Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-02-23
SCHREINER'S STORE
BURNED At 2-HARBORS
Loss Was About $4,000 Par
tally Covered by Insurance.
Frank Schreiner VIII Go There to
Consult With Partners Concern
ing Future Plans.

News was received here Wednes-
day morning of the burning of the
general merchandise store of Schrei-
ner Bros. & Moulton in Two Harbors.
This fire broke out Monday evening
and destroyed the store, which is the
largest in Two HarboIs, and practi-
cally all it's contents. The Duluth
News Tribune of February 10, con-
tains the following account:
The origin of the blaze is not
known, though it is supposed to have
started from a defective electrical
connection In the southwest corner of
the building. Before it was dis
covered the fire had such start that
the attention of the FIRE department
was directed largely to preventing the
spread of the flames. Several other
buildings nearby were threatened
several times.
Fireman James Irwin narrowly
escaped serious injury. He was near
the top OF a ladder against the side of
the building when another fireman,
failing to seq him through the smoke,
attempted to pull the ladder away
from the building. Irwin fell to the
ground, but was only slightly in
jured. continuing fighting the fire
shortly afterwards.
The burned structure was a two
story brick building with basement,
facing 100 feet on the evenue and ex-
tending back $50 feet Schreiner
Bros. & Moulton had the biggest stock
of goods in the city, and they had
just received a new stock of mer-
chandise for the spring trade. The
books had been balanced and the store
put into shape for the usual large
trade expected tomorrow, which will
be pay day.
There was a short time during the
fire when there was great excitement
and it was feared a disaster even
greater than the fire might occur.
The entire building was occupied by
the store, one part being the hardware
and furniture departments and there
being in that part quite q quantity of
powder and cartridges.
During the fire there were several
explosions. one particularly big one
resulting in blowing out the plate
glass front of the hardware depart
ment. Just in the rear of the store is
a big gasoline tank. but hard work
prevented the FIRE from spreading to
this highly explosive fluid. Several
cabooses of the Duluth & Iron Range
railroad, whose tracks are in the rear
of the building, had to be removed to
prevent their being ignited from the
flames of the burning store building.
At midnight the fire was still
burning. but had nearly died out,
being altogether confined within the
four walls of the building, which
remained nearly intact. Although
the blaze which destroyed their build
ing was not yet extinguished, Schrei
ner Bros. & Moulton had already
decided to rebuild, and will reopen
temporarily in smaller structure as
soon as stock of goods can be shipped
to the city.
The above account is incorrect in
certain details The total loss was
close to 5000 this being partially
covered by insurance of 500, 900.
The stock was entirely destroyed.
The walls of the building were left
standing but it is thought they wi
have to be rebuilt before being ms
available for use.
The firm has already secured tenn
porary quarters and expect to rebuild
within a short time. Their former
building was a handsome business
block for a small city, its dimensions
being 75x15O feet.
1t is later proven that the supposed
origin of the fire given in the above
quoted article as being a defective
electrical connection could hardly be
possible. A later theory is that the
first blaze was caused by spontaneous
combustion.
Upon learning of the fire H. E.
Schreiner wired from Tampa, Florida,
that he would start Immediately for
Lancaster. He arrived yerterday noon
and today Frank SchIeiner will leave
for Two Harbors, to consult with
other members Of the firm in regard
to their plans.