Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1891-01-01
LEE HEIGHTS FIRESWEpT
land COunty's Western Town Almost
Wiped out OF Existence Christ
mas Night by Fire.
pur Business Houses and $s1, 600 went
up In Smoke In one Hours
Time.
|urch Resolutions on a Ministers De.
parture- Base Ball Dec. goth
Local Happenings.
A CHRISTMAS BLAZE.

A CHRISTMAS BLAZE.
! about 9 O'Clock Christmas night many
ems of Miller saw the western hori-
grow lurid. aud the flames and smoke
pa to shoot up from Rec Heights.
wind was blowing q g.it, srYsl lac
lh. and the lire seemed to be spreading
the entire town. Several Millerites
rded hand car and started for our
tern neighbor, but did not reach there
ime 10 aid much.
ne block, containing all the business
he town WAS destroyed. The fire
mated perhaps from defective flue In
second story of F. L. Ensign's build
where Rev. Irons resided. The min
r lost nearly all OF his household
de, library, etc. The lower story was
Duused by Mr.. Ensign's general store
n and granary was also burned
pext building was occupied by w.
bid with groceries. and belonged
t6 Finnigan, Of Kaukakee, H.. Mr..
G. elso lived In the building.
Jackson's house was soon envel-
~ ames, and a portion Of his house.
III is went up in smoke.
mos rushed ON to E. A. Young's
b. store on the corner, two story
6g vita residence oyer head. The
Fl outfit was in the front Of the
sto1o. ana was all got out. A portion Of
M. Young's household goods were saved,
bu>1pery little of his stock.
xhs 6re sped over the ground and
tsd of north over the prairie for several
moes, destroying little else but shanty
longing to L. W. lansing.
TIE citizens OF the little town fought
roiclly to save their property. but a
cht ueui VI u'e ctocho uuu SoouS WtTo
Dere or less damaged.
Messrs Ensign and Crifeld got their
Rfes out, but the Young safe went
0hrough the fire and dropped into the
Sellar. After coslng OF it was opened.
and the books aud "A little money was all
hight. The major portion OF Mr. Young's
atock at stoves. supplements. hardware
sbtc. lies in burnt and blackened heap
shere his building stood.
\ The lo,ses all told aggregate aboat s2i,-
p0O, distributed as follows:
A Rev. Irons, furniture, clothes, library
100000, no insurance. G. w. GalIoway's
wo girls also occupied room In the En-
bign building and lost some furniture and
clothes.
z. E. Ensign, building, granary full Of
wheat, a tarn, and great portion OF his
btock Of general merchandise and imple-
ments. Loss $4,000; insured for $1,000.
4 W. r. Criffield in Finniesn building
stock and household goods $4,000; insur-
ance $500 Lost barn. hay. etc. Fin
fnigan building 81 900 mo insurance.
Jas. Jackson building and furniture
FS3. 800; insurance $1,000.
Z. A. Young, hardware, tin shop, i'm
splement shed, residence. Loss $4,000;
Insurance 5000.
Ensign. Jackson and Young were in
surei in Phenix Of BROOKLYN. and Crif.
field In Phenix OF Hartford,
Ree HEIGHTS experienced q severe blow
April I'd 1888, in the memorable prairie
fire. and the recent confagra,ion comes az
near laying waste to the town as we'll
could be. The business left on the street
consists Of a hotel and the postoffice. and
Ea few empty buildings on one side. Un-
der present conditions and circumstances,
|'the town will probably never recover
One Of the merchants burned out inform.
ed the PRESS reporter the future bust.
ness wonld probably all be done 10y one
general store.
When first Laid ont In 1882 the town was
called Bramhsll. but sftsrward changed
to Rec Heights. At one time nearly all
branches Of business were represented. in.
cluding two hotels, l restaurant. two hard
ware stores, four or FIVE real estate agents
and attorneys, two physicians, one news
paper, blacksmith, livery, 8 billiard halls
and saloons. two groceries, two genera
stores, one drug store, 2 BANKS, eto.