The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1914-03-26
Spectacular Fire Causes
Loss of Nearly
$4,000.
CAUSE UNKNOWN
Walls of Playhouse Remain
Standing-Delay in Sound
ing Alarm.

go ioi " HoF1t ISL
years the leading playhouse of cent
raj South Dakota, was Quilted by fire
this morning in a blaze that did close
TO $4,000 of damage. The origin of
the conflagration is unknown.
Delay in the arrival of the fire de-
partment, from whatever cause, is
undoubtedly responsible for much of
the heavy loss entailed in this NOR
.ning's blaze. 1t is estimated that
from twenty to thirty minutes elapsed
from the time the fire was first MOTTO
ed until the department arrived and
commenced to lay hose.
Alarm was Belatcd.
Efforts to turn IN the alarm we're
made by ID. j. Noble, Miss Mathilda
Suchy, bookkeeper for Rathbun's
grocery, and Fred Scott. All declare
that they made repeated efforts to
notify the fire department before the
alarm was sounded. Henry Snow,
driver for the department, stated that
he answered the first alarm and i'm
mediately commenced to harness his
horses, although he had no assistance
in hitching them.
Mr.. Noble further stated that only
VII ~ tIllQ jt'SIipl Noo HC COltllCS
ion made with the fire house. Then,
he said, the fire station promptly
sounded the alarm.
George NJ. Kennedy, manager of
the Dakota Central Telephone system
through which the alarm was turned
in, stated that no attempt was made
to transmit the alarm to the fire de-
partment but that the parties turning
it in were connected directly with the
fire station. He also declared that
no response was made to the tele-
phone call to the fire station for at
least five minutes.
Other embarrassment was given
when it was discovered that fire hyd-
rant at Third and Main, on the cor
ner of the Western National bank
building, was frozen. This was later
thawed out by the use of hot water.
This hydrant was tested three weeks
ago and found to be in good condi-
-tion. - -
Smokcswas in Loft.
When the blaze was first discover
ed, smoke was coming from the north
window of the theatre loft, in the
rear of the theatre. Within a few
minutes thin streams of smoke were
coming from the cornice on both
sides of the structure. Just one hour
from the time the alarm was turned
in at $3.50 o'clock, the blaze broke
through the ROO of the theatre. By
IL O'Clock four brick walls and
smouldering ruins We're all that re-
manned of the greater part OF the
structure.
The heaviest portion of the loss
will be borne by John f. Anderson
company, the owner of the
building. The structure cost original
~ 100000 and was estimated to be
worth $4,000 now, and was covered
by about $4,000 worth of insur-
ance. Mr.. Anderson, who is in Los
Angeles, Calf, was notified by wire
of the destruction of the theatre
Building was Insured.
DR.. A. J.. Dix the lessee of the
theatre since last September, estimate
ed his loss at close to $4,000, without
including the loss OF continuous bust
ness. DR.. Dix's interests were only
p4+tially covered by insurance, as
most of the property, especially the
motion picture protector, was regard
ed as a hazardous risk. Fire iuspec-
tors looked over the theatre only
yesterday.
The Theatre pharmacy suffered a
loss of close to $4,000, according to
the estimates Of the owners, Scott O.
Gormley. The stock was valued at
about 5000 and was insured. While
the store room was not burned, the
fixtures We're badly damaged by
smoke an dwater and many OF the
goods were broken in carrying them
from the building. H.
Practically tho entire stock OF the
Oyer Cloak 6 Suit Company was saw
ed, although the fixtures probably
will be IL total loss. One of the heaV1-
est losers was the Knights OF Pythias
lodge, which owned uniforms and
~paraphernalia worth close to $4,000.
Other lodges on the third floor that
suffered were the Workmen, Wood
men, Modern Brotherhood of Amer
lea, brotherhood of American YeoMen
andand Royal Neighbors.
ION the second floor Of the building
most of the household effects of the
families living i'll apartments were
removed. Those living there were MIR.
and Mrs. A.. c. Kline, Mr.. and Mrs.
Lt L
Robert Clark, Mrs. Nettie Drown and
children, and Miss Josie Laaguin.
Will Examine Malls.
This afternoon Fred Bjodstrop, Il.
c. Wherry and Adolph schurcnGrand
made an examination of the struc-
ture to determine if the walls, which
are apparently intact, will be safe. If
there is any danger that they will
---r $40, tJn1- h1y will -h1
pushed in before evening.
The Gale theatre was built by l..
O. Gale, a pioneer druggist OF Mitch
ell, and now a resident of Minneapolis
who formally opened it on the
night of November 10, 1906. with
the musical comedy, 1.-THE Mayor OF
Toxic" After managing it n sea
son.. Mr.. Gale leased it for three
years to Maurice, w. jerks, then q
resident of Yankton. MFR. Jenclls re
newed his lease in 1910 and l.. ID
Milne and Porter Bros. subsequently
acted as local managers.