The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1910-09-16
LIE BEAU SWEPT BY FIRE
Busneas Section of Historic Town on
the Missouri in Ashes

Busineas Section of Historic Town on
the Missouri in Ashes
LeBeau- Practically blotted from
the map within a few hours by
flames driven by a heavy wind, there
are now only smoking embeGs where
yesterday the business district of LIE
Beau was the scene OF activity in
mercantile trade.
The first estimate of $4,000 dam
age will be increased to fully $500, 900
when all the losses are computed.
The principal losses are as follows,
the estimates being on buildings only:
Phil Dufran, saloon, $1,000; Boeh
mer & Byrne. livery, 500; Patrick's
billiard hall $4,000; Mrs. 7 A Way,
three business blocks, 5000 Seleck's
billiard hall, $1,000; McGuig gan's res
taurant, s25G0; A. NJ. Adler, store,
$500; William Bennett, hotel $1,000;
| Dakota State bank, $4,000; William
JOY. hotel and cafe, $1,000, First State
bank $4,000: furniture store, $500; P.
PrOund, general Merchandise, $500;
George T. Wing and George S aw, law
office and implement Office, $500; Van
Campens, $4,000; entire building and
plant of I.ebeau Phoenix, $4,000; Kel-
/ Ter general merchandise, $4,000; post
office, $4,000: f. A. Hagen, hardware,
$1,000; Mine Ring restaurant, $500,
E. j. Zimmer, opera house, $3.50; l..
, T. Davidson, two store buildings,
! $4,000: Henderson & Case, law office.
/ $500; DR.. Smith, office, $1,000; Eta
4 Dean Jones, two business ulldingS,
1 $4,000
When the fire was discovered and
the alarm given, such headway had
I been made by the flames that there
was not adequate resistance to be
made to the progress Of destruction
and the people of the town were forced
to witness the unavailing effort OF the
local fire department supplemented by
every man who could bear hand. All
were driven back by the flames, which
swept from the northwest, carrying
cinders for half mile and threaten
! ing not only dwellings but their occu-
pants Finally the effort was la gely
withdrawn from the doomed bus ness
section and scattered about the resi-
dence portion, which was saved In
part The business buildings being
/ nearly all frame structures, there was
no natural check to he prog ess OF
the fire Never in the history Of the
!
so completely destroyed as in this ca
lamity.
Not only Is this loss disastrous 60
the business interests represented, but
it also seriously affect the "outhttlng
trade for settlers crossing the river
at this point and founding their homes
on the Cheyenne reservation.
LeBeau is one of the old towns In
South Dakota, having been establish
ed first as trading post on the upper
Missouri, being located about seventy
miles north of Pierre by air line. 1t
was swithout railroad facilities until
about four years ago, when the Min
neapolis and st. Louis extended from
Watertown, since which time 1t has
made rapid growth and had become
hustlng terminal and river point.
lie Beau, s. D., Sept 10.-Fyidence
leading to the belief that the fire
which destroyed the business district
of LIE Beau was of incendiary origin
was discovered today. The hose OF
the single chemical engine owned By
the town had been slashed and was
useless when brought out to fight the
flames. The fire started on the ont
| S1ue anu DtIWb6u Two bUllIlHBS III liz
heart Of the town at an early morn
ing hour.
Efforts are being made to rebuild
and resume business as soon as posSl
bic. Thomas A. Way. president O.
the Dakota Town Lot company, ant
owner of the lie Beau towns te and o
three buildings burned, arrived here
yesterday to superintend plants TO
replacing structures now in ashes.
S. II. Mccoy, cashier of the Dakoti
State bank, opened the safe today
finding its contents practically intact
The bank has resumed business, open
, ing a temporary office in livery sta
BILE.
It is still impossible to give TIL
, amount of insurance. but it will prob
) ably be in the neighborhood Of s75,
, 600 Practically every cent of thi
= will be used in reconstruction work
Very little was saved from the vari
? Gus stores and the loss in these is nov
2 estimated at 100000, with about 3
2 per cent of insurance.
Lumber companies with Yards an
e headquarters here are making ar
e rangements to rush in material as tn
S majority of the fire losses are clam
: oring for lumber to rebuild