Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1895-02-15
"A DISASTROUS BLAZE.
Cranes stors and Building Totally Des-
troyed By Fire.
FIREMEN DO GOOD WORK
And Confine the Flames to the building
lsurneti-Loss About &1e,Ooo,
Insurance $4,000.

The still air of Tuesday night was
broken shortly after 10 o'clock by the
firing of revolvers the cry of fire and
the ringing of the bell at the college.
1t only neoded a glance about town to
show that the lower end of town was
again the sufferer. A lurid light lit up
that part of town and to many it
seemed that the row of frame buildings
on the west side of Chicago avenue was
doomed. The fire laddies were soon
on the scene but unfortunately the
cold water standing in the hydrant
froze in the hose and a delay of some
ten or fifteen minutes was caused by
this unfortunate circumstance. Both
companies made excellent time in get
ting there. The Minnekahta Hose
company made exceptionally good
time on their long run. The boys say
their hose was perfectly dry and the
trouble was caused by the cold water
and cold weather. Assoon as the warm
water came through from the mains
there was no trouble and two splendid
streams were quickly playing upon the
flames, and while 1T took long time to
put the fire out, at no time after the
boys got to'work was there any danger
of the adjoining buildings taking fire.
1t was foregone conclusion for the
Crane stock and building from the
first. There is no satisfactory solution
for the origin of the fire, except that it
may have been caused by sparks from
the carbons of the arc light flying out
on some of the dust covers with which
the stock is protected at nights. The
whole room seemed to be ablaze in an
instant and in few minutes after it
was discovered, a perfect sea of flames
burst out through the front. The fire
got started between the ceiling and the
roof, and as there was no way of getting
at it, it took long time and an enor-
nous amount of water to put it out.
Fortunately, too, the flames we're not
allowed to get to the ware house just
back of the building and the oil tanks
and barrels did not take fire. The
goods in the ware house were the only
salvage out of the entire stock, and
much of that was badly damaged by
water. Fred Berrier, the butcher, and
Barber Simms moved their effects out
early, when it was thought they were
in great danger, but they suffered no
loss except from breakage in moving
out SO hurriedly.
The loss on the Crane building and
stock was about $4,000 covered by in
surance as follows: on building $1,000,
of which $1,000 was in the Northern
and $500 on building and $500 on furni-
tnre and fixtures in the Norwich
Union. On stock. 5000 as follows:
$1,000 in German American, $1,000 in
National, $1,000 in the Niagara and
81 600 in the Freman's Fund; SO that
while the loss is severe the boys will
get quite good deal of it back through
judicious insurance. The special
agents and adjusters have all been
notified and will no doubt be here in a
few days to make settlement.
This is the first fire Hot Springs has
had this winter and, although it hap
pened on cold night, the waterworks
proved a veritable bonanza. The fire.
men have learned lesson that they
will not forget; that is, if the weather
is cold, they will let the water run
from the hydrant for an instant until
the water is warm before attaching the
hose. The city council should feel
somewat chagrined over their refusal
to confirm the election of j. G. Sackette
as chief. He worked like Trojan and
showed his ability for that position.
He should be confirmed.