Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-10-21


burned from nine Friday morning until
two o'clock in the afternoon caused four
deaths and destroyed property valued at
approximately 81 100000. 1t practically
wiped out the main business street of this
town, which is built mostly of wood. One
hundred and fifty buildings were burned.
The dead are: Charles Ralfo, Daniel
Webster, Calvin Mckenzie, and an un-
known man.
Not more than one-half of the lost Ia
covered by insurance, for the reason that
the insurance companies have refused to
carry any greater risk on account OF in
fammable material of which all the
buildings In Aberdeen are constructed.
Every business man in the city Is loser
either by IRE, water, removal, breakaga
or loss by theft. Not anticipating that
the flames could get beyond the fire de-
partment's control, many waited until
the fire was close upon them before start
ing to move out. The streets we're soon
strewn and Uttered with all kinds of ma
terial and tho rush and haste of teams and
people in every direction caused great
confusion.
Rapid Spread of the Flames.
The fire started in the old Mack build
ing on Hume street, owned by Oscar
Crane, which had been regarded as fire
trap and dangerously constructed build
ing. 1t was three stories high and was
occupied by numerous single men, who
cooked their own meals chiefly on oil
stoves. It was in room in the third
story where the flames started and the in
terror of the building was a mass Of
flames when an alarm was sent in. From
the Mack block the fire spread to the fine
new hosehouse and headquarters of the
fire department.. Great volumes OF
flames shot into the air and the heat be-
came unbearable a block distant. In a
short time the flames had jumped across
| the alley to Walkers saloon, and every
building in the block bounded by Heron
and F and H streets, including Kauf-
mans brick building, went up.
Word went along every business street
to prepare for the worst, and as
far up as the Commercial block there
were hurried preparations to get out of
danger. On the north side of Heron
street, the fire jumped from the Ander-
son block to the State bank, and every
store from that corner to Hays bank
and all the buildings in the block bound
| ed by Heron, G, Wishkah and H streets
were burned. Wolfes dry goods store
| in the Weatherwax block went next,
| and then came the destruction of the
finely equipped Crescent hotel. The
| flames then jumped across H street to
| Patterson & Locke's Office, through
every block to the Pacific hotel, and this
newly constructed hotel was also de-
stroyed. The fire jumped from the
block bounded by Heron, Wishkah, I
| and H streets to the splendid residence
of Edward Hubert, on Wishkah and l
| streets. The opera house, all the ma
| terial and buildings of the new hospital
association and the residence of B. D.
Dudley next went.
In order to stop the further progress
of the flames, dynamite was used on
several Of the buildings, upon which
the flames were advancing. Telephone
messages brought the fire departments
of Hohuiam and Montesona to the scene,
and they did effective work The fire
started at nine o'clock in the morning,
and it was two p. m. before the flames
were brought under control.
Aberdeen has population Of about
1000, and the chief industry is lumber
Ing. Several large sawmills are located
| near the town. but the fire did not raoch
| them.
Excitement Causes Two Deaths.
Atlanta, Ga, Oct. 17-As result of a
fire in the Grady hospital, the largest in
the city, two negro women died and fol
some time the lives of 4 score or more
were threatened. The two women died
as result Of the excitement and not
from injuries received in the fire.