Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-03-04
SMOULDBRING RUINS!
Sixteen Business Houses pes.
troyed by Fire.

ttoyeu Oy TIe.
Entailing a Loss Of f$4O,OOO.
Sunday morning about 2 o'clock
the sound|y sleeping denizens of this
beautiful resort were Mortified by the
startling noises that awoke them. The
school and college bells were ringing
fiercely, the whistle of the +. E. & NJ,
v. locomotive was shrieking shock
ingly! men were yelling fire! at the
top of their voices, all was commotion
and horror. 1t was not necessary to
hesitate to imagine the trouble, every
body knew there was fire. Ice cicles
seemed to chase one another up and
down ones spinal column, while the
teeth chattcrd as if keeping time to
their foot steps as they ran toward the
flames. 1t was an awful sight.
Flames We're first seen coming from
the roof of the Fargo building in
which w. ]. Colvert's furniture store
was located. How it originated no.
body knew, nobody then stopped to
to enquire. 1t was there and hun
dreds Of willing hands took hold with
a will to save what property they
could. 1t had gained too much head
way to save much of Colvert's furni.
ture, but about $4OO worth was carried
out. The fire did not seem to spread
rapidly, and therefore gave those in
the buildings along the street time to
remove most Of their goods. For a
time 1T was hoped that the Union
block, a beautiful red stone structure.
in which the postotfice was located,
might be saved, but the frame build
ing on the side soon set fire to the roof
and it was doomed. 1t was enough
to make ones heart ache to see that
handsome block being Quilted by the
flames. Then on the north Of the
Fargo building the fire was rapidly
eating its way toward Seventh Street
for there was nothing to check It. ali
were small frame buildings, of pitch
pine, and they burned like coal oil;
one by one they caught fire burned
and fell until Phillips building, occu-
pied by j. A. Clark with meat market,
was reached. This was a small shed
building, separated from SINNERS
grocery on the corner by distance of
about Is feet. Here was possibility
Of checking the flames, by tearing
down The shed, and it was pushed in
while burning, and at the same time
the water that was being brought
from the creek in pals, tubs and
wagons was used to good advantage.
and the fire was stopped. oh, the re-.
lief! But those smouldering ruins,
those barren stone walls, ruined
monuments Of enterprise, energy and
prosperity. The fire was over, r,the Streets
were filled with drug stores, hardware.
furniture, confectionery, millinery.
meat market. grocery store. harness.
shop, feed store, office fixtures, law
books, household goods and printing
material. Wasn't it a picture though? !?
(get one of Gross, and see for yourself. }
AS near as we can get at the loss,
here it is:
Union Block. q 15OOn
Insurance, $4,000.
O. Ferguson, building. ........ 2.4OO
Mcgowan Bros feed store and
Insurance i,oo6. ''''''''' LOW
J J. w. Bently, building and office
No Insurance.
Havoc p,,;1d;o- oroo
No Insurance.
We. Prentice, building. .. 700
No Insurance.
Miss Druse. building, ......... 900
I" stock. ....,. so
Insurance $500.
w. p. Phillips, 8 buildings. ., 5000
No insurance.
Frank Callahan, residence. .,.., 500
stock damaged 700
No insurance.
w. |. Eolvert's furniture stock. $500
Insurance $3,500.
A. NJ. Appelget, books, office
Insurance $500. ''''''''' ''
Frye A. Eastman, books and
ONCE AAtufes. s.......,.. 3OU
w. E. Rowland, damage to
drug stock, about. ...,...... 500
Insurance $500.
J. A. Rymer, damage to con-
fectionery stock, etc. ........ 200
No insurance.
L. S. Ellsworth, damage and loss
of hardware and furniture. y. 5000
Insurance $4,000.
L. 3. Thayer, damage to stock. 200
J. d. Campbell, stock. ......... $50
Blunck & Williams, furniture. 100
John Skinner damage to goods,
and loss.. ss............... 300
Insurance on stock 81 900.
j. A. Clark, loss Of meat, fur
niture, etc: :.............. 250
Insurance $l00.
Total 49, ,45C