The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-02-19
TO THE OMAHA
r ilload Depot Caught Fire Monday
Noon and Was Burned 10 the
Ground Total Loss.
Successful Concert and Danca Was
Given BY the Odd Follows 1t
Their Hall Friday Night.
PeterSon's New Atlas Has Been Pub
lShed ard Cont'ins Many Things
Of Great Interest.
OMAHA DEPOT BURNED
Fire Consumed the Omaha Depot
Shor tly After Noon Monday
Cold for Firemen.
OMAHA DEPOT BURNED
Shor tly After Noon Monday
Cold for Firemen.

The continued ~screechlne OF the
whistle of a freight engine on the
Omaha road a little after ~ O'Clock
Monday finally led to the belief that
something was wrong at the depot,
and IS 500 as telephone connection
vas secured 1t was learned that the
depot was on fire. A great crowd Of
people rushed to the north end Of
Main street to see the blazing build
ing, and in a few minutes the fire de-
partment reached the scene The
boys were delayed by eas OF the
alarm not being turned in promptly
and because most Of the dray teams
were on their way home to dinner.
Great volumes OF black smoke rolled
from the building and enveloped the
lumber yard of j. F. Anderson,
| which led many to believe that it
was Oh ti1e.
The fire department got a stream
of water on the blaze in a twinkiinR
and IL Judge Reed, of Wocnsocket,
had been standing in the vicinity he
would have changed his mind in a
minute concerning Mitcheli's elm
adequate" water supply. Chief Purdy
on the arrival Of the other hose COM
panies ordered two more streams of
water on the fire, one Of which was
usec on the lumber sheds adjoining
to vet them and prevent an addi-
tional contiagration. The boys
worked heroically In the intense
cold, the thermometer being S de-
grees below zero, and stood manfully
at their places until after l O'Clock,
when the flames we're subdued. The
wind was blowing slightly from the
north and carried the smoke and en-
beers into the lumber yards adjacent,
but no fire originated from them.
The engineer on the freight engine
got action on several freight cars and
a caboose that STOOD south of the de-
pot and got them out Of the way Of
the Games. The fremen got into
Agent Willis Office and carried out
every portable thing, saving prac-
tiaclIy all of the books, tickets. etc.,
that we're in the office.
Agent wilt and Operator Lovejoy
left the depot for dinner at IL O'Clock
and they got less than a block away
when they heard the freight engine
whistle, but did not think it applied
to a ire, and they both went home,
but returned Immediately Gu being
aprised OF where the fire was locai-
ed. The engineer of the freight
train engine informed The Repub-
lican that the first he saw Of the
fire was something burning in the
ceiling Of the agents Office and that
the fire dropped to some papers on
the operators table and burned
them. He said he broke into the
Depot ~ \ rxtinguished these flames
and w. he got outside that he saw
flames issuing from the roof around
the chimney, and it is presumed
originated from a defective f1ue. At
the same time the danes we're doing
fearful work in the freight room and
when the door was opened the room
seemed to be a solid mass OF fire
Agent Wilt gave it as his opinion
that the fire started in the freight
room, but how was a mystery. There
was a quantity OF merchandise anC
two organs and a piano in the room
that was burned and damaged tu con
siderable extent. No estimate O
the loss can be be made at present
The small room where baggage il
stored, ten feet from the depot. wa
not injured in the least by the fire
for the three streams Of water, al
of which came from one hydrant
proved effectual and prevented tn
spread Of the flames. The pressur,
was very strong and it did not grow
less from the time it was turned OF
until the fire was out.
The building was burned to tbt
extent that it will be OF no use 70
reconstruction, and it is hoped that
the Omaha officials will erect a ston