The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-12-23
FIRE IN BUSINESS DISTRICT
Jos. Koch's Stock of Merchandise
Damaged Fifty Per Cent by
Fire and Water.

at 4 O'clock Friday afternoon a
fire occurred in the store of Jos
Koch. located at the south end Of
Main street, and for nearly two hours
the fire department fought the
flames that were very hard to reach.
Mr.. Koch uses a gasoline lighting
plant in his store and at the hour
mentioned his son, Henry. started to
light up the store. After partially
generating the gas the oil con-
Eenced to leak and in a moment a
great sheet OF flame spread over the
room. The boy called his father,
who attempted to best back the
flames from entering the main part
of the store. and the boy emptied a
sack of flour over the burning mass
on the floor, staying its progress for
a moment. There were a large num-
Der of customers in the store at the
time and when they rushed out OF
doors il created a draft in the rear
! room which gave addeo impetus to
the flames.
The fire shot up the stairway and
burned the beams between the CELL
ing and the roof, making an exceed
inely difficult place for the tiren en-
to work. The boys chopped holes in
the roof and in the side and front of
the building and made every possible
effort to %eXtinguish the flames. While
they worked their clothes were drip
! ping wet and the garments froze in
the COLI air, but they stood manful-
ly to their posts until the fire was en-
tinguished.
The fire did not reach that part of
the store where the stock Of general
merchandise is kept, burning but a
small hole in the southeast corner of
the Don The middle portion of
the roof fell In after the supporting
timbers had burned away. There
Was considerable danger in the rear
rooms, where two large cans of gaso-
line and kerosene were stored, and
at one time they were surrounded by
a sheet of flame. The nremen carried
the combustiule material out of the
room and put other receptacles out
doors. The great volumes Of smoke
that rolled out Of the building pre-
vented the tiremen from doing their |
work as rapidly as otherwise would
have been the case.
There was no damage done to the
stock of goods by the fire, only a very
little in the southeastern part OF the
building. The goods were soaked
with water.
The estimate placed on the stock
of goods by Mr.. Koch is $40, 900. and
believes that so per cent of them
was damaged. The insurance am
cunts to So, 800, and divided among
the following companies. Niagara,
ST, 600 on stock, London Liverpool s.
Globe, 81. 500 on building, represented
by j. q. Wells.
The Commercial Mutual Fire of
this city had a policy of 1000 on
stock.
The Mutual Co., Of Aberdeen, has
a policy Of ST, 900 on stock.
Milwaukee Mechanics $1,000 on
stock, represented by j. W. Powers.
Mr.. Koch has been in business in
the building for the past years and
has done a successful business. The
building is of the oldest in the
business district, having been erect
ed about 25 years ago by Henry Koch.
MIR. Koch had just commenced to
dispose Of his stock of goods with the
intention Of retiring from business
to o W to Portland Ore. For the
present the store will be closed until
the work Of adjusting the loss is
completed.