The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-03-08
CONFEDERATION,
The Greater Portion Of the Town
Of Neche Reduced TO
Ashes.

The principal portion Of the busl-
ness street OF Neche was burned to
ashes on Saturday morning. There
had been dance that night. the
dance broke up about half past two,
the participants went home and were
In their sound sleep. when they were
wakened. with the cry Of fire ringing
In their cars and in some cases with
the walls Of their dwelling places all
on fire about them.
Only a narrow alley separated the
burned hotels aud storebuildinRs
burned from several large barns and
outbuildings. Owing tO.the direction
of the wind and the heroic work of its
citizens, these were prevented from
burning, and thereby saving a large
number Of valuable stores. residenc.
cs, etc, ON the cast half Of the block,
fronting Oh the surrounding streets.
The fife broke out in u store house
attached to the drug store of DR..
Donovan. There is no cause known
of its origin. The store house was
used for oil aud 1t may have been
Spontaneous combustion. The fire
was first seen by MIR. Chene, who lives
across The track. 1t was then about
four O'clock and the flames were then
above the roof. The fire spread very
rapidly, the wind was northeast aud
almost Immediately the front end OF
the Great Northern Hotel adjoining
the drug store was burning. Land.
l.rd Pepin was not awakened until
the pOrticO in front was falling into
the street, then came the lyman
House; WHICH was developed in u fiery
blanket almost as soon. Both If
these hotels were full of boarders,
Out fortunately all were Weakened and
escaped safely though the contents Of
both houses were total loss. Next
the waves of fumes struck the fire.
proof walls Of the pride Of Nechc. the
new bank building Of two stories and
basement, occupied by Murphy Bros.
aud the Bank. The wall Ut the build-
ing would kept the building safe had
it nUt been for the direction Of The
wind which sent the flames ar, und
the corner, breaking In the glass front
Ut the Murphy Bros. store, aud setting
the stock Vi goOds On fire inside, and
~ an hours time the fine building
and It's contents was heap Ut smoking
debrIs. j. E. Lee, w. D. Keenan, and
z. N. Murphy had sleeping rooms 10
this building aud lost all their furni.
lure aud personal belongings. The
Oak Leaf printing ofticc owned by
Chas. Lee was 10 the basement and
everything there was lost. At this
point, the bank building and the
street together, prevented further
spread In this direction, though for q |
time the Great Northern depot across
the street was in considerable danger.
Meantime the fire was working away
to the nOrthward from the Donovan
drug store which was near the middle
OF the block, taking one after the
other, the O'Brien building owned by |
L. O'Brien and occupied by E. Lufkin
barber, and Frapk Balm fruit c0nfec.
tlonary aud billiards. Then the build.
ing owned by Mr.. Cox Of Gretna and
occupied by +. II. Smith & Co. as u
I'M nocs Of nno. thn,, TIM E.,,v o1n.o 10 |
W. l.. Briden, 10 the building owned
by A. L. BOstwick. Here there was |
vacant space Of about thirty or forty
feet between the Bostwick building
and the Immense store and stock OF |
general merchandise Of ]. LaMoure
& Co., but ]. e. Lee. the resident |
partner and manager was prepared. |
He and his force Of clesls had ps6yid