The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-06-28
HALF A CITY IN ASHES.
FARGO, MOI, H DAKOTA, LAID
WASTE BY FLAMES

CareIessness Starts Fire That Burns
for Night and Day and De-
!: stroys Property Valued at So, ,OOO,-
- OOO-Thousands Made Homeless,
and Several Lives Lost.
The loss by the fire which ragged at Fargo,
North Dakota, all night, is placed at s3,ooO,-
900 at least. The insurance is not one-quarter
OF that amount.
Over hreethousand people were left home
less. James Flynn, the eiSht-year-old soc Of
q former alderman, was burned, also thre1
children. Photographer Gilbert and an un-
known man were cut Off from the stairs in
the third story of the Chaplin Block. tryingto
savesome Masonic property. Practically only
one hotel was left, the Headquarters. The
fire burned all around it. Only one restau-
rant was left in town.
Large numbers OF people had to sleep In
the courthouse and school houses on the
South Side. Only two groceries are left in
town, one being Yerxess, upon which the
principal efforts Of two companies were di.
recteC all evening in order to save the Head-
quarters Hotel The three-story Citizens
Bank, just opened opposite. made very hot
fire.
The fire was started by hot ashes thrown
out from the Gem Restaurant ignitinS some
loose paper back of Houseman's dry goods
store. Somebody left the front door open.
Inside Of three minutes the wind had driven
the flames through tho building and they
hurst out of the roof During the next flf-
teen minutes the flames ran two blocks west.
taking the brick buildings and all, then
jumped across the street to Magill's big ma
chinery warehouse. North and east of this
70. two blocks each way were the big ma
chinery 6epots, mostly two-story wooden
buildings. aud ut this time filed to the roo!
with a years supply Of farm machinery for
North Dakota. all Of which were destroyed.
For perhaps quarter OF On hour the fire.
men kept the flames from jumping the rail-
road track, then first on one roof, then on
another, tongues of flame broke out as the
fire fakes lodged on the shingles. Inside
half an hour the whole space for four blocks
was whirlwind OF flames, the property con-
sumed being valued at 81 ,25O,0 600.
The f1remen tried to contine the flames
south of Northern Pacific avenue, but the
wind was carrying cinders over distance OF
two blocks 1t had been expected that the
three-story brick Red River National Bank
building would arrest the flames, but the
roof foil within q quarter OF an hour after the
flames attacked It.
The fremen fought stubbornly, but the
flames rapidly crept up the eest side OF
from crossing the street. The fire took
a sudden start to the northeast in the
residence district north Of the Great
Northern track, where it left a clean track
four to five blocks wide and ten blocks
long. while isolated fires could be seen
more than q mile north, caused by flying Gin
ders Then the wind changed little again
and the flames caught the MINNEAPOLIS and
Northern elevator, containing 100. 900 bushels
l,,rv v,al q North Sida Snhnnl
and set the Great Northern Station on fire
several times. bat the flames there were ex-
tinpushed. The east side Of Broadway was
burning at both ends. six blocks epart.
Three-ouarters Of an hour from the time
the Columbia Hotel caught nothing was
standing but walls. The brick Citizens
Bank building for long time resisted the
flames. but at last they crept west OF 1t and
burned Elliott's Hotel, stopping two build
ings west ut City Hall, which was burned out,
The secret societies suffered severely, Ma
sons, Templars, Knights OF Pythias,
Knights Of Honor. Cantons, Et<skahs,
Grand Army, United Worknen, and Wood
men all losing halls with nearly all the
property. Every open space was filed with
a confused collection of household goods,
,buggies, merchandise, legal libra
ries, etc.. which had been hurriedly carried
there Numbers Of people were sleeping on
bare ground oy the SIDE OF all tnat was Ielt Oh
their personal effects. The militia were on
duty and will guard property as much az
possible.
Practically half of Fargo was wiped out,
only one-half of the business houses being
left. The trestle was burned on the Great
Northern, so that no trains could pass. The
fremen at midnight were trying to extin-
guish the flames along the line OF the
Northern Pacific, to allow the section crew
to relay the rails and let trains through.
Only one telegraph wire was available dur-
ing the progress OF the FIRE. The Fargo OF.
flee was burned and messages have to be sent
from Moorehead. Every insurance office was
burned. 1t was impossible to get accurate
statements of the risks carried, as the books
were all in the safes among the ruins. Only
one bank was saved, the First National. Sew.
iv;, hx,f fol hvio la