Brookings register. (Brookings, S.D.) 1890-1894, 1892-12-23
THE FIRE elENO.
Brookincs ut Last Gets FrIchttul
Scorching.
Five Business Buildings are Leveled.-
Four in Ashes.

Five Business Buildings are Leveied.-
Four in Ashes.
At about l:30 last Wednesday
morning the fire whistle at the city
water works reused our citizens
from their slumbers and there was a
general response to the alarm. G.
C.. Barr's restaurant and bakery
was found to be on fire. 1t being
a frame structure and the fire un
der such headway before the fire
boys could get at work the build
ing ard all its contents were con-
sumed. The flames then spread
to the building on the north which
was occupied by F. M. Halstead's
jewelry store and Geo. Hough S
musical goods on the first floor,
and dressmaking establishment of
Miss Echberg, and Lent & Ode
CARDS sewing machine wareroom
on second floor.
On the south side was E. n. AL
drich's drug store. This was soon
in flames, and next to this build
ing was Chris Hanson variety
store. To prevent further spread
of the flames to the south it was
deemed best to remove the latter
building. A twelve-pound can of
powder was placed in the building
and a lighted fuse attached in
hopes that the explosion might
blow the structure to atoms. 1t
did not have the desired effect,
however, and the hook and ladder
company had to tear it in pieces
and drag it into the street. Be
fore this was completed the flames
had spread to the building and for
few moments it looked as if Gay
lords double store, occupied by
| c. HI. Collins, clothier, and A
Glidden, confectioner, on first
floor and Collins tailor shop and
L. Z. Gaylord's residence rooms
on second floor, was doomed, but
by heroic effort the firemen saved
the building.
In the meantime the building
occupied by E. l.. Olsen, grocer
| had been torn down and removed
into the street by citizens, thus
choking the further, advance of the
flames northward.
Nearly all the goods were re-
moved from the buildings which
were burned and, while the loss
will aggregate a considerably
amount it is wonderful how vel
the stocks were preserved.
Had a strong wind been blow,
ing at the time the destruction tc
property both in stocks and build
ings would have been much great
er as the whole east side of Mair
street might have been wiped out
FIRE FLASHES.
The cause of fire will no doub
always remain a mystery. Mr.
Barr had not used his oven fol
twelve hours and the fire II
his range Ia hard coal burner) haC
gone ou, during the evening. hi
used gasoline stove to cook some
oysters for customers Just before
twelve o'clock and put the fire on
before starting home There was
no light left burning in the build
ing. When the fire was first dis
covered the cook room was all IL
flames and the fire was issuing
; around the edge of the ''lean-to.
Some have whispered that thu
building was set on fire from thu
outside but which is not the case
as the reporter was one OF the frs
on the ground and no fire was seel
on the ground on the outside. The
back door was locked and the in
terror of the back room was en-
veloped in flames.
Brookings may well feel prout
of it's fire department. 1t has OF
ten been said that the boys were
"no good" but their heroic effort
in this instance have proven to tn
contrary. Not one of them shirke'
duty, but went at their work in al
intelligent manner and obeyed tn
wise commands of Chief Roddl
with enthusiasm and precision
Many of the men were wet to tn
skin and their clothes We're frozel
stiff about them, but they re
NAMED steadfast until all were on