Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-01-06
RESIDENCE BURNED.
Fine Residence of Alexander Hughes
Completely Destroyed by Flames
Early This Morning.
Fire Originates From an Unknown
Source in the Attic and Works
Destruction.
Most of the Contents on the First Floor
Saved From the Fierce Flames
Havoc.
The Hughes Residence Destroyed.
From Wednesdays Daily.I

ne dugneS NeSldence destroyed.
From Wednesdays Daily.l
The residence of General Alexander
Hughes, on upper Fourth street, the
finest private residence in the city and
perhaps in the state, was completely de-
stroycd by fire last night. Not a vcstige
of the structure was standing at daylight
this morning but the tall chimneys--a
mournful relic of what was last evening
a handsome and completely appointed
home.
None of the family was at home at the
time but Ed. Hughes, who came up from
Fargo the first of the week. General
and Mrs. Hughes and the children left
for Chicago about a week ago. Ed went
home last night ut about half past eleven
o'clock and Il y that then he smelled
smoke in the house. He reused Charley
Mason, who sleeps at the house and
together they looked about the house,
through the basement and examined the
furnace for some evidence of fire, but
finding none, went to bed. At about
half past one Ed was awakened by a
cracking sound upstairs as of flames and
got up to investigate. This time he
found flames bursting forth from the
attic and the head of the attic stairway
in flames, the fire having evidently
smouldcrcd there for several hours. An
alarm was at once given and the fire de-
partmcnt responded. The fire burned
slowly at first, owing to the fact that the
space between the floor of the attic was
of cement and the fire was kept in the
upper portion of the house by this bar
rier for some time. When the depart
ment reached the house, the water pres
sure was not great and the fighting of
the flames was difficult. Gradually the
fire secured greater Roadway and swept
down and to the lower part of the house,
where the flames quickly licked up every
thing, razing the structure completely to
the ground.
In the time that the fire was confined
to the upper part of the house the fur
nishings of the lower portion were re-
moved and practically everything on the
lower floor was saved. The piano was
moved out and taken to Needhan's, the
pictures, paintings, bric-a-brac, mirrors,
carpets, dishes, and tableware and other
articles were removed and the loss of
these articles will not be great, except
for the damage sustained in removing
them.
The origin of the fire is a mystery. The
electric light wires run in at the upper
part of the building but it is stated that
if these had caused the fire, the fuse
would have burned out and the lights
refused to work, and as it was the lights
were used after the flames were dis
covered.
The residence was located just at the
top of the gradual elevation of land on
upper Fourth street and was perhaps
the finest and completest in it's appoint.
ments both inside and out of any in the
city if not in the state. It was a three
story frame structure and was erected
about fifteen years ago, having been &C.
cupied always by General Hughes and
family. Recently the site was added tc
by the purchase of several lots on the
south and these were set with trees, and
these, with those Immediately about the
residence were in a thriving condition
lending an additional beauty to the
structure. The barn at the rear of the
residence was destroyed in the big fire OF
August S, which destroyed SO much Of
the business portion of the city, being
ignited by flying fire brands from the
down town district.
The insurance on the house was $1,000
and on the furniture and contents $1,000
The loss on the house is total, and there
will also be a considerable loss on cloth
ing and other articles in the upper part