The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1910-03-24
HOTEL GUTTED
BY fire FIEND
BROOkINGS HOUSE IS NEARLY
DESTROYED.
FIRE STARTS r NJ
AND QUICKLY SPREAD TO EVERY
PART OF THE BUILDING.

The Brookings house was Quilted by
fire early Saturday morning. The
alarm was given at 5:45 and when the
department and citizens arrived on the
scene the blaze had a good start and
offered stubborn resistance to the eff.
forts OF the fre fighters. The fire
started in the rear of the building,
from a chimney above the kitchen,
which was a slanting-roof addition to
the main building. The flames quick
ly spread to the main building, run
ming up between the walls and broke
Out. In nearly every part OF the hotel
at once. Three lines Of hose and both
chemical engines were used by the de-
partment, but only after three hours
Of valiant fighting were the flames
brought under control.
1t was the hardest fire to cope with
successfully the department has had
In SOM years n We believe that the
boys did excellently to save any part
OF 1t. or course, there was very little
wind, but the building was an old one,
entirely Of wood and as flames broke
out In about twenty places at once
1t required some great work to bring
it under control.
There is no question X there had
been a wind that the flames would
have spread to the buildings OF the
BroOkings Hardware and
Caldwell & Wilson and perhaps further
north on Main street.
The entire second floor OF the build.
ing was destroyed and parts of the
nrst floor were badly burned. Pieces
OF burning wood dropped down be-
tween the walls, burning away small
patches, so that the building upstairs
and down Is practically ruined. The
walls are still sanding. but the great
er part OF the roof is gone.
Very little was saved from the build.
ing, most Of it's contents being Destroy
ed by the fire and water. Part OF the
fixtures down stairs were carried out,
but 1t wal impossible to save anything
on the second floor.
The loss to the building and con-
tents is between four and I'VE thousand
dollars, with two thousand dollars in
surance The hotel was In charge of
Jacob Moore and the building was
owned by his sister-in-law, Mrs. VIM.
Richie, who made her home at the
hotel.
When the alarm was given most Of
the guests made their escape without
difficulty, but one or two had narrow
escapes. A young man by the name of
Place, who was sleeping in the attic,
was overcome by smoke in the hall OF
the second floor, where he was found
by W.. J. Delaney, q member Of the
Chic Perkins company, who carried
him to safety. A number OF the guests
lost part OF their personal belongings.
The Brookings House was the FIRST
hotel to be constructed in this city.
being built In December, 1879 by VIM.
Allison, who is still a resident OF
Brookings, and for years it was the
Leading hosteltry here.
Just what will be done with the
building has not been determined.
The city ordinance provides that q
wooden building on Main street can
no be repaired IL the damage by IRE
amounts to over fifty per cent. The
hotel looks to be damaged beyond that
figure and 1t is probable that 1t will
be condemned by the council. The
building is located on the best site in
the city for a hotel and the Register
would like to see a fine brick struc-
ture erected there. The city needs
another f1rst-class hotel and 1t might
not be \ bad idea for the business
men to boost the proposition along.