The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-06-08
"A CONFEDERATION IN FARGO
The Business Section Almost Entirely
Destroyed.
A LOSS OF OVER THREE MILLIONS
A Strong Wind Makes 1t impossible to
Check the Planes. Which Spread
Rapidly.
A LOSS OF OVER THREE MILLIONS
Associated Press.

Associated Press.
Minneapolis, June IA special to the
Tribune from Moorehead says half of
Fargo, N. D., is in ashes. The fire
started at o'clock in a restaurant on
Second street. A strong wind was
blowing, and at O'Clock the fire had
reached the Great Northern tracks, ten
blocks north, cutting the entire dis
trict three blocks east to Broadway.
A strong fight was made to prevent
the flames crossing Broadway, but by
p. m. they had crossed in several
places. The telegraph wires were all
burned, so it is impossible to reach
Grand Forks or Hillsboro to ask for
help. Probably 10000 peopl care home
less. The fire just crossed the river to
the Moorehead side at the Fargo Roller
Mill, which will be burned. Among the
principal firms already burned are:
Herzan, dfygoods Cranes, restau
rant, M. A. Gill, farm machinery;
North Pacific elevator buildings; West
ern Union telegraph offices; Morton,
real estate; Red Valley National bank;
Daily Forum; Merchants State bank;
opera house; Tyler real estate; plants
Of the Mccormick, Walter A. Wood,
Minnesota Chief, Deering, and John
Deere implement houses; Coles livery,
the Grand hotel; Fleming's drug store;
Lewis grocery; Christians drug store;
Sheridan hotel; Minneapolis Dry Goods
company; Log ans studio; American
Iron Works; Continental house, and
Van Brunt's implement house.
A strong wind made the fire travel
so quickly that hardly anything was
saved. The flames went through the
brick buildings as easily as through
the wooden ones.
AT ten o'clock tonight the fire was
still burning in a couple of dozen
places The wind changed to the north,
driving the flames back on the burned
district. A block in the middle of the
city, from Robert street and Front
street, south four blocks wide and ten
long, is a blackened plain of ashes,
with not a dozen buildings left stand
ing. The fierce south wind drove the
flames like a prairie fire. Brick build
ings seemed to melt away in heaps OF
crumbling saud, and it was impossible
ta force enough water through the
mains to fight the fire.
A conservative estimate of the loss
at 10 O'Clock is $S.OOO,OOO, with not to
exceed one-quarter insurance.
Plenty of help Is now there. Grand |
Forks, Wahpeton, and Casselton, hav-
ing sent hose companies. Over three
thousand are homeless tonight, and |
it is almost impossible to verify reports
of accidents. James Flynn, the eight
year-old son of former alderman, is
reported burned; also three other chill
dren. Photographer Gilbert and an UNI
known man were cut off from the
stairs in the third story Of building.
there is but one hotel left
in the town, the Headquarters. Only /
two grocery stores are left
The fire was started by hot ashes
from the Gem restaurant, thrown out
behind, igniting some loose paper back
Of Hoseman's bry goods store Across
the street for two blocks each way,
are big machinery depots, mostly two
story wooden buildings, and ct this
time of the year filled to the roof with
the years supply of farm machinery
'or North Dakota, the property con-
'umed there being valued at $1,250,OOO
rhe only machinery houses saved are
Walter A. Woods and the Monitor
Press Drill. The fire went through
he residence district north of the
treat Northern track, making clean
rack five blocks wide by ten blocks
ong.
Fargo is the metropolis Of North Da-
.ota. 1t is on the Red River. and an
important railroad center. It has three
ally newspapers. Some years ago
Fargo was the liveliest and most pros
erous place in North Dakota It Is
till the leading wheat market Of the
tate. Moorhead is on the opposite
ide Of the river.
THE SITUATION HOPEFUL.
Washington, June 7.-senator Man
erson, president pro tenn OF the senate, !
aid today that he did not believe the I
tuation to be nearly as bad is 1t
'oked. I'VE are. said he. more I