AN OPERA HOUSE BURNED.

THE LOSS WILL REACH $250,000 WITH [illegible] INSURANCE OF $100,000.

DULUTH, Minn., Jan. 28. - Fire was discovered is [sic] the Grand Opera House at 2 o'clock this morning. It started in the basement and was soon beyond control, although the whole Fire Department was early on the spot. At 3:30 A. M. the building was a total ruin. A row of frame buildings next the Opera House was in great danger, but all were saved except the Post Office, which was consumed. All the mails were safely removed.

The Hotel St. Louis, just across the street, was threatened and the guests moved out, but the flames did not attack this building. There were five stores and numerous upper floor tenants in the Opera House Building. State Senator Whiteman was removed in a dazed condition. Many of the tenants lost their effects. The tenants on the ground floor of the Opera House Building were Boyce & Tolman, druggists; J. T. Condon, general furnishing goods; general offices of the Wisconsin Central Railway; W. C. Sargent, coal and wood office; Osborne & Frazer, dealers in sales; West Duluth Land Company's office; M. M. Gasser, family groceries, and Seig Levy, wholesale liquor dealer.

Up stairs on the first floor were the offices of various lumber firms and lawyers, and on the second floor the Chamber of Commerce, music rooms, &c.

The Opera House was owned by Munsell & Markell and cost $112,000; insured for $70,000. The principal losses outside of the Opera House itself will be as follows: Boyce & Tolman, druggists, loss about $6,000; J. T. Condon, hats, $5,000; M. M. Gasser, grocery, $10,000; 10 other firms, whose losses cannot be estimated now. In addition to the above are the losses sustained by the office tenants. The total loss will reach $250,000; insurance $150,000.

The front wall of the Opera House fell into the street, but no one was hurt. At 4 A. M. the fire was under control.

The New York Times, New York, NY 29 Jan 1889

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Destruction of Duluth's Opera House.

DULUTH, Minn., Jan. 28. - A fire was discovered in the Grand opera house shortly before 2 o'clock this morning. It started in the basement and was soon beyond control, although the whole fire department was on the sopt. At 3:30 the building was a total loss. The post-office was also consumed, but the mail was saved. There were five stores and numerous upper floor tenants in the opera house building. State Senator Whiteman was removed in a dazed condition. Many of the tenants lost their effects.

The opera house was owned by Munger & Markell, and cost $112,000. It was insured for $70,000. The principal losses outside of the opera house itself are as follows: Boyce & Tolman, druggists, $6,000; J. T. Condon, hats, $5,000; M. W. Grasser, grocery, $10,000, and Seig Levy, wholesale liquors, $12,000; besides others, whose losses cannot be estimated now. The total loss will reach $200,000 or more. The building was also occupied by the offices of various lumber firms, lawyers, the chamber of commerce, music rooms and the general offices of the Wisconsin Central railroad. The front wall of the opera house fell into the street but no one was hurt.

At 4 A. M. the fire was under control.

The Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, WI 1 Feb 1889

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A TOTAL LOSS

Duluth's Beautiful Opera House Destroyed in an Hour.

The Lose [sic] Approaches a Quarter of a Million Dollars.

A Number of Occupants Barely Escape With Their Lives.

Rebuilding This House and Various Other Projects Discussed.

A COMPLETE LOSS.

Duluth's Elegant Opera House Brought to the Ground.

A mischievous mouse nibbling matches or some such trifle, a brisk northwesterly wind with the mercury at zero, the usual lack of water at the start, some bungling apparently about laying hose and some confusion when moments were precious; such were the causes that destroyed the Opera house, Duluth's pride and joy, one of the beautiful buildings of the city, a quasi-public institution in which all felt a personal interest. Such were the causes from which sprung losses of approximately $200,000 to owners and occupants.

About 1:45 Monday morning Thomas Lannigan passing the Opera house sawsmoke coming from Gasser's grocery. He ran over to the St. Louis hotel and told Gus Bush, the night clerk, who pulled the alarm from box 47. In five minutes the chemical and one hose cart pulled up in Superior street and a little later the West End hose cart wheeled into Fourth avenue. But there were costly, perhaps fatal delays. It took several minutes to break open the front door. It took still more time to locate the fire. The chemical was brought into play, but its stream came nowhere near the flames, which at this time were entirely in the rear. The water would not flow through the pipes when first turned on, whether because the hydrant was frozen or for want of pressure is in question. Anyway the hose would not throw the water ten feet. The News reporter who went into the building at this time found no smoke in the corridors and no heat in the walls. It looked like an insignificant smoulder.

But a glance at the rear of the building showed anything but a smoulder. By the time the engines arrived the flames were bursting out from the basement door, and in a few minutes the wind had fanned it into a furnace. The hose cart which was to serve this part of the building was partly disabled by the horse's falling, and it took a long time to get a stream to the one place where water could do any good. By this time Gasser's store was a mass of flames and the fire had burned through to the wings of the Opera house stage. There was no stopping it then. In a few seconds the fire has leaped to the roof and penetrated to every part of the building. The walls began to bulge. In Levy's liquor store a series of explosions were heard as one barrel after another was licked up by the flames. There was one boom in particular like a dynamite blast which shook the earth and could have come from nothing less than atun. Half an hour from the time the alarm was givinn the building was a cauldron of flames and a hundred yards away the heat was scarcely tolerable. A few minutes later the roof fell in carrying everything with it to the basement. About 3, with a tremendous crash, the Superior street front and the avenue wall fell outward, and the fire was practically over. The debris continued to blaze harmlessly and still sends up a mighty smoke this morning.

People in Peril.

A dozen people were sleeping in the Opera House building when the alarm was sounded. Chas. Hanson, the janitor, was among the first to awake. He got out his family and went back to rouse the others, leaving his household effects and all his savings - about $100 - to the fire. S. W. Mountz and his three children, scantly clad, were among the first rescued. Mr. Mountz's furniture and a valuable musical library were left. Don A. Dodge, who roomed on the fourth floor, had just time to snatch a pair of trousers, a sealskin cap, a pair of socks and a spring overcoat and fly. He saved nothing else - not even a collar button - furniture, watch and private papers be consumed - and they were. Frank Lazier had just been awakened by his brother, who was sleeping with him when Hanson came to the door. They tumbled out hastily, with incomplete toilets, and scrambled through the smoke. All but one was roused and Hanson groped his way out, rolling down two flights of stairs, a bruised and blinded hero. One was left, A. J. Whiteman, in the third corner, Hanson supposing he was in St. Paul. He was roused by the noise and confusion and ran to his door, to be met by a suffocating cloud of smoke. He closed the door and threw open a window. His call was heard, a ladder raised with difficulty past a tangle of wires and the handsome senator crawled down the ladder and was helped across the street, half dead, but not beyond quick recovery. Al Gasser was reported missing, but at last relieved his friends by appearing. Maurice aley and several others thought they saw a man fall back from a window on the alley side, after frantic efforts to escape, but no one is reported missing. Dr. Pillsbury was reported missing, but sent word in that he was alive and unscorched.

Adjoining Buildings.

Serious as the fire was, it looked several times as if the conflagration would be much worse. When the fire was at its height the St. Louis was in imminent danger. The front wall was smoking and the heat cracked nearly all the windows on Superior street. The firemen did good work here and saved the building. Had the wind held from the northwest as at the start the great hostelry must have gone. Itveered to the eastward, however, and before the roof fell had gone down almost entirely. As it was the guests made a hasty exist with walises and trunks. One man was a bit startled to have a trunk come smashing down from a third story window to the Michigan street sidewalk at his feet. The Superior street exit was at this time impassable and the guests with fear and trembling were escorted through a dark passage to Michigan street. A memorial was drawn up last evening and largely signed asking the council to order better escapes.

The postoffice too was in danger. Postmaster Flynn was one of the first on the ground and the whole postal force was soon at work removing mails. The Opera house wall threatened to fall and crush the postoffice out of existence. The boys after getting out the mails with a batch of letters in one hand and their lives in the other, were called off. They soon went back and pulled out most of the office fixtures as well. The building was on fire at one time and one mailing case was burned, but the fire was suppressed. At 6 in the morning they set to work moving their traps back and at 7:45 the carriers with the Sunday mails and the large Monday morning budget, started on their rounds, fifteen minutes late. In consideration of their gallant services the men were not docked for being late.

The frame buildings on Superior street, unfortunately some will say, were untouched. C. F. Johnson's building, occupied at Albertson & Chamberlain's bookstore, was slightly scorched. The Howard house of course is a salamander. On the avenue above the postoffice, most of the furniture was moved from the two nearest Beneteau cottages, but the wind was not that way and they escaped. Over the postoffice John D. Gill in light attire was sowing papers, books and clothing on the sidewalk. He too was rescued.

Several windows in the Fargusson block, diagonally from the Opera block, were broken by the heat, but the building was not in serious danger.

The Losses.

As near as can be ascertained the losses and insurance outside of the building were as follows:

Insurance. Loss.
Boyce & Totman...................................................................$6,000 $14,000
J. T. Condon (store)............................................................... 4,000 9,000
J. T. Condon (rooms)............................................................. .... 1,500
W. C. Sargent...................................................................... .... 300
Wisconsin Central................................................................ 250 250
Partridge & Austin................................................................ 300 300
Osborne & Frazer................................................................. 2,500 2,500
J. E. Ennis........................................................................... .... 800
M. M. Gasser....................................................................... 10,000 14,000
Sig Levy............................................................................... 8,500 18,500
E. W. Markell....................................................................... .... 300
F. R. Webber........................................................................ .... 100
Munger & Markell (office)....................................................... 3,000 8,000
Myers Brothers..................................................................... .... 1,000
Baldwin & Willcuts................................................................ .... 300
H. Harrington........................................................................ .... 100
Duncan, Brewer & Co............................................................ .... 1,500
Shotwell & Noyes................................................................. .... 350
Monroe Nichols.................................................................... .... 100
Dr. Bowman......................................................................... 700 1,700
A. J. Whiteman.................................................................... 400 1,500
Chamber of Commerce.......................................................... .... 1,500
Professor Mountz.................................................................. 1,000 2,500
R. L. Virgil............................................................................ .... 500
Kitchi Gammi....................................................................... 6,050 9,000
Postoffice building................................................................ 2,000 2,000
Gill & Myers........................................................................ .... 300
Dr. Eklund.......................................................................... .... 400
Hotel St. Louis.................................................................... 1,000 1,000
Duluth Electric Light and Power company.............................. .... 2,000
Ladies Library association.................................................... 600 1,000
Misses Dow and Quilliard (studio)......................................... .... 500

Book Worms Cheated.

The best public library in town, kept alive by woman's devoted efforts, the Ladies' Library, was burned. They have $600 insurance for a nucleus and they should have public aid in gathering a far better library than the one destroyed. The best private library in Duluth was the Kitchi Gammi's. A collection of reference books and maps, unequalled in the Northwest went to ashes in the Chamber of Commerce rooms. Here were charts of the geological survey, an invaluable collection of directories of all the American cities, maps of which many can scarcely be duplicated, seventy volumes of the Congressional Records, and hundreds of pamphlets and reports, many of small vlue severally, but the whole inestimable in value and as a collection not to be replaced. Mrs. Shoemaker, the stenographer, loses four of five sits of Sheridan awaiting delivery Secretary Phelp's personal loss is about $150.

The Salvage.

Practically nothing was saved. John T. Condon trundled out his safe. About twenty more are in the ruins and will be pried open in a few days when they cool off. Sieg Levy had valuables worth about $10,000 which may be destroyed or not. A few of the tenants got their trunks out. Condon rescued the goods in his show windows and some of Boyce & Totman's cases were brought out. A knot of half a dozen was preparing to carry off the goods from the west window when something blew up with no provocation at all, shooting the window frame into the middle of the street and the crowd to the other side. The goods were suffered to burn.

The Cause.

No altogether satisfactory explanation is found. Mice gnawing at matches is suggested as the most plausible. One of Gasser's clerks was in the store about midnight and heard rodents scamper about near where the fire caught. Spontaneous combustion or slow ignition from steam pipes is dismissed altogether. The fire started near the rear of the grocery, either just above or just below the ground floor. It is not supposed that there will be any opposition from insurance companies.

The House That Was.

The foundations for the Duluth Grand Opera house were laid in '82 and in '83 it was opened by Emma Abbott. It cost $100,000 and with fixtures and scenery about $120,000. The auditorium, containing 1,000 seats, was one of the prettiest in America, closely resembling the Bijon of Boston. Munger & Markell, the proprietors, though they are by no means impoverished by the loss, received expressions of sympathy yesterday from the Duluth public and telegrams from every part of the country. Equal sympathy is extended to many occupants whose loss, though smaller, is far heavier than the owners'.

As Emma Abbott was the first, Helen Barry was the last performer to appear here. Brought to this country to reopen here. Brought to this country to repoen the Union Square, prevented by fire from appearing in St. Paul, she left this house after a three nights' engagement just before its incineration. Is Miss Barry the original fire fiend?

Where They can be Found.

J. T. Condon will probably go into the Spalding House.

Several of the burned out firms have already taken new quarters.

Duncan & Brewer hold forth in the annex to the Banning block, 12 Second avenue west.

Munger & Markell are with the Lake Superior Elevator company, Board of Trade building.

Baldwin & Willcuts are with the D. J. Sinclair Abstract of Title company, Duluth National bank.

Dr. Boyce, of Boyce & Totman, started for St. Paul on the limited to purchase a new stock of drugs. His firm will occupy a store in the St. Louis.

W. C. Sargent in with the Pioneer Fuel company, in Hotel St. Louis; also Wisconsin Central railroad, Osborne & Frazer, J. C. Ennis and Partridge and Willcuts.

The West Duluth Land company is temporarily at room 508 Duluth National Bank building, but will fit up permanent quarters in the Spalding House at an early day.

The Kitchi Gammi club have one or two places under consideration for headquarters, but will decide upon nothing until tomorrow, when a meeting will be held in Paine & Lardner's bank.

Sparks from the Building.

Col. Stowell lost an elegant piano which was in the Kitchi Gammi rooms.

Messrs. Munger & Markell only a short time ago refused $215,000 for the Opera House property.

A "fire sale of real estate" is one of the peculiar things that has grown out of yesterday's fire. Mr. Gill announces such a sale. Mr. Gill is nothing, if not unique.

The fine oil painting executed by Mr. Gilbert Munger, brother of R. S. Munger, and valued at $1,000, was consumed with the rest of the contents of Munger & Markell's office.

A subscription for the benefit of Charles Hanson, the janitor who lost all his savings while alarming the tenants of the Opera house, is in circulation. B. R. Clarkson has charge of the paper.

At 4 a. m. Superior street was blocked by a mass of debris from the fallen wall. The tracks, however, were cleared by the time steet cars began running, and the street was cleared full width before night.

Duluth newspaper men who were anxious to serve their outside papers found Operator James L. Owen, of the Western Union, equal to any task they could impose upon him. The manner in which he handled the vast amount of correspondence reflects great credit on him.

The Duluth Daily News, Duluth, MN 29 Jan 1889
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Transcribed by Tim Taugher. Thanks, Tim!