The Dickinson press., 1893-06-17
FAEGo'S TERRIBLE FIRE
OVER S3,000.OOo WORTH OF PROP
ERTY DESTROYED.

Thousands of People Rendered
Homeless and Several Lives Lost
The Work of Rebuilding will BE-
gin nt Once.
Fargo. n. d., Special, June S.-Thc
city of Fargo presents II scene of woeful
deSolation. No pen picture can describe
the great devastation by the fire iend,
and the people are in despair. The very
heart of the business portion of the city
has been totally DESTROYED and licked
clean off the earth. The proud business
blocks. bar Ks. stores. in fact every hulll
ing that was source of any pride to
the people, is now snollcring in ruins.
One hundred and sixty acres of houses
have been burned according to estimates
of an experienced railroad contractor.
About 3 o'clock Wednesday afternoon
th" fire alarm WAS sounded and it was
reported that some ashes thrown from the
Little Gem restaurant on Front street
started the fire i'll the rear of Herman $
store. The department was promptly Oh
hand. but Il strong wind FROM the south
west famed the flames until one blaze
envelopen the row of wooden structures
east of the Mon block adjoining. The
gun store of the Srhnticlds could not be
saved. the fire taking in the contents.
Including kcs of powder and nnumera-
bic cartridges. The explosion of the pow
der was foll"wcd lay the continuous and
repeated crack of the cartridges. The
wind Carried the fire across the street
and soon had reduced Magil's great
warehouse TO Il heap of ashes. 1t then
Jumped over the elevator building and
took in the frame structures occupied by
Darling. Angels, Francis & Snuthard
the Plano people and Johnson n Sons.
The fire then went back. licked up the
and tackled the Red River Valley Nation
al bank. II brick block across the alley
from Johnson & Sons. Meanwhile sparks
had set the Forum office on fire in dozen
places dozen times. The boys took
turns turns in !; setting type, and putting out the
plumbing shop. the Forum. Tyler's and
then the loan agency brick block In this
We're the Great Northern ticket office
On the corner of Northern Pacific avenue
and broadway the Fargo Loan agency
occupied the first floor and +. Clapp and
~ NJ. \: Hlldrcth had offices up stairs. In
1he basement was Gorlon's barber shop
and bath rooms. The fire destroyed the
entire block aud contents.
Iast or TINS WAS a row of wooden
buildings. all of which Went. including
'IsMett'S. Pirkton's. Iillchrant's and the
'"''i, 'i''k III Hltt'lllnefv upUOtS and
warehouses. D"ering's. Mc(,ormck's.
Hurkny". rtr. On tn" alley east of the
kr'l River bank were the Offices of Joslin
KinS1ry. Terry. Davis and &, ID
w ood also machine shop. all OF " hich
went; 1t was Thought for il tine that
,,l' ~, IRE could he stopped at Northern
Pacific avenue. but it le:,prd a..ross that
wide street. 'lcvomrin. The ;rluJ hotel
.,nn1cS barn. the bowling alley. Wynn's
billiard hail. Bowers cigar store. and on
10 broadway into the Merchants hank
ana the entire. east side of Broadway up
10 !,1 inc Great Northern depot and beyond,
Ihe fire also crossed BroaIw.Iy into
Holmes clothing store and ran north
rapidly. '"'' ''o' vi
Among. the Ruins.
Fargo, n. d., Special, June S.-The
fire is more disastrous in proportion To
t!le size of tlr city than the .rrat Chi.
cago rontlagration. 1t originated through
tiie thoughtlrsS act of Il carrless boy en-
pl"Sed IN Il small restaurant in the bus-
ness portion of the city. He threw hot
ashes out doors. Th" wind scattered the.
glowing Goals far and wide and in an
instant ,n' the restaurant was in flames.
Then the high wind caught burning
po'raS ana hurled them on to the roofs
OF the business buildings, which ignite,i
III once. lhe fire spreat with startling
raplaitS and inside of forty minutes half
mile OF buildings were abazc while
the confusion was frigllful The pcople
We're almost frantic. and to the general
horror OF the scene Il lightning and
tiiuh'lrr storm added it's fury The
rarS" ilrc department could not fight the
nre WIN any success and the chief IL,
once telesraphed to Grand Forks and
Mahpeton for aid. These departments
responded to the appeal. but when they
arrived the picture of desolation was
complete. Towards daylight the fire
burned itself out for lack of more ma.
terlal. The lightning having ceased and
AL electric wires being down the city was
plunged into inky Darkness and 1900
people We're groping their way abou,
hunting for friends and shelter. Some
had succeeded in saving few articles
OF clothing and furniture. and these they
guarded until daylight came. Then be
Ean the search for temporary accommo
tiations.
James j. Eilrs Generosity.
Just in the nick of time came !, .cle
gram frcm James ]. Hill instrucring tla
the Grand Pacific botel just ACROSS tn
river i'll Mcolhead be opened and place,
at the disnosal of the unfor:unares. l
WIS promptly filled with homeless peo
Dle. who but Il few hours before ha,
been happy and we'll to do citizcus. Til
Great Northern at once rendered the lis
of fifty box cars for storage Purposes
and Tonight these are almost filled
Only one fatality has been reported
One man was seen tD go into the thir
story of building to rescue his good
The block was all ablaZe and ne pai
no heed to cautiollary cries. Tho crow
waited for him to reappea1, but
was seen no more. No one in town tt
night knows who the man was. and
will probably never be known, for TIL:
building is now heap Of hot ember
The citizens say the fire spread wit
the most astonishing speed. The house
caught so rapidly that the people wei
thrown into tirest confusion, and the
have not vet recovered. The city 1t e
tirclv upset. 1t is practically Il dea
letter. No power OH earth sould ha1
saved it in the face of the gale that W;
blowing. The Fargo Forum and the Il
20. The fire performed several que
feats. notably that of leaving the Hea
Quarters hotel untouched. 1t was aero
the street from where the fire began al
is q Vcrltable hre trap. some or II
: homeless are now quartered there. otle
l are with neigh!,ors and still more a
lodged in fiat ears. deserted building
etc. Moorhead generously threw op,
her doors. ard in fact is tirned into
refuge and hospital.
Many Casullties.
: There were many casualties during Il
Dlaze, but it was absolutely in,possib
to get names. The people are wildly e!
. cited, and do not seem able to give Il &c G
herent account of tile disuster. III
Great Northern depot, which stood rigl
in the path of the fire demon, was save
by the efforts of the employees, who ca
ried water from slough and poured Q
it. Thrice it caught on fire and was
danger Of destruction. Al wires wei M
been hard to summon aid. Gov. Burk
is doing all he can, and is cheering th
people on as much IS lie can. While the
are struck dumb with the leveling of thc
heantifnl CITY they are looking the situs
uon squa1ely IN the face and trying to bt
brave. The scene tonight is a wild one
Tho oif1y 10 in nj, fotn for rf.p