The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-10-26
First National Bank Block
Completely Destroyed by
Spectacular conflagration
FIRE ORIGINATED AMONG
CHEMICALS IN DRUG STORE
Fargo Fire Department CALEB TIM,
by Sister City and RESPONDED Rue
was Too Late to be of Any servtcs
Will be Rebuilt,

Casselton. N. D., Oct. 2e.-Fire early
tnis morning destroyed the First Ma
tlonal bank block and only the brick
walls remain Of what was one OF the
nhest buildings in this section Of the
state. oan Ihe loss Is estimated at $40
oov. insurance of about $4,000 was
carried by the nine losers.
Ihe fire started in a storeroom IN
tne basement of the Taubert Drug
store and is believed to have originated
from spontaneous combustion. The
names mad gained considerable head
arrived e "s"eefs
me absence of a wind and the time.
~ Work or the citizens probably saved
~ lne Heart OF the town. as the bank
DOCK was surrounded by frame struc-
lures The fire reached an alarming
stage about half an hour after the flrst
alarm was turned in and a conflaera.
tlon seemed imminent. While the
oiaze was at its height call was sent
10 the Fargo fire department and
company arrived from that city on
special train at o'clock this morn
q ens' JUST TOO late to be of service. The
nre ragged nearly three hours and nrac.
!lcaily every man in town took part
IN preventing the spread of the flames
to the adjoining structures.
started Among Drugs.
orislnatins among paints and
chemicals In the drug store, this was
the most spectacular fire this place has
ever experienced. The heavens for
and the picture resembled huge
pSrotechnic display.
Farmers living a considerable dis
stance from town We're attracted NV
the brilliant spectacle and hurried to
the ire In automobiles and wagons
thinking that the entire city was 90.
ing up in smoke.
office which adjoined the bank build
ing. although hundred citizens
fought desperately to prevent the
communication of the flames to the
governments place Of business. In
their effort to save the postoffice a
number of citizens and members of
the volunteer fire department were
snently burned and drenched with wa.
Heaviest Losers.
The Taubert Drug company and At
heaviest losers. The drug firm lost
the best part Of its stock and fixtures
ana the lawyer lost what is said to be
one OF the most valuable law libraries
in the state.
Other losers in the early morning
blaze are the First National bank.
Drs. Baldwin and Miller. DIR. Rowe.
Northern Trading company. B. S.
Smith, insurance and DIR. Lier.
Practically the entire stock of the
Nesselrode jewelry store was saved by
the citizens who rushed into the build.
ing by twos and threes while the
flames were cracking nearer them
every second and carried the goods
across the street.
New Building Planned.
The smoke was still issuing from
the ruins in heavy clouds when direc.
tors of the bank. who had been assist
ing in the fire fighting. announced that
a new structure would be erected by
them as soon as the work could be
started. They said they had already
engaged an architect to draw plans
for another structure which will be
one of the finest bank buildings in the
state. The architect commenced work
on his specifications an hour after the
flames had been placed under control
and while the volunteers were still
taking up the hose.
The burned building was two-story
brick structure.