The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1900-04-27
WAS PARTLY BURNED.
Fire Was MysteriouSly Started in the
Opera House Early Sunday Morn
ing--Quickly Put Out.
Damage to Building Estimated at About
$4,000, Which is Fully Covered by
the Insurance.
Former Lady Resident Was Informally
Received at Baptist Church by
Number Of Old Friends.
OPERA HOUSE IN FLAMES.
The Fiery Elements Worked Some
Destruction in the Interior
np,Ir
OPERA HOUSE IN FLAMES.

OSSVA NSUAOhF III Gll0
Early Sunday Morning.
Mitchell's opera house is in very bad
condition owing to fire which took
place in it early Sunday morning. The
sound of the fire alarm at AS o'clock
Sunday morning caused fear OF ap-
prehension in the hearts of many when
it was learned that the opera house was
on fire. The Ere department. got to
the scene of action with the apparatus
in very short time, taking into con-
sideraticn the hour Of the night and
the fact that they had to haul the carts
there by hand. 1t was one OF the
worst fires to contend with that they
ever tackled for the reason that when
they arrived on the ground hardly any
flame could be seen except that which
came from beneath caves on the north
side of the building. Great clouds of
smoke rolled from the interior COM
pletely shutting off any view of locat-
ion of the flames.
The fire was frstdiscovered by Night
Watch Gordinier, who discovered
smoke issuing from the building and 1T
once turned in the alarm at the round
house and the water works, both re-
spending at once. Three streams of
water we're turned into the building
where the fire was presumed to be
burning. AS but little Roadway was
being made in this way one OF the men
was sent to the top of the wall on the
east side to cut away the brick and
mortar and find ipgress to the flames.
This having been accomplished the
flames shot out of the opening with q
great flare and the hose was turned on
them. The came thing WAS done on
the north side of the building and the
same result followed and another
stream was constantly at work on the
interior of the building. After several
hours of hard work the building was
saved from any further destruction.
II is believed that the fire caught
in one of the small dressing rooms off
the stage at the end of the north bal.
cony, for there the flames seemed to be
hottest, as the wall was burned through
and fifteen feet of the floor together
with the chairs we're burned. Clear
around the balcony to the south en-
trance the seats are all practically
ruined, being badly charred if not en-
tirely burned. All the scenery on the
stage is practically ruined either from
fire or water, some of it might be saved
but it is doubtful. The fire burned In
q peculiar manner on the stage and ii
was naturally supposed that everything
on it would be consumed by the flames.
But very little of the trestle work, to
which the scenery is attached in the
top part OF the building, was burned
and the platorm on which the operator
stands to pull the curtains stands intact.
Some of The scenery is still hanging in
its place and good deal OF it is lying
on the floor drenched with water. The
wood work across the procenium arch
is burned out and for distance the
ceiling on the north wall is burned
badly. The dressing rooms to the rear
of the stage were not affected bv the
flames. The south side of the interior
of the building does not seem to have
been burned at all, nor does the floor
OF the stage or any of the surrounding
wood work show any indications of hav-
ing been a6re. The firemen worked
hard against great odds in trying TO
put out the flames. The room was so
full of smoke that it WAS nearly imposs-
ible at first to remain in the room but
they stood by their posts bravely.
An immense amount of water was
thrown into the building as three
streams were playing for nearly three
hours and the water came rushing out
the west door and into the basement
below. Before the water was turned
on several men went into the opera
house and succeeded in getting out the
piano before it was damaged in the
least.
The loss on the building and con.
tents will probably amount to great
deal more than was at first supposed.
In conversation with Mr.. Mannix, the
representative of the owners of the
building, he stated that after lookir G
over the burned building he thought il