Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1893-06-08
FINISHED BY FURIOUS FLAMES.
The Business Portion of Fargo Smoking
Broadwav's Brick Blocks Gone Up in
Smoke Flames.
City With Thousand Homeless and Destitute People.
Little Property Saved From Wreck
Appalling Disaster

The most disasterous fire that any
North Dakota city has ever felt occurred
in Fargo yesterday. Over one hundred
or more business houses were burned
including the most valuable and expen-
sive brick structures in the city. Wooden
blocks only added fuel to the flames.
Every block, big and little, on Broadway
from Front street to the Great Northern
railroad tracks Is burned except the old
Headquarters hotel and Yerkes' dry
goods and grocery store. The fire began
at 3 o'clock IN the afternoon from some
ashes thrown from restaurant
on Front street. This started the fire in
the rear Of Herzman's dry goods store,
and the strong wind from the southwest
famed the flames until it was impossible
to extingulsh them. All of the block on
Front street where the fire started was
burned, excepting the Davis building
and a three story brick on the corner Of
Front and Broadway. Powder and
cartridges added to the terrors OF the fire
at the start. The wind carried the
flames across Front street to the big
warehouse of Maglll & Co., standing on
the Northern Pacific right of way
close to the track. 1t IS
said that sthere were $4,000
worth Of binding twine stored IN the
warehouse. This made very hot fire
and put the flames under tremendous
headway. The warehouse and all sur
rounding machinery were entirely des-
troyed. From there the fire swept
up the street, burning frame and
brick buildings alike including the
Western Union telegraph Office, three
story brick; then came the Red River
Valley National bank, large handsome
building, the Forum Office, Morton &
Co.'S Office, E. s. Tyler's Office, the Great
Northern ticket office, Ball & Wstson's
law Office and the fine brick structure
occupied by the Fargo Loan agency; all
we're burnt. The Deering & Mccormack
depots and warehouses were burnt in
cluding their expensive machinery
stocks.
Crossing Northern Pacific avenue the
fire burned Coles livery barn, the opera
house block in which was the Merchants
bank and then progressed steadily up
the east side Of Broadway to the Great
Northern depot and beyond. Appel &
Co.'S clothing store, Bristol T. Sweets
wholesale harness house, the Keeney
block, the Fargo Republican building
and the American express Office were
among the leading firms burned out.
The Great Northern depot was on fire
three times, but finally saved. The
bridge east of the depot was burned and
trains unable to cross. The north side
school house, large structure was also
consumed. This was one OF the build
ings north OF the Great Northern depot.
The fire crossed to the west side of
Broadway and consumed the fine brick
buildings on that side of the street in
cluding the Citizens Bank block, Stearn's
clothing house, Quinby's art and picture
store and all the other stores on that
side of the street as we'll as on the east
side The Columbia hotel, the Hageman
block. the Continental hotel, Mear's new
bank block, the city hall and many
private houses adjoining and in that
part Of the city were burned.
The losses are very heavy. Stearn, the
clothing man will lose sl5O,O0O; B. d.
Beal, $4,000; ex-Msyor Ball, q 600; The
Forum $4,000; in fact, it is impossible
to get estimates Of losses or insurance.
It was impossible to destroy or
drench buildings ahead Of the fire.
No human effort could pre-
vent the flames from spreading. The
engineers at the water works put on
every ounce Of steam but could not get
water to fight 20 acres of fire. The Office
furniture in the Columbia hotel was Ill
that was saved from that fine structure.
The Casselton FIRE company did good
work in saving Yerkes establishment.
The Grand Forks company also assisted,
but lack Of water prevented the saving
Of much property.
Fargo has the sympathy Of all in her
great affection and will receive aid il
needed. A full list Of houses and stores
burned could not be obtained today.