The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-06
RESCUED FROM
FIERY FURNACE
Twelve Persons Narrowly Es-
cape Death in Burning Build
ing at Minneapolis.
RUINS MARK SPOT WHERE
SYNDICATE BLOCK STOOD
Loss Estimated at One Million
Dollars, Fully Covered by
Insurance.

MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi March 5.-One
of the most disastrous fires this city has
ever known destroyed today the Syndi-
cate block on Nicollet avenue. between
Fifth and Sixth streets. The total loss
is estimated at 81. 900, 900 and 1t is pos
sible that two lives were lost. although
this has not yet been definitely deter
mined
Twelve persons were rescued from the
upper stories OF the building, while the
flames were roaring around them some
OF these sustained slight injuries, but
none was seriously hurt.
The origin OF the fire is unknown. The
alarm was given by passers-oy on Nicol-
let avenue, who saw the flames burst"
ing from the second-story window. Be
fore the firemen had arrived the tenants
OF the building who were asleep III the
upper rooms began 10 appear a. the WIN
dows, calling for aid
a strong wind was blowing and in
very few minutes the west half of the
building was furnace. The entire fire
department of Minneapolis called out,
but it was totally inadequate to check
the flames Later a call was sent 10
st. Paul for help and this was ipmediate-
ly furnished
Hemmed in by Flames.
On the second floor were Mrs. NJ. Buck
and Miss E; Buck, propretors of lunch
room. Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Franson. Ell
mer Franson. aged 10: Herbert Franson
Eta Parsons. % years old; Miss Merile
Downend, IS years Of age, and Miss Marie
Heller were on the third floor. On the
fifth floor Mrs. Mary Hollister and Miss
The members OF the Franson family.
finding all exit by stairways and front
windows cut off, made for the fire
escape on the alley side of the building
Elmer Franson leaped TO the fire escape
through a blast of flames Holding TO
the hot irons of the ladder. he. aided
and step upon the platform beside him.
AS soon as her hands touched the
rails Mrs Franson screamed and would
have fallen 10 the eSound had not Fire
man Caldwell leaped 10 her rescue from
a ladder perched against the New Eng
land building. which adjons the Syndi-
cate building. Caldwell made a leap fully
ten feet and took a chance Of falling TO
the pavement. forty feet below. II he
missed the fire-escape. Fortunately he
struck 1t right and reached Mrs Fran
sons side not second too soon.
Two Possible Victims.
lie assisted her TO the ground while
Elmer Franson followed. s:c::tiE.5. 'There
are two women back there in the flames.
saw them fall"
The firemen made every effort 10 break
into the building at this place, hut the
heat was too great and they were re-
pulsed.
An other members OF the Franson fam
lily were then assisted down the fire
escape and the firemen had little dlf-
fculty in rescuing the people from the
second and fifth floors. Twelve persons
in all were taken out Of the building by
the firemen.
None of the tenants received serious
injuries. and all occupants OF the upper
floors were finally accounted for.
II is believed that young Franson was
mistaken when he said he saw TWO peo-
pie In the building as re left the fire
escape.
During the progress of the fire there
were several explosions at the west end
of the building which lifted the heavy
stone sidewalks high in the air and scat
tered huge pieces of stone about the
street The explosions were attributed
TO breaking gas pipes.
Several Small Fires Started,
The high wind carried embers from
the fire high over the business district
and "A number of small fires started on |
the roofs OF several buildings, Some of
these embers fell fourteen squares from
the fire. burning awnings and other in |
flammahle materials.
The Syndicate building was erected In
1882 by number of local business men,
a About three years ago II was purchased |
by The Boston Trust company.
The west one third OF the building was |
occupied by The Model Clothing company, |
whose store occupied five stories. The |
east one third Of the building. from base
ment TO roof was occupied by the Min |
neapolis Dry Goods company. Three
stories in the center OF the block were
tailors; J. +. Hudson Son. jewellers.
and Woolworth's five -and-ten Sent store.
The upper floors in the center of the
building were occupied by numerous doc
tors, restaurants and other tenants, about |
nGy in all These lost all their prop
ertY. The loss of the Minneapolis Dry
Goods company was mostly by water and !
smoke. AS that end of the building was
untouched by fire.
Some of the Losers.
The largest Individual losses are:
Model Clothing company. SlT5,0 Gao; Min
neapolis Dry Goods company. $3.50 900;
j. b. Hudson 6 Son 800 900, outside
of the safe. which contained merchandise
Sl25 900; the Woolworth 6 company. $50
600. other tenants. estimated 800. 900: loss
on building. 5000, 900.
The windows In Donaldson's GLASS
Block department store across Sixth
street were shattered by the heat and
loss In window glass is estimated at $4,000.
a loss, OF $4,000 was also caused in this
ture company. In n building adjoining
the Syndicate block suffered a loss OF
SO 600 by water from bursting hose that
was run through the building.
Although the fire broke out early in
the morning. IL was almost noon before
it was under control. For several hours
81 was feared that the entire business
district OF Minneapolis would be swept
The principal losses are covered by in
surance.
Late tonight two women who were
asleep In the Syndicate building at the
time of the fire were reported missing.
They We're Miss Mary Buck. proprietor
" the Arion restaurant. and Bertha Rad