The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1922-01-19
LITTLE SAUk HAS
BAD BLAZE SUNDAY
BIG PORTION OF VILLAGES
BUSINESS SECTION CONFLICT
LY WIPED OUT
LOSS is PARTIALLY INSURED
MOST OF BUSINESS MEN AT
FECTED WILL REBUILD IN
EARLY SPRING

EARLY SPRING
A. fire which completely destroyed
a good portion of the business section
of the village of Little Sank, broke
out in the Averill Implement Store
shortly before 3 o'clock Sunday
morning. The town is completely
without fire protection of any kind
and before the flames were subdued
every building between the Little
Sank State Bank and the Palace
Block occupied by Undems general
store and Harry Stephens Restaur-
ant was completely wiped out. The
only water available was that Sc
cured from two cisterns, one OF them
being located in the basement of the
Palace building. - A strong west wind
was blowing at the time and the
marvel is that the Palace building
was not destroyed.
The fire was discovered by William
Holtberg, who called Helmer Elan,
and the two aroused the town. The
telephones were also put into service
and nearby farmers rushed in and
rendered valiant service in moving
merchandise and household effects,
as we'll as fighting the flames. The
Long Prairie Department was sum
moned and fifteen men responded
coming without anything to work
with except their bare hands. They
arrived about in time for the bene-
dict.on, the fire having burned itself
out. .%
The origin of this fire is something
of mystery and is said to have been
caused by defective wiring in the
basement of the Averill building.
The Herald understand that the
flames were first discovered shooting
through the warehouse in the rear
of Averill's Implement building. The
store and residence of o. F. Firm
stahl were just east of the Averill
building and the Firnstahl family
were aroused with difficulty.
Mr.. Firnstahl, is postmaster at
Little Sank and he succeeded in
saving all Of the mail in the office,
all of the postage stagnps, and part
of the records, but the post office
equipment was completely destroyed
with most of his stock Of general
merchandise. The building east OF
the. Firnstahl store and residence was
owned by M. P. Nelson, OF Sank
Centre, and prior to the erection OF
the Palace block few years ago by
l.. H. Nelson, and number OF 9TH
ers was used for public gatherings.
This building was vacant. To the
east of the Nelson building was the
Little Sank Lumber Co., owned by
George Steiner and DIR. P. H.
Kraemer of Sank Centre and manag-
ed by F. j. Kienberger. The lumber
ward proper occupied the space be-
tween the Little Sank lumber office
and the Palace block, while directly
at the rear of the lumber yard was
the residence owned by M. r. Mel
son. This property was also saved !.
The Averill Implement Company
was composed of father, Leonard
c.. Averill a Gordon township, farmer
who moved to Little Sank a couple
of years ago and his two sons, Leslie
and Raw. The Herald understands
that the active managing of the Az
Grill business was in the hands OF
the two sons.
On December 10Th, the Averill I'm
Element Company turned over their
stock of merchandise to trustee, G.
B. McLaren, of the Farwel, Ozmun
& Kirk Company, wholesale hardware
merchants of St. Paul, to protect the
interests of the creditors of the COM
pany.
The Averill's purchased the stock
and building from johnson and
company about two years ago. There
was insurance of $500 carried on
stock fixtures and $4,000 on the build
ing. The liabilities are at least
s6n004 Mr.. Firnstahl's loss is about
as follows: merchandise, $4,000; store.
$4,000 and house $4,000. He carried
5000 assurance on stock and $4,000
on building.
The M. r. Nelson hall was vacant
and conservative estimate of its
value would be $4,000 upon which Mr..
Nelson had insurance in the amount
of $1,000. The Little. Sank Lumber
Company carried $4,000 insurance and
this will fully cover the loss. Be-
sides the above losses the Nelson
Bartlett Company had a complete
far, Iiohtipo nIant and four sets of
storage batteries stored in the Aver
CONTINUED ON page 81