Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-05-11

Among the buildings destroyed were:
Emery auditorium, board of trade, the
81. James hotel, the Windsor hotel,
the Seminole club, Daily Metropolis,
city hall and market. the Gardner
building, the largest office building in
the city, and the Hubbard building.
At / o'clock this morning a Gordon
composed of militiamen, deputy sher-
IFS and policemen was thrown around
the entire fire-swept district. The fire
was till burning fiercely in sections of
the ruins, but the exhausted firemen,
giving up for the time being, sought
rest, leaving the fire to burn itself out.
The most important retail business
portion Of the city and buildings the
entire length of Beave street, from
Davis to Creek and over Liberty street
has been burned. This covers fourteen
blocks. For the same distance on Ash
ley and Church streets both have been
completely blotted out. When the fire
reached Bridge street In it's eastward
course, II enveloped in flames three
blocks, Duval, Monroe and h north
side of Adams, burning up the north
side OF Adams, destroying that entire
section of the city. n running four
teen blocks to the Duval street bridge.
st. Luke's hospital was saved.
The Militia Called Out.
The local military companies were
called out to keep back the crowds. The
fire department began to use dynamite
and blow up houses to prevent the fire
from spreading. So fierce was the blaze
and so strong had become the wind
tina millions Of sparks and flying burn
ing shingles spread overe FIVE or six
blocks, setting roofs OF houses on nre
In advance of the main fire.
Soon Senator Taliaferro's residence.
then adjoining houses on the block
were ablaze and in spite Of all efforts to
save the Windsor and st. James hotels
both houses were quickly enveloped In
flames. For about an hour guests In
the Windsor had been busily packing
trunks and vans went away loaded
with trunks and grips, some unfor-
tunately TO the United States hotel,
but most to the Riverside.
Leaping across the street from the
Windsor DR.. Laell's house caught nre,
then the Methodist parsonage ana
Trinity NJ. Il. church were a mass OF
flames. The opera house block followed
and the Richards and Livingston board
ing house and the Baldwin mansion,
owned by the Elks Paintshops, with
barrels of oil, plentiful in this district,
caught one after an other, causing
flames to rise hundreds OF feet hlgh ana
quickly setting fire to other buildings
across the street.
Dynamite Explosion.
Ten minutes passed, when suddenly
there was a roar and the dupDard
building collapsed like an egg smell
Dynamite and powder had Exploded
Here there was much danger Tor nre-
men. Cartridges began TO explode n
bullets fly. All efforts to hight the nre
at this point were abandoned. -,
Down the street the fire spread, ana
the entire section of Bay street from
Market TO Main street, extending five
blocks back, was 500 gone. Then the
city building went, the fire department
building, the armory, county court
house, clerks office with county rec
ords, criminal house, city jail, high and
schools. Catholic church ana
orphanage, Mcintyre Methodist churcn,
St. Johns Episcopal church and con-
vent.
DIR. r. II. Dean, a prominent physi-
clan, reported the loss OF two children,
Helen and Francis, to the police at noon.
DIR. Dean collapsed on the street after
an all night search and In falling was
seriously injured.
w. u. Barnett, president Of the First
| National bank, tainted during the prog
ress Of the fire and fell into the smould-
ering ruins. He was quite badly
! burned before rescued.
The terrific Strain. added to the warm
weather, is telling on many OF those
who were active yesterday n last
night In rescue work. A number OF
cases Of prostration were reported up
to noon.
Fire Chief Haney Is somewhat i'm
proved.
offers Of Assistance.
Secretary of War Root today wired
the mayor OF St. Augustine rendering
the use Of the barracks there for ref
ugeeS.
St. Augustine offers to care for 1000
~refugees with its own funds. Bills for
81. zoo, 900 will be brought before the
legislature at bond City to erect build
ings destroyed by the fire. Owing TO
the tremendous pressure of business,
the telegraph companies have given up
all attempts to deliver messages. The
Offices are crowded to "suffocation by
people endeavoring to get messages on
the wires and reach kilograms await
ing them.
Money is pouring in from all Florida
cities. by wire and express.
The Times-Union n Citizen have
headed a fund, which is growing rap