* * * * *
Aside from the hotel fires one of the most appalling calamities that
ever occurred at a fire in St. Paul took place in May, 1870, when the
old Concert Hall building on Third street, near Market, was destroyed.
Concert Hall was built by the late J.W. McClung in 1857, and the hall
in the basement was one of the largest in the city. The building was
three stories high in front and six or seven on the river side. It
was located about twenty-five feet back from the sidewalk. Under the
sidewalk all kinds of inflamable material was stored and it was from
here that the fire was first noticed. In an incredibly short time
flames reached the top of the building, thus making escape almost
impossible. On the river side of the building on the top floor two
brothers, Charles and August Mueller, had a tailor shop. The fire
spread so rapidly that the building was completely enveloped in flames
before they even thought their lives were endangered. In front of them
was a seething mass of flames and the distance to the ground on the
river side was so great that a leap from the window meant almost
certain death. They could be plainly seen frantically calling for
help.
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