The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-06-08
&l1vER !:!;. fro" STICK ST.!
~ by "Jtick"- HImSeE
FARGO. June z. 1893.

Nineteen years ago this morning the sun rose to
onN upon one of the saddcst spectaclcs in the history
IT the northwest. the hlackcncd. Smouldcring, charrcd
remains Of the heart of Fargo. ON the afternoon and
evening before sh. had experienced her baptism of fire
which. though it left her rrostratc. marked the he
ginning of a new life which was tn place her among
the greatest little cities of the western continent.
For some time that Year it had been very dry. hot
and windy, the old frame town being a mass of finder.
ON the morning of tn" eth the sun rose piercing hot.
Along toward noon a fierce wind arose and all nature
ana ensuing conditions seemed Il" have prepared for
the awful event which was To lie recorded later in the
day. In the afternoon, about > o'clock. the fire alarm
sounded. the department rushed to the south side and
the higseS, event in the history of tho Gate City was
on. 1t took but a few minutes for the gravity of the
situation to become apparent. though the magnitude of
the oncoming calamity could not have been conceived
in the widest flight of imagination. Tho strong south
wind swept the flames across tho street and in almost
an instant the entire block ON Front street blrs, into
names. ON and on the demon lcapt. great tongues
tapping the air. great arms ,nvrauninr ,ybnl, blocks
Like A iend. Yet with the lchtncSs Of a fairy. it fitted
from ono building and block t" another: like the indie
s'rih"hlc thing it vas ii wal1owcd in the streets and
licked up the very dust. Pale and excited mon. scream
ing women, lost children ran wildly about the promises.
CARRYING a few hurri"dly gathered goods in their arms.
S'rc"rhins locomotives snortcd and tore about in an
'''''"N"r I" save company property. Draymen. de-
liv"rNrncn and all drivers of vehicles were implor,,d for
assistance. The air seemed charged with fire. and three
and four blocks ahead in tho path of the monster.
buildings burst int" flame as If by Spontaneous com
h'stion. Great solid blocks OF brick. stone and concrete
"r''fhhled like toys. while the beautiful Columbia hotel
was consumed as if made of cards. ON and ON swept
IN" flames till There WAS nothing more to destroy and
til" day finally closed. leaving a spectacle of desola,ion
awful To behold. For II few days tho town seemed to
IL" dormant. as if stunned beyond recovery. bu, within
a week n new life seemed to pcrmcatc it's hnin. and ,ho
debris hogan disappearing. I;uildinas sprung up AS If
10y hi'Sl'. Greater improvements than ever thought of
BEGAN. and th"nref"rth Fargos star was in the ascend
rh'N: may it never be tinmcd.
II happened down in old Mizzoory-of course.
wealthy &HS n1acnate was about to breathe his last when
- terrific thunder storm broke. The patient became .,
'i:ht"n"d for fear he would lc killed that he rose ~,
." bed. and has sine" been Improving. II is claimed
49, always was opposed to electrical operations N his
rrilorv.
~" ltem IN an exchange reads:
Rev. Frank Brown will hold services i'm the
:. T.. church NEXT sunday at II a. m.
.Nnd it was To laugh when thinking how that Womb
ri i'm a forX paper.
For selling Il drink of whiskny 10 a drunkard. W
T. Sltck "f Evans City. Pa. was fined 500 and sont TO
l"ll for thirty days. Nearly as bad as in North Dakota
The postmaster held our friend. Frank Adams. I'M
from mis- sweetheart. wherellpon Frank said il "a very
necessary for him to transvenc. (Trans, across p1us
Ncnin. come
Lonesome" VIII he their hauntS when tho ~ Girl
N'ds. and brave Naledics. have flown. but like the COOS.
. Inc air they Will make their return flight in the all
tn1e "f them.