The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-03-06
MINNEAPOLIS HAD !.
MILLION DOLLAR
FIRE YESTERDAY
Syndicate Block, an Old Land
mark Of the City, Was
Destroyed
TENANTS Of bU|LO|NG HAD
many THRILLING ESCAPES
Fireman Leaped Across Chasm From
Ladder and Caught Woman Falling
From Hot Fire ,Escape-Entire
Fire Department Called Out

FIRE department Called Out.
80 = = = = = Z = = =
. Minneapolis, March GA. e.
Zonne of Conkling & Zonne,
managers Of the Syndicate build
been definitely established that
en- reported missing have been
accounted for.
Minneapolis, March 6.-One of the
most disastrous fires this city has
ever known. destroyed Sunday the
Syndicate block on Ntcollet avenue
between Fifth and Sixth street. The
total loss is estimated at $1,000,000
and it is possible that two lives were
lost, although this has not as yet
been definitely determined,
Twelve persons were rescued from
the upper stories Of the building
while the flames were roaring around
them. Some Of these sustained slight
injuries.
The origin Of the fire is unknown.
The alarm was given by some pas
sersby on Nicollet avenue. who saw
the flames bursting out Of the second
story window. Before the flremen
arrived the tenants Of the building,
who had been asleep in the upper
rooms, began to appear at the win
dows, calling frantically for aid.
A strong southwest wind was
blowing and in a few minutes the
west half Of the building was roar
ing furnace. The entire fire depart
ment Of Minneapolis was called out,
but It was totally inadequate to
check the flames. Later a, call was
sent to st. Paul for help and this
was Immediately furnished.
The instant the fire department ar
rived men were rushed into the
building where. the entrances were
not already choked with flames and
numerous ladders were hastily ex-
tended to aid the people who were
hemmed In by fire on the second and
third floors.
On the second floor were Mrs. NJ.
Buck and Miss e. Buck, proprietors
of lunch room, Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles Franson, Elmer Franson,
aged 49,, Herbert Franson, aged 25
and Mrs. Inga Franson, Miss Eta
Parsons, % years old, Miss Merle
Downend. 18 years of age and Miss
Marie Heller were on the third floor.
On the fifth floor, Mrs. Mary Hollis
ter and Miss Treler were hemmed in
by flames.
The members of the Franson fam
fly, finding all exit by stairways and
front windows cut off, made for the
fire escape. Elmer Franson leaped to
fire escape, Inga Franson a blast OF
flames. Holding to the hot irons of
the framework.
AS soon as her hands touched the
rails, Mrs. Franson uttered shrek
and would have fallen to the ground
had not Fireman Caldwell leaped to
the rescue from ladder perched
against an adjoining building. Cald-
we'll made leap Of fully ten feet.
He assisted Mrs. Franson to the
ground while Elmer Franson follow
ed shouting there are two women
back there in the flames. l saw them
fall The firemen made every ef-
fort to break into the building at this
place but were repulsed by the
flames. All of the other members of
the Franson family were then assist
ed down the fire escape and the fire.
men had little difficulty in rescuing
the people from the second and fifth
floors.
1t is believed by the firemen and
police that young Franson was mis-
taken when he said that he saw two
people in the building as he left the
hre escape.
During the progress of the fire,
several explosions lifted sections of
heavy stone sidewalks high in the air
and scattered huge pieces Of stone
about the street. The explosions
were attributed TO breaking gas
pipes.
The high wind carried embers from
the fire high over the business dis
trict and q number Of small fires
we're started on the roofs Of several
buildings, some as far away as four
teen squares.
The Syndicate building was land
mark of Minneapolis and was owned
by the Boston Trust company.
The west one-third Of the building
was occupied by the Model Clothing
company, which occupied the entire
five stories. The east one-third OF
the building, from basement to roof,
was occupied by the Minneapolis
Dry Goods company. Three stories
in the center Of the block were oc-
cupied by Young and Quinlan, ladies'
tailors, j. B. Hudson and Son, Jewell