Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/583

 HISTol.'Y OF GOODHUE COUNTS 503 Officer Peterson, who was coming up the steps. Officer Peterson walked to the office of a physician nearby and notified dim f the tragedy. The men were taken to St. John's hospital, the best local medical and surgical talent was summoned and a specialist came on a special train from St. Paul. The efforts, however, were unaA r ailing, and the two officers died on the evening of Janu- ary 15. The funerals were held at the Catholic and Presbyterian churches, and the city went into mourning. Bloom was captured in a house where he had sought shelter a few hours after the tragedy and was committed to the asylum at Rochester. RED WING FIRES. Disastrous fires were frequent in Red Wing before the present system of water works was completed in 1885. The first fire was the burning of the Indian bark houses in the spring of 1853, an account of which has already been given. The first dwelling house among the whites which was burned to the ground was built, owned and occupied by Thomas M. Lowater. It stood on the corner of Third and Fulton streets. A defective flue was sup- posed to have been the cause. Loss, $2,500 ; insurance, $1,000. The next fire of any importance was the burning of a block of stores, corner of Main and Bush streets, together with the stable and barn of the Red Wing house, which stood near the block on Bush street. This fire broke out about noon, October 28, 1857. This block was at the time the finest business structure in the town. It was. built by James Lawther less than a year previous. The stores were occupied as follows : Peter Meserole, hardware ; S. B. Foot, ready-made clothing ; H. Lowater, books and station- ery; J. M. Sylvester and W. L. Webster, jewelry. Offices in the second story were occupied by Charles McClure, a lawyer, and C. H. Connely, a physician. The greater part of the goods in the stores were saved, but the building was a total loss, estimated at $5,000. A hook and ladder company had been organized at this time, which did effective work in preventing the flames from spreading. Water was brought from the river in buckets by hand to stop the flames from spreading. Not men only but women and children were employed in this bucket brigade. The year following the Kelly house barn was totally consumed by fire. This house was afterward named Central house and situated on Plum street. The barn stood just in the rear of the house on the alley, and the contents, hay, grain, harness and car- riages, were all consumed. Total loss, $2,500. The house was kept by W. L. Webster and was saved with great difficulty. The furniture was much damaged by hasty removal. This fire was the work of an incendiary, at leasl so reported.