Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1910-10-06
A SEVERE FIRE LOSS
T.. ". DOVR & CO. ARE
STOCK BURNED.
LOSS ABOUT S17,OOO.OO
Webster Firemen Again Demon
strate Their Ability to- Cope
successfully With the Fire
Fiend. They put up Won
derful Fight Against
Very Heavy Odds.


Last Saturday night this city was
visited by one of the worst fires in
many years that practically destroyed
the hardware and harness stock of E.
N. Dorr & Co., the total loss being esti-
mated at about 100000
The fire was discovered in the rear
end of the brick building on the west
side of Main street about HOO o'clock,
and an alarm was turned in immedi-
ately. The firmen and citizens re-
sponded promptly, and upon arriving on
the scene it was discovered that the
fire had started in the rear end of the
building, used as harness and tin shop
and oil room The fire had commune
Gated to the basement and fifty feet of
the interior was solid mass of flames.
1t was the the general opinion at first
that it would be impossible to confine
the fire to the building, as it had gained
such Roadway before being discovered
and strong wind was blowing from
the south. But, as usual, the Webster
fire fighters proved equal to the occa-
sion and kept the fire down, though at
one time it looked very much as if the
entire west side of Main street from
the hardware store north would be fire
swept In an incredibly short time the
firemen had four strings of hose and
the chemical engine in operation and a
systematic fight was commenced. Some
little delay was occasioned in starting
the chemical owing to the absence of
j. j. Adams, forman of the engine, and
M. V. Crowley, assistant forman, who
have always operated the engine. But
u. E. Ray appeared on the scene, and
soon had the chemical in operation, and
it certainly proved its efficiency as
fire fighting apparatus. Mr.. Ray is on
the departments retired LIST, but we
notice that he is like an old warhorse
always on the spot when the smoke
begins to roll.
1t was only few minutes after the
firemen got down to effective work
that they had the fire under control
sufficient to eliminate the danger of che
flames spreading to adjoining buildings.
At first it was an uphill fight and it
was grave question as to which would
get the better, the fire or the fighters.
In fact, the situation was so serious at
one time that Chilson & Haugen moved
out about So, 600 worth of their general
merchandise stock and Chas. Bahr, on
the south, moved out the entire stock
and fixtures from his meat market.
1t required two hours of hard fighting
before the fire was extinguished and
the order given to shut off the water.
The loss to E. N. Dorr & Co. is esti-
mated at about SIT, 900 and is covered
by insurance to the amount of Sill 900.
The damage to the building, which is
owned by w. E. Wells is from So, 900 to
S., 600, and Mr.. Haugen estimates the
damage to the Chilson-Haugen property
from smoke ndmoving at 81, 900, which
is partially covered by insurance. Mr..
Bahr's loss is only that occasioned by
moving. 1t is impossible to give exact
figures at this time, as the adjusters,
who have been at work on the loss
since Monday, have not yet completed
their task. Mr.. Dorr, however, places
their total loss at from $4,000 to S., 900
over and above the insurance.
The fact that the fire was between
brick walls . the one thing that made
it possible for the department to handle
it. The result is great compliment
to the Webster fire department, and
clearly demonstrates their superior abii-
ity to cope with the fire fiend. Too
much praise cannot be given Fire Chief
Knapp for the able manner in which he
directed the work of the department,
and every move made from start to fin
ish was effective.
How the fire originated is not known,
but it is presumed that spontaneous
combustion was the cause.
ArtnsSfc Wait Wohstar