The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1896-07-31
DISASTROUS FIRE
Champeny Bros Department Store Took
Fire Wednesday Morning, Destroy
ing the Entire Stock.
The Fire Department Responded Quickly
and Done Valiant Service in Put
ting Out the Fire 50 Soon.
HAD BIG INSURANCE
Tbs Stock Of Goods and Building Were
Fully Covered By Insurance,
Amounting to Over $4,000.
SMALL BLAZE, BIG SMOKE.
Such characterized the Fire OF Champ
eny Bros Department Store.

Such characterized the Fire OF Champ
eny Bros Department Store.
A fire is disastrous affair to any
community but when it occurs right in
the heart of the business district it
takes on more serious aspect, and the
fire Wednesday morning brought many
misgivings to the hearts of the specta-
tors when the fire first started. About
1:4O o'clock Policeman Gordinier was
making his usual rounds and noticed
smoke issuing frcm the rear side win
dows of the Champeny block. He
turned in the alarm and ran upstairs to
awaken the occupants of rooms on the
second floor. Mr.. and Mrs. e. G.
Champeny, who had apartments on the
this floor, were awakened by the
prevalence OF so much smoke in the
room and made their escape in their
night garments, not having time to
secure any clothing whatever. Their
rooms were full of smoke and it was
utterly impossible to remove anything
at that time, but later managed to re-
move a good portion of their household
goods, but nearly all of their wearing
apparel was ruined by the smoke and
water. The other tenants on the Sec
ond floor, who were DR.. Leona Dix, A.
B. Hager, John Quirk and DR.. Daniels,
did not suffer much damage other than
by water. DR.. Daniels medical library
was damaged but very little.
Within Is minutes after the alarm
was sounded the fire department. was
on hand and had stream of water on
the fire, but Chief Gillis at once saw
that it would soon reach serious pro.
and portions added five more streams SC
that for three hours there were six
streams of water pouring into the build
ing. At first it was impossible to locate
the blaze on account OF the dense vol
ume of smoke which rolled out of the
rear windows on the north and south
sides of the building. An entrance
was gained at the front end of the store
with the intention of attacking the
blaze inside of the grocery departme
but the smoke and heat drove the fire
men from the position and they wer,
forced to break the plate glass window
and send the stream of water through
that opening. The first blaze of fam
appeared through small window il
the rear of the room and two stream
were kept at that opening until tn
flames we're subdued. AS soon as th
blaze appeared at the window it ais
spread oyer the interior OF the grocer
department most of the fire being con
fined to the floor, which was soon burn
ed out precipitating large piles G
clothing, long shelves of shoes an
groceries into the cellar beneath, ,whic
by this time contained over foot Q
water. The fire did not reach into th
dry goods department other than in tn
back end, where some of the good
were burned and scorched. but whs
goods were missed by the fry element
were rendered practically WORTHLESS
by the smoke and water, the lon
shelves filled with dry goods on eithe
side being entirely drenched wit
water. Efforts were made by the fir,
men to remove the stock of merchal
disc but they were so blinded by tn
smoke that they had to give up the a
tempt. Water was kept playing upo
the fire for several hours and as th
gray dawn of morn appeared in tn
east every vestige Of blazing embel
was out.
AS to how the fire originated thel
was not much ground for theory, a
t though several theories have bee
l heard, and probably the most plausib