The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-03-10
MEN FROM CENTRAL STATION
PUT STOP TO FLAMES.
Emil Rohde Put Out Of Business BY
a Blaze; George Tressler Driven
From Home Saturday Night; ;
Cry for Help Responded to on
This Side Of River; impetus to
Waterworks System.

Cry for Help Responded to on
This Side Of River; Impetus to
Waterworks System.
| From Mondays Daily.
Luck and the Mankato fire depart
ment were on the side of North Man
kato Saturday night, and they stood
as a barrier against the flames that
threatened for a time to wipe out a
residence block of that beautiful
village 1t was fierce fire and only
for the boys from this side of the
river and the volunteers that came
from everywhere We're the flames
stopped just as they were about to
For a village without water with
which to fight flames, North Man
kato is indeed fortunate that the
property loss is not heavier than
| it is.
Origin of the Fire.
The fire originated in the grocery
store of Emil Rohde, at Belgrade
avenue and Sherman street, and it is
suspected that lighted cigar stub
accidentally thrown among some
waste paper behind counter on the
Belgrade avenue side of the building
was the cause. Mr.. ROhde locked
his store door at $40 and walked to
| his home, 632 Belgrade avenue. A
| few minutes later William Craver,
dealer i'm shoes in North Mankato,
discovered a fire in the Rohde store
and at once notified the proprietor
Messrs. ROhde and Craver returned
to the store, opened the front door
and threw two hand grenadeS into
| the blaze, which was then shooting
up from behind and near the front
end of the counter. The flames died
down, but soon revived.
Smoke Was Dense.
Meanwhile the North Mankato fire.
men were Fastening to the scene and
brought with them the chemicals
| The smoke i'm the building was SO
dense that it was impossible for any
person to enter, and a hole was
chopped in the roof. Chemicals were
poured into this aperture, but to
no purpose.
The flames shot out in every di-
rectiOn and they were famed by the
wind which blew them strong to-
! ward the dwelling houses on Sher-
man street. The grocery store was
doomed and it was impossible TO
save any of the stock. All efforts
were directed toward preventing the
flames from eating up the residences
nearby
Mankato Boys Respond Promptly
| A telephone call at $40 brought
Chief John Lulsdorff, five men and a
hose cart and hook and ladder truck
from this side of the river to the
fire. Chief LulsdOrff took charge of
the battle against the flames. The
residence occupied by George Tress-
Ter had fallen prey to the fire, and
under the direction of Chief Luis
dOrff the walls were torn down and
water from tank wagons furnished
| by John Page was thrown upon
them by the quickly organized buck
ct brigade. Wet blankets covered
the house in which George Caldwell
lives, just west of the Tressler
home, and his property was saved.
This quick work prevented the fire
! from making a clean sweep of the
block. The boys from the Central
station are given the credit of hav-
ing performed excellent service and
every resident of North Mankato
feels thankful for the assistance rem
dered them Saturday night. The
members of the Mankato department
are deserving of praise for the part
they took in stopping what would
have otherwise proved cOnflagration.
Sparks from the fire were carried
a number Of blocks distant, but any
incipient fires were quickly squelched
| by watchers.
| At one time it did seem as if the
| fire would gain such a Roadway that
to stop it would be one of the things
| impossible, but those who were fight
! ing the flames would not surrender
The Property Loss.
The ROhde grocery store and
stock were entirely consumed Not
even Uneeda biscuit is left to tell
the tale of the wasting it received
Mr.. Rohde valued his building, a one
story structure at $1,000; insured for
81 500. He stated to The Free Press
that his stock was worth $500 and
was insured for $1,000 Furniture
and fixtures worth $500; insured for
800.
| Mr.. Rhode had entered into an
| agreement to sell his building and
stock to John Kumrow, who is en-
gagged in the grocery business in the
Smith building, Belgrade avenue.
Mr.. KumrOw had paid down sum
to bind the bargain. The deal was
to have been consummated about the
middle of April. Mr.. Rohde states
that he has not decided what he
shall dO-whether to rebuild or dis
| pose of the lot. He had intended to
engage in other business.
Loss Of Some Furniture.
! The house occupied by George
| Tressler was owned by Senator S. d.
Works, as is also that one in which
Mr.. Caldwell and his family resides.