The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-11-23

and just the other side Of the wall
are several drums Of oil. 1t was with
great difficulty that the fremen
prevented the flames from reaching
that room.
Henry Jesse, driver Of engine No.
2, was overcome by the smoke our
ing the height of the fire and had TO
| be taken back to the station. He
had taken a stand on the rear plat
form of the Durenberger building
where the smoke and fumes OF
burning rubber from old tires was
suffocating. He stuck to his post,
directing q stream Of water into the
basement until he dropped in his
tracks and had to be relieved. He
| is still sick today from the enects
of the smoke.
A very dangerous condition which
exists between the Lynard building
on the south and the Durenberger
building was pointed out this morn
ing by Chief Ben E. Bangerter.
There is only lath and plaster
wall part way between the two
buildings. Owing to this the flames
did get into the Lynard building,
and had it not been for the very eff
fcient work of the firemen. that
building would have been destroy
ed. AS it was, $4,000 pounds of live
chickens were suffocated, large
quantity of butter and eggs and
dressed poultry, clover seed and
seed corn are loss from smoke
and water The Durenberger stock
is a total loss, but is covered by in
surance, carried in companies rep
resented here by o. w. Walker. E.
NJ. Zuel, Theodore Williams, H. B.
Perrin and H. F. Leonard.
City Engineer Phil F. Comstock
remained on the job with the fire.
men until the body was recovered.
When the flames had been gotten
under control, he called II the ]. B.
Nielsen Construction Company and
asked that a crew Of men be rush
ed to the Durenberger building to
help remove the debris so that the
body could be recovered. Mr.. Nell
sen Immediately sent twenty men
to the scene, and they worked like
beavers until the remains were
found.
Harvey Hoffman, general super
intendent of the Northern States
Power company, was Immediately
on the ground. and saw to it that
danger. from live wires and gas was
averted.
George Otto, who had a watch
and clock repair shop in one of the
rooms over the Durenberger build
ing had a loss estimated at about
$500. This was covered by insur-
ance.
The funeral of Mr.. Durenberger
will be held from st. Johns Catho.
lie church Monday morning at nine
o'clock, and will be in charge, of
Mankato Council knights Of Co
lumbus Of which Mr.. Durenberger
was a member. Knights of Co.
lumbus are requested to be assem-
bled at the residence of the deceas-
ed, 921 South Front street at 8:45
so that they can march to the
church in body. Rev. Father Rob-
ert Hughes and Rev. Father Fran
els Mcmahon will conduct the serv-
ices. The burial will be made at
Calvary cemetery.
Danger of Rubbish
Fire Chief Ben E. Bangerter in a
statement to The Free Press this
unfortunate fire said that some
time ago the premises Of Mr.. Dur
enberger had been inspected by
Mankato firemen and an immense
lot Of rubbish had been found in
the basement. Mr.. Durenberger
was then warned to make a thor
ough clean up, and later was served
with a formal written notice to have
his place cleaned up within ten days
and to REPLACE all lamp cords used
as circuit wires leading to electric
lights with rubber covered wire
supported on porcelain insulators.
I'm making fire inspections many
! people think that firemen's warn
ings as to danger of rubbish, is ov-
erdrawn, said Chief Bangerter.
They smile and promise to remedy
the evil. but do not realize the haz-
card they are harboring in the form
OF rubbish. This unfortunate in
stance brings home strongly the
necessity of always keeping base
ments and other parts Of the pre-
misses free of infiammable rubbish.
/ do sincerely hope that people al
ready warned will not let the sun
set before they get busy in remov-
ing all fire hazards in the form OF
rubbish"