The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1904-12-29

NV az otAb DtoCAs oWuNu W Ss III
Bolton: the Commercial block, ownee
by Jonathan W. Brown; the Browr
block. owned by W. T.. Manley and rs
sociatcs; the Peavey & Nash and Dow
stores, owned by ID. T. Gilman; the dou
BILE Schulein building and double Purslow
building. the former the property Of the
Schulein estate and the latter the proper
~ Of the Purslow estate.
On the side streets were the buildings
Of T. =. & j. l.. Martin occupied by j. X.
Prugh aud the Higman * skinner Com.
pany: the Higman building. occupied by
the wariel1- Pratt. Howell Company: Oh.
West Hotel. owned by II. +. Purslow
and leased by Frank ]. Donohue: the
Leader Hotel. owned by Paul Leader
the Seller wholesale liquor house and sa.
loon. owned by Charles Seller.
East from the Pellctier building was
the stately Toy building, the home OF the
First National Bank and the Farmers
Loan and Trust Company. This build.
ing. which was owned by the State Bank
Building Company, was seven stories In
height and every floor was crowded, the
tenants being mostly doctors and law.
yers. On the ground foor were the Can.
on drug store. the Toy block barber
shop. the saloon OF j. W. Kennedy aud
the jewelry store OF Brodkey X Good.
site.
All the stores across the street were
damaged. the heaviest loser being Fag.
ley * CO.. "lothiers. in the Metropolitan
block, across Fourth Street, north from
the Toy building The Metropolitan
block Is owned by W. J.. Manley and rs.
sociates.
In th7 burned district were some OF the
finest stores OF the city. In addition 10
the Pelletier store there were the stores
of the Gillette Hardware Company.
Johnson & Aronson. clothiers: orkin
Bros. cloaks; George NJ. Conway. whole
sale and retail tobaccos: the Peavey x
Nash Furniture Company, Dow Clothing
Company, Harstad & Halseth Shoe
Company; Weld Hardware Company; ].
+. Becker, haberdashcr.
The West Hotel was n complete loss
and the guests sought quarters nj other
houses.
The Ideal saloon and gambling house.
owned by Magncr Bros, and Carey &
Walsh, were burned with n valuable
stock OF liquors. The gambling para
phernalia was removed before the flames
crossed Nebraska Street.
The stores in the district which was
burned have brought the highest rentals
In Sioux City aud II was n question Fri.
day night In the minds OF large property
holders what the effect OF the fire would
be.
A miniature engine In Santa Claus
cave In the basement OF the Pelletier
Dry Goods Company was the indirect
cause OF the most disastrous Gre Ia the
history OF Sioux City.
In the cav was n man made ar TO rep
resent 81. Nick. lie was entertaining n
crowd OF children by going through n
nantomime demonstrating the action az
...cchanical toys. lie pointed 20 the Iii.
tie engine which was TO furnish the pow
or for a toy saw mill and n grind stone.
The engine was propelled by hot mir.
WHICH WIS luEhlsuth ~ u city kah IfN.
A check boy struck a match and touched
the FIRE TO the jet. II Is said he threw
the match into n corner. IL struck Ia a
pile OF flimsy material and In an instant
the rave was on fire.
Santa Claus quickly tore the beard.
I'd mask from his face and led the way
to the door. BY this act the crowd in
the basement got out before many on the
ground floor knew there was n fire.
Many families were left destitute 10y
the lire, but only two or three persons
applied to the police department for shell
ter during the night. In the Pcllctier
building alone there were forty-Six fam
lilies and a total of about 200 people.
There were also a large number OF fami.
lies la the other buildings. which were
destroyed by the fire. besides some living
in cottages on Third Street. who were
forced to leave their homes aud seek
shelter from the flames.
IL is believed that many OF these pco.
pie found places for the night. at least,
with friends. Many OF them were toe
distracted to look for shelter and stood
Watching the terrible progress OF the fr,
find.