Oakes weekly Republican. (Oakes, Dickey County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1898, 1891-12-18
Dr.NELSON DEAD.
The Norwegian Veterinary
perishes in his Building.
The Fire originated from an
Overturned Lamp.
From MONDAYS Edition,

From Mondays Edition,
What has long been feared has
finally happened Nearly one half
of the business portion Of our little city
is in ashes, a number of our families
are homeless and all that remains of
poor Standardization is being gath
cred from the ruins for final burial.
At12 o'clock last night the sharp cry
of fire rang outon the clear still night,
and in minute it was taken up by a
hundred voices while the sky over
Union Street was fast assuring that
dread lurid appearance which tells of
horrors and property destroying. The
fire was at once located in the gov
ernor Ordway building recently oc-
cupied by DR.. Standardization as a
drug store, and situated on the north
side of Union Street just midway in
the block between First and Second
Street. When first seen the flames
were breaking through the roof and
as the doctor was known to sleep in
the building a desperate effort was
made to save him. Malon Vinkle
did succeed in reaching his room and
attempted to drag him from his bed
but the doctor was stupified and pro-
badly not knowing what he was
doing cl,,ng tightly to the bed posts.
The heat was then so intense and the
danger SO great from the falling floor
that Mr.. Vinkle was obliged to aban-
don the attempt and the old doctor
perished in his building.
The efforts of the crowd was then
directed to carrying out the stock OF
silverware belonging to Ed. Wind
hold on one side and the furniture OF
John Kcnnedy's barbershop on the
other as it was evident that these
buildings must so.
In u few minutes these buildings
were burning with such iiewcness
that no farther attempt was made to
save the buildings on the north side
of tho street. Chris Peterson tho
cigar make occupied the next build
ing. Before the fire reached him his
stock and household goods were near,
ly all out into the street. David Lar.
sons boot and shoe store came next
and he was fortunate in saving con.
siderable state of his A. G Hem,
inway's restaurant occupied by his
son-in law, Mr.. White of Aberdeen
was the next building to the west
and it also was we'll stripped Of its
contents before the flames reached it
By this time brisk wind started
up from the northwest and the build
ings i'll the east half of the block were
fast becoming enveloped in the
flames. John Kennedy's barbershor
was quickly destroyed and the flames
crept over on to Illness & Lees gen
eral store before many Of the goods
could lie removed. S. L. Harris drug
store stood next and after some of the
goods had been removed, des
perate effort was made to pull it
down III order to save Peabody's gen
eral store. Ropes were attached and
the front and roof pulled off but the
intense heat of the entire block burn.
ing was now driven this way and the
flames easily lept the narrow space OF
to the corner store. The fire endec
here for lack of further material te
devour. 1t was just $3.50 in the morn
ing when Peabody's walls fell ant
the danger was at at end. The shed
in the rear of the store were tori
down and carried away so that MI
Peabody's residence just north of til,
store was saved. Not many good
from the store were taken.
During the progress Of the fire the
most strenuous efforts were require,
to keep the buildings on the soutl
side of the street from catching. Th
intense heat fortunately melted tn
drifts in the street and furnished a;
abundance of water which was dash
cd over smoking fronts and roofs O
the buildings. The efforts were sue
cessful although for a time it seeme'
as though the entire south sido wa
destined to go. The hsat was 80 in
tense that tho paint on all tho front
was blistored and ono Of tho larg
plate windows of the bank WAS broI,
on. The force pump In Rowland
corner did good service In keepin
the bank wet. Vinkle saved his hota
by covering tho side with wet blanket
and quilts but IN spite Of this
would certainly have burned had tll
)Odell building stood whore II di
two months ago,