The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-09-17
MORNING BLAZE
BAD FIRE WITH ITS MYSTERY
ATTACHMENT
JACOB HOY Is THE LOSER
Carpenter Shop and Its Con-
tents In Flames; $4,000
In Debris

Jacob l. Hoy early this morning
suffered loss of between $4,000 and
$4,000 when his carpenter shop and
storage house at the foot of Liberty
street was entirely destroyed by fire.
which appears to have been Of incen-
diary origin. The fire department was
called at $40 this morning and when
it reached there the building was in
flames from one end to the other.
Second Assistant Chief w. H. Ander-
sen while hurrying to the fire states
that he saw a man cross Front street
about half block away near the In
tersection of Record street and dodge
into the alley near the residence Of
Hans Jorgensen. The man acted sus
picious and seemed to be trying to get
out of sight. The flames were mount
ing 80 high by that time that Mr.. An Z
dersen hurried to the fire and did not
follow the man.
Woman Saw Truck.
Miss Alice Mclaughlin living at
1921 Liberty street nearly directly
across the street from the fire. stated
to The Free Press this morning that
she was up about 1850 and looked out
Of the upstairs window and saw an
auto truck drive down toward the
Hoy building without lights. It re-
manned there but q short time when
1t hurried back up Liberty street to-
ward Front street. Just g few mo
nents before Mi$f Eel aughlin nottc
ed the flames b6rst out ct the Hoy
building she stated that another au-
tomoble, this time with lights. drove
down Liberty, and apparently stopped
near the carpenter shop for moment
Fire Chief Bonnie Bangerter. sAed
to the Free Press this morning tnat
it was impossible to determine
whether the firs was of incendiary or
igin or not when the department
reached the building, for the building
was then In flames from one end to
the other.
Dangerous Spot For Fire.
A fire could not have started In a
more dangerous place. Just few
feet to one side and paraileling the
Hoy building is the Standard Oil
company storage house with thou
sands OF gallons of gasoline, and other
highly infamable material stored
there. 1t was only through some ex-
cellent rapid work on the part Of the
fremen that the flames were prevent
ed from entering that building. AS 1t
waa fho b,1fldire was on fire. on the
outside at one time, and the intense
heat from the building cracked the
glass in the windows of the Standard
Oil company's store house. Directly
across the street from the Hoy build
ing is located the Mankato Pure Oil
company's buildings and tanks. Chief
Bangerter Is OF the opinion that If the
fire had gotten start enough to get
into the Standard Oil building, the
bursting Of the tanks, etc. would have
set that whole section Of town on fire
and the loss would have been a great
deal more seStous. The fact that the
Hoy building was iron clad, Is al that
retarded the flames from spreading TO
the oil storage house.
Jacob L. Hoy stated to The Free
Press this morning that as near as he
can judge, his loss on building and
stock will reach in the ghborhood
Of $4,000 or $4,000. There was
large quantity Of plate glass and
building material stored in the build
ing in addition to carpenter machin-
cry. He stated that the building and
contents as near as he can determine
Is insured for about $500. Mr.. Hoy.
thought this morning that PERHAPS he
could salvage some Of the tools, etc.,
but his loss Will still be heavy.