The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-06-07

Front street near the present Annex
hRtel, or to the south of this. The
history of the fire has been repeatedly
told in the newspapers, and how al
most the entire city was destroyed at
an expense of not far from S4,O00,000
and Of the great fight that was made
to save the balance of the city. the
flremen, then as now doing valiant
work. It was at first hoped to save the
greater part Of the city, but the flames
spread rapidly and 1t was just about
3 in the afternoon that the Citizens
National bank was abIaze and was
consumed. From then on it was every
body save himself and his property.
There was one great thing, though,
and that was the fact that no one was
killed In the fire. The firemen were ON
duty all the next day.
Soldiers on Guard.
SO great was the calamity and so
terrible was the loss that 1t attracted
thieves. 1t was then shown that a
military company properly handled
was blessing to a community, for the
soldier boys were ordered out and they
did great service as guard for several
days and they Were obliged on more
than one occasion to drive the thiev-
ing element away and several arrests
were made, In fact the bridge ap-
&AOnSAlAiG i1f1oSAASC1 WAS SudTuEu AIlQ
people who had no apparent business
on this side of the river were sent
back. The people were housed in part
across in Moorhead,. where they were
given room In the big hotel. which was
afterwards torn down. It was hard
lines for many of the people OF the city
for they had seen almost their all
go up in smoke and many of them
were in actual need. They took
heart, however, and 1t was not long
after that until the rebuilding of the
town began. The Forum the same aft
ernoon had a complete account of the
disaster and continued the next day
with good story of the same.
Began to Build.
The fire was really a blessingsi in dis
guise, for the people took heart again
and were soon busily and cheerily en-
gagged in rebuilding again. 1t was
their grand success In rebuilding that
was the cause of the first Fire Festiv-
al which came to be known all over
the world. Better and larger buildings
were erected to take the places Of
those destroyed and this has been kept
us ever since so that Fargo has the
greatest little city in the world, where
something Is going on all the time.
The sound of the hammer and saw and
the busy workmen were on every hand
dllu tIlSy great SERVICES ana TnGy
have been rewarded, for today Fargo is
looked upon as one OF the best cities
In the entire northwest and she is still
growing. 1t was really a blessing that
the old town burned down. for better
and greater city was built and that
stands on strong foundation.
Stopped the Festival.
AS the years rolled around Fargo
dropped the celebration of the great
fire. but almost every year about the
same time the Shrine boys had a cele-
bration and each year just as regular
ly the newspapers published a short
account of the great. conflagration.
Then early the present year 1t was de-
cided to again celebrate the affair and
the Shriners took the initiative and the
commercial club fell in line, the lodge
boys taking UP the work Of having a
Masonic Home coming week and the
business club the task of preparing for
the celebration of the Fire festival
again Committees for the commercial
club were appointed from among. the
members of the executive committee
and different civic societies fell in line
and the magnificent parade and cele-
bration of all this week and the climax
of today is the result. The city has
been crowded with visitors from all
parts of the United States, some COM
ing from many Of the different states
Of the union.