The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1904-12-29
Greatest and Most Costly Fire in the City's
History Burned for Several Hours
A During Friday Night.
LOSS MAY A 100000
More Than Two Blocks in the Center of the
Town Are Destroyed by the Fierce
and Furious Flames.

more tnnn ~>o,uVo,VoV NVEAnk VI uNs
valuable property went up In smoke Fri
DAY night In tho most disastrous confia'
grafton that Sioux City. Ia, has ever
SUSTAINED. One life Is known TO have
becn lost.
Approximately two-thirds Of the losses
are covered by insurance.
The devastating blaze originated in the
Easement OF the Massachusetts, block at
Fourth and Jackson Streets ut $40
o'clock.
The psIis.i~- NV G~~A- Companr's
store was crowded with Christmas shop
pers when suddenly there was heard an
explosion. A bright fame sprung up and
In a few seconds had cnvcloped the whole
front part OF the building. The toys and
dnfammabie goods which Uttered the
SHOW windows were soon n mass OF blaze
and before the FIRE department could ar.
rive OH the scene the whole building was
terrible holocaust.
The strong west wind which was blow
ing roared through the tall building and
the flames soon spanncd Jackson Street
TO the east. tapping with greedy tongues
the tail Toy building. In fifteen minutes
after the inception OF the fire the Toy
huilding had caught aud the firemen were
unable to cope with It's terrible fury.
Fanned by the strong wintry wind II
would not denied. IL seized within its
dhot grasp that magnificent structure and
soon there was no hope TO save IL.
To the south tho ~devouring flames made
their way from the front OF the Massa.
-ehusctts block and the apartments &C.
-cupied by Browns Business College was
In it's terrible thrall. The three upper
Doors In the rear OF the Pellctier build
ding werc occupied By families. There
were about seventy-ive roomcrs there.
The progress OF the flames was so rapid
ahat many OF these had n hard time in
escaping with their lives.
A Gro escape was the friend in need
and down this, down Eve stories through
smoke and fame, men, women and chill
.dcn wendcd their way TO safety with
che brave hremcn acting as helpers. II
Is thought that all OF the occupants es.
capped. but nothing definite is known at
ahis time. One man was caught asleep
and did not awake until too late. The
fire escape was cut OF by sccthing flames.
He appeared az a fourth story window.
The 6rcmen brought the net and be
jumped. He missed tho net by six inches.
His bones crunched as he. hit the bricks
below.
Nothing could stay the progress OF the
danes. They would not be denied their
prey. They Tapped iierccly everything
that came in sight. They lcaped alleys
and streets, jumping in ~devouring glec
from one building 10 another. They
burned brick as IL IL were kindling and
steel was the same as pine knots.
The Gre swept an area OF two blocks
ON the south side or Fourth Street. be-.
tween Jackson Street and Pierce Street.
aud the half block across Jackson Street
90 the east, upon which stood the mag.
aifcent seven-story Toy building aud nm.
mex.
The Pclletier store, which was in the
Massachusetts, building. owned by the
Massachusetts, Real Estate Company, OF
Boston and Sioux City. was completely
destroyed.
In the path OF the flames stood the
Badgrrow block. owned by G. II. Badge.
row. postmaster OF Sioux City; the Mer.
antilc block. owned by 4. s. aud J. l..
Martin: the Lcrch block. owned by the
Val Blah Brewing Company, OF Milwau.