Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-06-09
The Worst and Most Destructive
Disaster In the History of
the State.
Over a Million Dollars Worth of
Property Melts Away In
Thin Air.
Flames Rage Almost Unchecked
From 2 O'clock Until IL
Last Night.

MooRHEAD, Minn., June About 3
o'clock this afternoon the alarm of fire
was sounded, and it was reported that
some ashes thrown from the Little Gem
restaurant on Front street started the
fire IN the rear of Hearseman's store.
The department was promptly on hand,
but strong wind from the southwest
famed the flames until one blaze envel-
oped the row of wooden houses east of
the united block, adjoining the Gem
store, and Schofeld's gun store could
not be saved, the fire taking in the con-
tents, including keg of powder and in
Vulnerable cartridges. the wind carried
the fire across the street and soor had
Magill's great warehouse heap of
ashes. It then jumped over the elevator
building and took in the frame struc-
lures occupied by Darling, Angel,
Francis & Switzerland, the Plano
people and johnson & Sons.
It went back aud licked up the tele.
graph Office and then doubled it's course
and tackled the Red River Valley
national bank 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 in setting type and
putting out the blazes. Then came Nor
toms office, Aliens plumbing shop, the
Forum, Hazen's, Taylor's, and then the
loan agency brick block. In this was
the Great Northern ticket Office, Elmer
sons, up stairs, Ball & Watson's law
office on the corner of Northern Pacific
avenue and Broadway. The Fargo Loan
agency occupied the first floor and 1. P
C]app and M. A. Hildreth had offices up
stairs. In the basement was Gordon's
barber shop and bath rooms. The fire
totally destroyed the entire block and
contents. East of this was row o1
wooden buildings, al of which went, in
cluding Jewett's, Picton's, Hildebrand's
and the entire block of machinery de-
pots and warehouses, Deering's, McCor
mick's, Buckeye, etc. On the alley east
of the Red River bank were the offices oi
Joslin, McKinstrey, Terry, Davis anG
G. d. Wood, and the machine house, all
of which went. It was thought for {
time that the fire could be stopped Al
Northern Pacific avenue but it leaped
across that wide street, devourinR tht
Grand hotel barns, the bowling alley
Wynn's billiard hall, Bowers cigar stort
and on to Broadway into the Merchants
bank and the entire east side of Broad
way up to the Great Northern depot ant
beyond. The fire also crossed Broadwa!
into Holmes clothing store, turnin,
north rapidly. The Citizens bank block
including Alex. Sterns' clothing stor,
and dwelling houses east of Broadwa!
from Northern Pacific avenue to tn
north side of the school IN Oak grove
are reported burning. This will probabl.
take in the whole First ward to th
river, the Great Northern track and be
yond, including the mills and elevators
The flames were of such character tina
it is almost impossible to do anything
beyond drenching the buildings in tn
possible track of the fire. The direc
line of the fire in front Of the higl
wind could not be stopped by an,
human means. The buildings on tn
east side of Broadway consumed ar
the Merchants bank, Lewis & Yoder'
} grocery store, American express, Flem
iug's drug store, Smiths meat market
Dick Fields building, Christianson'