent i'm a general
alarm, which brought out the volunteer
department.
The fire started in the cupola, which
is ninety feet above the ground, but
the cause is not definitely kown. 1t is
thought that possibly a hot box was
generated, and that the dust that ac-
cumulates there in large quantities eX-
ploded, setting fire to the woodwork.
The employees of the company got out
two lines of hose attached to large
stand pipe in the building and held
the fire in check until the fremen ar
rived
The firemen experienced the need of
an aerial truck more than on any pre-
vious occasion. The extension ladders
of the old truck were so heavy that
a pulley has to be used to raise them,
and in trying to do so last night, the
rope slipped out of the pulley and some
time was lost. When the firemen finally
succeeded in getting line of hose up
the ladder they did splendid work. The
pressure was all that could be asked for,
and the fire, that had begun to work
down the shaft from the cupola, was
soon gotten under control. The interior
of the cupOla itself was difficult to
reach with water, but after working
for two hours the firemen succeeded in
getting the last vestige of fire out. The
flames did not get out of the shaft.
Wendell Klughertz, one of the central
station firemen, was overcome by smoke
while working on the roof, and had to
be carried down, which was safely and
expeditiously accomplished, and he was
conveyed to the central station, where
he quickly recovered. No other accidents
occurred.
1t is fortunate that the fire started
at the top of the shaft instead of the
bottom, for it could not spread fast.
The tons of water that were thrown in
malt, and smoke also got through the
top floor.
President Oscar Bierbauer estimates
the damage done by the fire to the
building and the malt at $4,000 to
$4,000, the greater part being to the
malt. Besides this, the fire will cause
delay, of three weeks in the opera
ton of the plant The most of the ma
chinery is located in the shaft, and this
was badly damaged. The house is SAID
to contain 10000 bushels of malt in va
rious stages of maturity
The building and contents are insur-
ed for 1863, 800, and this insurance is
placed in the agencies represented by
Henry F. Leonard and Arthur Schaub.
Some of the insurance would have eX-
pired July 9.
A great deal of credit is due to the
faithful and efficient work of the fire
men. Chief rKIenschmidt was out to
the lake. but the department was ably
directed by the two assistant engineers,
B. Bangerter, Jr.. and NJ Hanna. 1t has
been Chief Kleinschmidt's misfortune to
be absent from the city during the more
serious fires that have occurred since he
has held the office.
Thousands of people were attracted
to the fire, and packed the streets IN
the vicinity, and the fire police and reg
ular force had difficulty in keeping the
allev clear and room for the firemen to
work.