USA > Minnesota > Stearns County > History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 76
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Bernard Botz, of Sauk Centre, aged 14 years, was killed on his father's farın, October 21, by falling from a loaded wagon.
N. Polsen, in charge of the tailoring department at the state reformatory, fell from the top of a ladder, November 3, receiving injuries which resulted in his death.
Leo Medved, son of Joseph Medved, of Cold Spring, was killed Novem- ber 19 by the overturning of an automobile in which he was riding at Crooks- ton.
1914. By the turning turtle of an automobile in which he was riding January 14, Otto Vincent, employed at the Estey veterinary hospital, St. Cloud, was almost instantly killed.
Mrs. Nellie M. Staples, of East St. Cloud, was arrested January 21, charged with the murder of her infant child, whose dead body had been found December 10, 1913, near the Mississippi river bank. At the April term of the district court she was tried for infanticide and found guilty of man- slaughter in the second degree and given an indeterminate sentence at the state penitentiary.
Fred Jorgenson, who had recently arrived in St. Cloud from Nebraska, committed suicide January 24, by shooting himself in the head with a re- volver, because a young lady with whom he was infatuated, refused to marry him.
By the burning of her home at Waite Park, where she was alone, March 21, Mrs. Betsy Parsons, aged 89 years, lost her life, the body being almost entirely cremated.
Herman Schlagheck, 42 years of age, of St. Cloud, was killed April 12 by a Northern Pacific train, while asleep on the track near Sartell. A bottle of whiskey in his pocket told the story.
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William Walz, aged 56 years, who many years ago had conducted a photograph gallery in St. Cloud and for the past 25 years had lived in Al- bany, died there April 15, as the result of a gunshot wound.
Carl Erickson, of Sauk Rapids, aged 75 years, was drowned in the Missis- sippi, at the mouth of Sauk river, May 29, while fishing.
By the explosion of a half keg of powder at the Melrose gray granite quarry, near St. Cloud, June 23, Edward Fisher was almost instantly killed, and Peter Kraemer, Joseph Dambly and Joseph Kitowski were seriously in- jured.
While employed at a dough mixer at the Puff Bakery, St. Cloud, June 27, Adam Daman was caught by the knives, his right hand being almost entirely amputated, while the belt which operated the mixer struck his breast causing a bad wound. As a result of these injuries he died two days afterward.
Fred Schultz, living on a farm about six miles from St. Cloud, on the Rockville road, from whom his wife had recently secured a divorce on account of cruel treatment, committed suicide June 30, by hanging. The sheriff had gone to the farm armed with a warrant for his arrest on the charge of creat- ing a disturbance at the farm and on his arrival discovered the dead body hanging by a rope from a tree.
After having staid in the water for over three hours in Sauk river, a young man, Nicholas M. Arm, was seized with cramps July 5, and drowned before help could reach him. He was employed at the Great Northern shops at Waite Park, his parents' home being near there.
Elijah Moss, for more than fifty years a resident at Kimball, was thrown from his buggy July 4, by the breaking of a wheel, his skull being fractured, resulting in his death soon afterwards.
While walking on the platform and near the edge at the Soo railroad station at Belgrade, July 16, as the flyer rushed by, Mrs. Mary Thelen was caught by the intense suction of the train and hurled several rods into a ditch and instantly killed. She was an old settler of St. George and 73 years of age.
Charles Witt was drowned in the Mississippi river, about two miles below the city limits, while bathing Sunday. He had swum back and forth to an island in the middle of the river, when on the return he was seized with cramps and went to the bottom. He was a resident of Detroit, Mich., and for a year past had been employed in the Great Northern car shops.
While in a fit of insanity Mrs. Annie T. Schindler, of East St. Cloud, wife of Peter H. Schindler, August 17 killed an adopted child, Irma, aged four years, by beating it to death. The body was discovered by Mr. Schin- dler when he came home in the evening, the child being in bed in its night- gown. The woman was examined, declared to be insane and sent to Fergus Falls.
John McIntyre, a farmer living near Eden Valley, was struck by light- ning August 22 and almost instantly killed. He was in the barn harnessing a horse during a storm, when the building was struck and set on fire, the horse being killed and Mr. McIntyre, who was rescued from the burning building, dying soon afterwards.
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By an unfortunate slip from the edge of the dam at Thief River Falls August 23 Anna Ladry, of Cold Spring, was drowned. Her body was brought home for burial.
CHAPTER XXXI.
FIRE LOSSES.
· Damage Wrought by the Destroying Element in Stearns County During Half a Century-Dwellings, Stores, Hotels, Barns and Business Blocks Re- Duced to Ashes-Estimate of Damages and Insurance.
Stearns county has not suffered from holocausts as severe as those which have visited some portions of the state, but nevertheless the lost sustained in the county by fire since 1861 when the records begin has been considerable.
1861. The first fire in the county of which there is any record, although there were probably others prior to this, was the burning of the St. Cloud House, in upper town, St. Cloud, March 8, 1861. Loss $1,000; insurance $500.
Another hotel in St. Cloud furnished the second-the Willis House, for- merly the Exchange, which was burned with its contents June 3, of the same year. It was owned by Miles Brown, and was valued at $3,000, with no in- surance.
1862. By a fire which caught on the night of January 4, in a house on Winnebago Prairie occupied by two families named respectively Hanscome and Smith, the building was entirely consumed and a little daughter of Mr. Smith's was burned to death.
A fire on the night of May 2 destroyed J. D. Hyke's dwelling house, north of the Stearns House, St. Cloud, occupied by the Rev. Mr. Hicks. The contents were destroyed.
1864. Not until March, 1864, is there any further record of a fire, this being the burning of Richardson & Freeman's hotel at Richmond.
Kraemer's brewery, situated on the outskirts of St. Cloud, was burned in the early morning of November 24. The building and contents were totally destroyed, the family living on the first floor not being able to secure even their clothing. Loss $8,000.
On the twelfth of the same month S. O. Crawford's furniture factory on Washington avenue, above St. Germain street, St. Cloud, was totally destroyed by fire. Three adjoining buildings, one belonging to F. Monti, the other two owned by Joseph Kindler, were also burned. Mr. Crawford's loss was $4,000, with no insurance; Mr. Monti's loss was $1,800, without insurance; Mr. Kind- ler's loss $2,000 and $900 insurance.
1865. Thomas C. Alden's slaughter house, located near the lime yard, St. Cloud was burned April 2, with a lot of dry hides. Loss, $1,000, with no insurance.
The sawmill at Cold Spring was entirely destroyed by fire on the night of July 22.
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A fire November 7 destroyed Joseph Noel's and Bennett & Hanford's gun shop in St. Cloud. Mr. Nocl occupied the front part of the building, his loss being $900, with $350 insurance; Bennett & Hanford, who occupied the rear part, suffered a loss of $2,450, without any insurance.
Gen. S. B. Lowry's dwelling house in upper town, St. Cloud, was burned at an early hour in the morning of November 2. Loss $1,600, no insurance.
1866. The large frame building known as "the Priests' House," below Stony Point, St. Cloud, was burned to the ground February 7.
On the eighteenth of the same month, Wheeler French, of Maine Prairie, lost his house with its contents by fire. H. Dam raised quite a sum in St. Cloud for Mr. French's relief and the generous people of the Prairie assisted in putting up another house for him.
A fire which broke out on the night of March 11 in the rear of Peterson & Stolley's store, on the corner of Washington avenue and St. Germain street, St. Cloud, entirely consumed the building and stock. The adjoining building, occupied by J. M. Rosenberger as a book store, was also burned, about half of the stock being saved. Tenvoorde & Robbers's billiard rooms, on St. Germain street, with a large hall on the second floor, went next. The office and ware- rooms adjoining, into which E. M. Tobey had partially moved his office fix- tures, was destroyed, most of Mr. Tobey's property being saved. As the flames continued to spread up St. Germain street, Mercer's jewelry store was torn down and the fire engine threw a steady stream of water on the next building, Schwartz's saddlery and harness store, thus arresting the further progress of the flames. The total loss was $39,000, insurance $25,000. The buildings were all owned by John W. Tenvoorde, who was a heavy loser.
C. A. Gilman's sawmill, located on Elk river, was totally destroyed by fire June 18. The fire was believed to be of incendiary origin.
H. J. Fowler's ferry house at St. Cloud was burned October 17; loss $1,200. The ferryman, who occupied the building, lost all of his belongings.
J. K. Noyes's dwelling house at Fair Haven was totally destroyed by fire November 18. Loss not stated; insurance $1,500.
1867. The "old Lowry House," the first house in upper town, was burned to the ground in the early morning of January 15. It was occupied by several families and almost nothing was saved. The building was owned at this time by Waite & Clarke, was valued at $1,000 with no insurance, and its de- struction meant the loss of one of St. Cloud's old landmarks.
Hanford & Norton's gun store, on Washington avenue, St. Cloud, was entirely destroyed by fire April 21. H. P. Bennett, who was in the same build- ing, lost tools valued at $500, with $300 insurance. The total loss was $9,600, with $5,844 insurance.
A. Scribner's house, furniture and barn at Maine Prairie were burned August 8. Loss about $2,000, insurance $1,000.
The building occupied by Grinols & Cooper at Fair Haven was destroyed by fire on the night of September 20, with a stock of merchandise. Loss $4,000, insurance $2,000. The building was owned by Mr. Van Dervort and was not insured. The fire was believed to be of incendiary origin.
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1868. On the night of January 7, the Cold Spring gristmill, owned by H. C. Waite and N. P. Clarke of St. Cloud, and P. B. Thompson of Cold Spring, was burned. The mill was valued at $30,000 and was insured for $15,000. It was rebuilt.
The following morning Gorton & Burbank's flouring mill on Sauk river, about two miles from St. Cloud, was also burned, with a quantity of flour and grain. Loss $30,000, insurance $14,300. Another mill was built on the site of the one destroyed.
George Stenger's house, on Sauk river, about four miles from St. Cloud, was totally destroyed with its contents September 26.
1869. The Cold Spring Hotel, owned by Battese Arseneau, was burned to the ground February 22. A part of the contents were saved. Loss $2,000, with no insurance.
Frank Arnold's dwelling house, at the Sauk City mills, was burned with a part of its contents, February 25. Loss $1,500, with no insurance.
Nicholas Kohn's house, in the town of Brockway, was burned March 28, and Mrs. Kohn who was confined to her bed by sickness, had a narrow escape from perishing in the flames, as her husband was absent at the time.
A fire May 20 destroyed Mr. Mckinney's house at Maine Prairie, nothing being saved but a couple of trunks. Mr. and Mrs. McKinney were absent from home at the time. The house was a new one. Loss $1,500, partially insured.
1870. On the night of January 20, a fire which broke out in Z. H. Morse's grocery store on Washington avenue, St. Cloud, destroyed that building, as well as two others which were adjoining, occupied by A. N. Gilbert as a boarding house. The contents of all were saved. Loss $1,700, insurance $350.
The Fremont flouring mills at Clearwater were burned on the evening of January 17. Loss $17,000, with $10,000 insurance. The mill was built in 1861 by James Cambell and Stephen Oyster. The owners at the time of the fire were Forrest & Ladd.
Charles Neill's dwelling at Maine Prairie was burned with its contents March 6. Loss $900, insurance $600.
Sauk Centre had a bad fire on the night of March 8. It started in T. C. McClure's store, and from there spread to Moore & Robson's, S. Pendergast's and Philip Frank's stores, all of which were destroyed, although the contents of all the buildings except Mr. McClure's were saved but in a damaged con- dition. The fire was caused by a defective flue. Loss $12,950; insurance $3,278.
On the night of August 5, H. W. Weary's wagon and carriage shop on Washington avenue, St. Cloud, was destroyed by fire. Loss $2,500, insurance $1,350. N. P. Noel lost sixty-two of his new patent churns stored in one end of the building ; no insurance.
Stephen C. Kemp's dwelling house at Fair Haven was burned August 20, but little of the contents being saved. Insurance $600.
1871. William Kraemer's house, near Fair Haven, was burned with a granary, March 14.
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In the early morning of May 4, a fire started in a building on Jefferson avenue, St. Cloud, owned and occupied by Henry Schnoor as a tailor shop and dwelling. A small frame warehouse adjoining, belonging to C. F. & W. Powell, was next burned, as was also J. C. Wilson's paint shop. N. Lahr's dwelling house was saved only by hard work. Loss $1,300, partly insured.
F. Broomer's dwelling house, near Fair Haven, caught fire from the chim- ney, October 5, and was burned, nothing being saved.
Prairie fires during the week of October 5 destroyed the dwelling houses of R. Hoover, John and Ezra Brown, and Messrs. Roach, Dennison and Payne in the vicinity of Paynesville. The generous assistance rendered by the people of St. Cloud to those who had suffered so severely was acknowledged at a public meeting of the citizens of Paynesville through John Phipps, the chair- man.
The dwelling house of Florence McCarthy, two miles from St. Cloud, was struck by lightning October 8 and destroyed with all its contents.
On the night of December 27 the Central House barn and livery stable at St. Cloud was burned, but the horses and most of the contents were saved. Loss $3,500, insurance $1,000.
1872. Frank Benolken's dwelling house at New Munich was burned the night of March 18. Mrs. Benolken and child barely escaped with their lives. No insurance.
The Pacific House, located near the St. Cloud depot on the east side of the river, was burned March 27. The greater part of the contents were saved. Loss $3,000, insurance, $1,500 on the house and $600 on the contents.
Stephen C. Kemp's dwelling house and stables in Fair Haven township were destroyed by a prairie fire April 24. Loss $1,500, with no insurance.
While W. H. Day and family, of Maine Prairie, were absent from home July 13, their house with its contents were destroyed by fire. Loss $1,500, insurance $500. Three years ago Mr. Day had a house burned on the same spot. He began at once building a third one.
Z. H. Morse's grocery store in St. Cloud was burned September 7, to- gether with a large part of the stock. Loss on stock $2,000, with $500 in- surance. The building was owned by J. P. Wilson, who had $600 insurance.
The most disastrous fire in the history of St. Cloud to this time occurred in the early morning of November 21, when Broker's block, a large three- story brick building, much the finest and most expensive in the city, was destroyed. The lower story was occupied by Young & Bradford's dry goods and R. M. Russell's grocery store, much of the contents of both being saved but in a greatly damaged condition. On the second floor was the law office of W. S. Moore, who lost his books and furniture; Mr. Russell had some goods stored there, and rooms as sleeping apartments occupied by Messers. Young and Bradford. The Times office, which was on the third floor, was a total loss, not one article being saved. It had been purchased only the week before by Lamb & Rhodes. A two-story frame building to the east, occupied by Cross & Platte's meat market, and the upper story by Mr. Platte's family, was burned, a part of the contents being saved. Other buildings near by had narrow escapes. Broker's block was valued at $12,000; insurance $8,000.
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Young & Bradford's loss was $6,000, fully covered by insurance; R. M. Rus- sell's $5,000, with full insurance. The Times loss was total, with $3,000 in- surance. The other losses aggregated $4,500, with $1,300 insurance.
On the night of December 19, two houses closely adjoining on Winnebago Prairie, owned by J. F. Stevenson, of St. Cloud, and Mrs. Bowing, and both occupied by Odell Ellis, were burned with most of their contents. Mr. Stev- enson's house was insured for $250 and Mrs. Bowing's for $700.
1873. John Stoeffe's dwelling house, near the depot at St. Cloud, was burned April 12.
Alex. Moore's grist and saw mills, located about ten miles above Sauk Centre, were totally destroyed by fire on the night of June 11. Loss $17,000, insurance $5,500.
Mrs. Helen Moore's dwelling house, just south of the ravine, St. Cloud, was burned on the afternoon of June 21, during the temporary absence of the family. All the more valuable furniture was saved. The severest loss aside from the building itself, was a chamois-skin bag in which was $1,267 in currency, this with a small package of papers having been placed between the mattresses of Mrs. Moore's bed. It was undoubtedly stolen. The fire came from a stove in the kitchen. Loss on building, $2,500, insurance $1,600; loss on furniture about $300.
Winnebago Prairie had two fires in September, one on the 22nd, which destroyed Capt. A. Libby's dwelling house, most of the household goods being saved; loss $4,500, insurance $2,000-the policy expiring three days after (fortunately not before) the fire. The other was on the twenty-sixth, when S. Hanscom's house was burned, the greater part of the furniture being saved. Both fires were due to defective chimneys.
1874. The dwelling house and barn of George McCue, living about six miles from St. Cloud, on the Sauk river, were burned May 8. Everything in the house was lost, besides a yoke of oxen, pigs and poultry in the barn.
Francis Hoffman's dwelling house at Lake Henry was destroyed with its contents by a prairie fire May 9.
A fire at St. Augusta June 9 destroyed Joseph Bartholemy's house, with all the contents, and two wagons standing beside the building.
St. Cloud suffered on the night of July 2 from one of the worst fires in its history. It began in the double building on Washington avenue, corner of Lake street (near the Fifth Avenue hotel block) occupied by J. E. West's dry goods and grocery store and D. H. Selby's book store. Other buildings burned on the same side of Washington avenue to the south were a two-story frame owned by Oscar Becker and occupied by Bennewitz's saloon; three two-story frame buildings owned by Thomas Smith, one occupied by Dennis's confectionery, the others being vacant; a one-story building owned by J. G. Huber and occupied by J. N. Bensen as a grocery store, and the City Hotel, owned by J. E. West. A small frame building owned by Mrs. Schafer and occupied by Mr. Fish as a dwelling was torn down while the hotel was burning in order to stay the fire at the next structure, a two-story brick, Schafer's bakery. This building was saved, although somewhat damaged. A small dwelling house and a barn on the rear of the first lot were also burned, mak-
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ing a total of nine buildings destroyed. The water in the wells from which the supply was drawn in case of fire became exhausted, which proved a serious handicap to the firemen. The total loss was $26,500, with $17,400 insurance. The heaviest loser was J. E. West, $15,950, with $14,800 insurance.
The house on A. J. Cannon's farm near Sauk Centre was destroyed on the night of July 14 by a fire caused by the explosion of a lamp.
B. F. Areher's house in the town of St. Wendel was burned with most of its contents September 2.
Dr. Mary Sullivan's dwelling house, near the St. Cloud depot, was burned with all its contents on the night of October 8 by the explosion of a lamp. Dr. Sullivan, who was sleeping up stairs, had a narrow escape. Loss $3,000, in- surance $1,600. Included in the property destroyed was a trunk containing $450 in curreney.
1875. W. T. Mill's dwelling house at Eden Lake was burned January 8, The fire caught from a stove pipe.
A fire at Melrose January 25 burned J. C. McDonald's drug store, in which the postoffice was kept. Everything was destroyed, including the mail matter, and Mr. MeDonald, who lived up stairs, barely escaped with his family.
C. Crabtree's dwelling house in the town of Broekway was entirely de- stroyed by fire on the night of February 6, nothing being saved. A stove pipe running through the roof was the cause of the fire.
Getty's Grove schoolhouse was burned the night of February 9, with a number of school books and a Sunday School library of over two hundred volumes.
The large barn attached to the Sauk Centre Hotel was burned Mareh 9, with seven horses. L. Nieolaus's tailor shop was destroyed at the same time.
A. G. Hart's dwelling house in the town of LeSauk was burned with most of its contents on the evening of March 29.
William Caughey's house in Brockway caught fire from the chimney April 18 and was entirely consumed, with its contents.
A fire on the night of April 29 totally destroyed H. L. Kosterman's dwell- ing in the town of Munson.
O. O. Hines's dwelling house in St. Cloud was almost entirely destroyed by fire on the afternoon of August 11, with a part of the household goods. Loss on building $1,000, with $500 insurance.
A house on J. F. Stevenson's farm at Broekway caught fire from a stove pipe October 8 and was burned to the ground. C. Kirtley was moving out and J. K. Underwood was moving in and each lost part of his household goods. Mr. Stevenson had $300 insurance.
1876. Michael Weber's dwelling house in the town of Luxemburg was burned with its contents on the night of January 21.
A fire February 28 destroyed the house, with most of its contents, barn, stable, machinery, 620 bushels of grain and one horse on R. Lovelace's farm near Paynesville.
On the night of May 11, S. Kell's house near Stewart's bridge, five miles this side of Sauk Centre, caught fire from the stove pipe and was burned to the ground.
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Nicholas Miller's house, in the town of Lake Henry, was burned May 20, together with its contents; also the stable with all the farm machinery, hogs, chickens, ete.
John Holler's house, in the town of Albany, was struck by lightning on the night of July 16, and with its contents was entirely consumed.
Lightning struek Nie Post's house, in the town of Luxemburg, August 13, and the building with most of its contents was burned.
A fire, supposed to have eaught from a stove pipe, burned the house and barn of Joseph Spath, of Grove, October 15, during the absence of the family. The contents of the house as well as grain and machinery in the barn were destroyed
A bad fire at Maine Prairie on the night of November 13 destroyed Hoyt & Whitney's store building with its contents, ineluding the letters and papers in the post office. The books, money and postage stamps were in a small iron safe which was dragged out as it was about to drop into the basement. George R. Whitney, who was sleeping in a back room of the store, was barely able to escape through a side window, losing his watch and most of his clothing. Total loss $6,000; insurance, $4,100.
1877. Davis & Beal's large flouring mill at Clearwater was burned on the night of January 13, with 1,500 bushels of wheat, 100 barrels of flour and 100 tons of feed. The origin of the fire was unknown. Loss $33,000, in- surance $21,000.
St. Cloud had another fire on the night of May 3, which destroyed seven buildings, with a loss of $11,700 and $5,100 insurance. The fire originated in the building occupied by Weary's wagon shop and Rathbun's blacksmith shop at the corner of Richmond avenue and Lake street. Three other build- ings connected with these two were burned, as were Jones & Albrecht's blaek- smith shop, owned by J. C. Winslow, and a dwelling house occupied by E. Robertson and owned by A. Schroeder. The Overbeek and Schaefer hotels had a narrow eseape. H. W. Weary was afterwards arrested on the charge of incendiarism and bound over to appear at the next term of the district court. The grand jury at that time failed to return an indietment in the case.
The sehoolhouse in distriet No. 78, in the town of Lynden, was destroyed by fire on the night of May 13. About two years before the schoolhouse on the same site was burned under suspicious eireumstances. Joseph Carlisle, with whose family there had been trouble over school matters, was arrested and bound over to await the aetion of the grand jury. The trial took place at the June term, the jury returning a verdict of not guilty.
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