Norwich bulletin., 1911-03-06

TWO MAY HAVE PERisAED
One Of Occupants Thought He Saw
Two Women FaIl Into Flames
roie Work BY Firsmen.

Minneapolis, Mimi, March 5.-One
OF the most disastrous fires this city
mas ever known destroyed the Syn
7dicate block on Nicollet avenue, be-,
tween Fifth and Sixth streets, today
The total loss is estimated at $1,000
UOU, and It is possible that two lives
We're lost although this has not yet
been definitely determined.
Twelve Hsscusd from Upper Stories.
Twelve persons were rescued from
the upper stories of the building. while
the flames were roaring around them.
Some of these sustained slight in
juries, but none was seriously hurt
The origin OF the fire is unknopn.
The alarm was given by some passer-
by. but before the firemen had ar
rived, the teilants of the building, who
were asleep in the upper rooms, began
franticaliy for aid.
st. Paul Sends Fire Fighters.
A strong wind was blowing and in
q few minutes the west half of the
building was a furnace. The entire
fire department of Minneapolis was
called out, but it was totally made
quate to check the flames. Later st.
Paul was asked for help, and it was
Immediately furnished
When the fire department arrived,
men were rushed into the building and
numerous ladders were run up to aid
the persons hemmed in by the fire on
the second and third floors.
On the second floor were Mrs. NJ.
Buck and Miss e. Buck; Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles Frandon; Inga Franson, Miss
Eta Parsons, Miss Merle Downed
and Miss Marie Heller were on the
third floor. On the NTH floor were
Mrs. Mary. Hellister and Miss Treler.
Helped His MstissE to Escape.
The F'ranson family, finding all exit
by stairways and front windows cut
of, made for the dre escape on the
alley side Of the buildins Elmer
Fra1son 1eaped to the fire escape,
through flames which were being driv-
en- by the wind past the window, out
of which was his only escape.
Holding the hot irons of the ladder,
she helped his mother to climb through
the window and step upon the plat
form beside him.
rails she shrfeked and would have
fallen to the ground, but Fireman
Caldwell leaned to her RESCUE from a
ladder resting against the New Eng
land kuilding. which adJoius the SYM
dicate building. Caldwell made jump
of failing TO the pavement, forty feet
below, II he MISSED the. Are escape.
Fortunatkly he struck 1t right and
reached Mrs. Franson's side not q sec
sond to0sso0n.s, sls
Saw Two Women Fail Into Flames.
He assisted her to the ground while
Elmer Franson followed, shouting:
There are two women back there in
the flames! I saw them falE'' The
to the building at this place, but the
heat was too great and they were re-
pulsed. All of the other members of
the Franson family were then assist
ed down the fire escape and the fire.
men had little difnculty in rescuing
those on the second and fifth floors.
None of the rescued received injur-
les which necessitated = visit to the
hospital and all of the occupants of
the upper floors were accounted for.
It is believed by the Nremen and po-
lice that young Franson was mistaken
when he said he saw two persons in
the building as he left the fire escape.
Building Was a Landmark.
The Syndicate building was a land
in 1882 by a number of local busi-
ness men. About three years ago it
was purchased by the Boston Trust
company.
The west, one third of the building,
was occupied by the Model Clothing
company. The east. one third, was
occupied by the Minneapolis Dry Goods
company. Three stories in the center
of the block were occupied by Young
& Quinlan, ladies' tailors; ]. B. Hud-
son & Son, jewelers., and Woolworth' S
five and ten cent store.
The upper floors in the center OF
the building were rented by numer-
Gus doctors, several restaurants and
other tenants, about fifty in all. These
lost their property The heaviest loser
is the Minneapolis Dry Goods COM
pany. whose stock was damaged by
water and smoke to the extent OF
$3.50, 900.
The New England Furniture COM
pany, in a2building adjoining the Sym
dicate block, suffered a loss of $4,000
by water A hose that was run through
the building burst.
All the principal losses are covered
shv irallra nee