Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-05-29
IAN old LANDMARK
PARTLY BURNED
ONE HALF OF EYEsoREs AT MAIN
AND FOURTH STREETS
IS DESTROYED.
FIRE WAS so STUBBORN BUILD.
ING HAD TO BE TORN DOWN
BY WORKERS. IL

The old rookery opposite the Firsi
National bank is afire!' HI
That was enough, and in the twink
ling OF an eye all business was sus
pended and the people focked to the
scene in droves, and while they ad
mired the alacrity, with which the fire
men got their water going, there was
great fear expressed that the fire
might be put out before itshad rid the
city of it's Oldest and least pretentious
building. But the firemen, assisted BY
other willing hands, did nobly.
About 5 o'clock, according to one Of
the tailors in Mr.. Kaiser's tailor shop
Mr.. Kaiser was cleaning some cloth
ing in half tub of gasoline. Ac
cording to this authority there was a
gasoline heater in the small room, and
likewise a five-gallon can of gasoline
under the table nearby. AS the tailor
put it, "The first thing I knew the
whole room seemed to be full OF
flames, and all three of us made a
dash for the door, but some went
through the windows. It was hurry
up call to get out, tell you. A mo
ment afterward the can of gasoline
burst, carrying out what we had left
of the sash, and scattering the burn
ing oil all over the room, which in q
moment was a seething furnace
Mr.. Kaiser denied that the use Of
gasoline caused the fire, and says he
does not know how the fire originated
At any rate, he was the heaviest loser
almost his entire stock of cloth AND
fixtures being destroyed. He places
his loss at $1,000 and has no insur
ance. His hair and hands were slight
~ burned.
Before the department could get tc
the fire, and the alarm was promptly
given, the two rooms Of Kaiser's
tailor shop were burning fiercely anG
the roof was all ablaze between the
rafters. Two streams of water were
put on the fire, and in a short time Il
was seen that the flames would moi
be allowed to spread. Meantime the
Bismarck Land Co., S. Harris and thu
Fox Land Co. hustled their property
to a safe place and then the gallant
firemen went after the fire in earnest
In many places in the roof the fir,
ate through the shingles, and in order
| to get atsit properly it was necessary
to pull down the front of the building
SO that plenty of water could be pu
| on just the right spot. Then it wa:
| found that the fire had got into tn,
outside walls of the building and thu
firemen were compelled to rip off thu
boarding, and in doing so incidental.
| cut off the studs, so that eventual,
the structure had such a dangerou
lean to it that it was essential to pub
lie safety that the entire building b.
pulled down, which was done with tn
assistance of the crowd, so that it i
generally conceded that it will be i'm
possible to rebuild the structure witt
profit. ssa. ,,aa 4s55 5.l s; Il
| That part of the building north o
the Office of S. Harris was uninjure,
and the tenants were soon moyin
back into their old quarters. Their
was no insurance on the building. 70
a time it looked bad for the buildin
occupied by H. w. Richholt, but j
proved fireproof, and all danger wa
removed after the water was turne
4 on, and he removed but a small par
of his stock. 8
This old building at the corner q
Fourth and Main is one of the LAND
marks of pioneer Bismarck and lla
an eyentful history. 1t has been use
as saloon, gambling hall, dance hal
store, and finally was subdivided int
t a number Of small offices, which wer
oSSupACN ny AOdA SSl<ltO olifSOS,S COC. H.
| General hope is expressed that tn
destruction of part of the building wi
mean in due course the erection Z
such a building as will be a credit t
the owners and the city.
Quite number of individuals los
clothing that was being cleaned Q
left for repair in the Kaiser sho
and the story is told Of one ma
who a few moments before the fiji
had left his oyercoat for some Sigh
repairs and happened to pass tn
shop Just as the fire broke out. n
saw his coat lying on the table an
at the risk OF smged whiskers,
rushed in and saved the garment.
Probably no Are ever excited MOI
!. interest than this. except it was whe
the old Headquarters hotel final
burned at Fargo. Like the Heat
quarters. this building had been o
fire a number of times, but tt
flames had been extinguished so q
| ten that it became recognized as til
only fire proof building in the cit
The crowd was jolly one and ii
desperate Efforts Of the fireman