The Dickinson press., 1914-01-24
'!c|0|uR 7 HOUSE
Al ING
Destroyed by Fire Monday Morn.
!, iii,g. Part 4 of i Records Burned.
Experts Lose al al q Of
Their Work.

!. fire was given and it was learned that
the court house was on fire. The dre
was discovered at q littler before 8
o'clock in the front part Of the building
on both the lower and upper floors and
it was impossible to get into the build-
ing to remove anything. What wind
there was came from the northwest and
fortunately there was no danger to
other property in the village, ss s.4ts@ ss@
Atsfrs twas believed that the fire
was Of incendiary origin and all sorts
Of theories were advanced as the mo-
tive, such as county seat removal &and
the destroying of; county records. Later
it was decided that the fire started from
an over heated stove in the room up
stairs. where the experts had been
checking the day before. ! fss
The court house was erected the fall
Of 1908 and cost about So, 600 and was
insured for 81. 600. Tho county books,
records and fixtures were insured for
$1,000. Hence the county will not lose
nauch, if anything, in dollars and. cents
..hless it should be from the destruction
of material records n. d. ,.
In the, office of register Of deeds three
index books were burned but no records.
The county was about to make new in
dex records, as in the old books deeds
and mort CAGES were entered in the same
book. the color Of ink only indicating
the different kind Of instruments. The
Office also lost some instruments not
filed on account Of taxes not being paid
or held because the fees had not accom-
panied the papers.
County Treasurer Larson lost some
books but 1.-THE time this; article. was
written did not know Just What. The
books lost were Ia TIE hands sxpefs
accountants. Messrs. Kirkbride and
Parks. sss 2. sss.ss,
Auditor Evans lost a number ol books
in the hands Of experts. Quite num-
Der Of receipts and warrants from both
the auditor and treasurer's Offices were
lost. - ~: ssls.
The clerk Of court and county judge
B lost no files Of records. Supt. Melby and
Sheriff Kasper had Offices outside the
court house. States Attorney earns
is another official who has an office OUT
;, side the court house. q. s 81. " N
The contents Of both court house
vaults appear to be- all right, although
the papers nearSthe ceiling in the one
used by the auditor and register Of
deeds were slehtly Drowned.
Commissioners Paul liner and Beatty
were in Manning on Monday looking
after matters. It was expected thai
the old Ginder store building could BIZ
secured for court house purposes for The
present. It is likely that the board
\ will start on new court house early
in the spring. More room was needed
/ anyway. 81 45s
The firm Of Warwick, Mitchell & Pee
Co., bonded accountants, have had twt
experts checking records ID the conr
& house for two or three weeks. The!
# were working in small room on th,
second floor. All OF this work is los
3 and il is now a. question il the company
b is not liable for loss sustained Sin thl
burning Of the records they were using
Dunn county was only organized q
january t7th, 1908; and consequently i
will not be very difficult to restore som
Of the records lost. All instruments 70
Dunn county prior TO this date were re
corded al Dickinson.
4 The latest advice from Manning in
satdicates that there is still much excite
nlent occasioned BY the burning Of th
court house. Communists sioner Ed. ]
Pletan Of Brooks. who had been visit
ing i'll the east, was notif fed Of the dis
aster BY wire and was expected !
Manning toward the last Of the Weel
r. Beatty Of Manning and PAT
Ziner Of knife river are the other mem
bers Vi the board. They surely have
problem on their hands. The Gindt
store building lis already occupied b
some Of the county officials. vacan
rooms ID other buildings about ii
town have been appropria lated BY ofRcia1
for the time being. Il
Nearly all Of the; officials who ha
Offices iii the court house are heas
losers of personal effects. ssi
The latest report on loss off coln,
records 10 as 1 fol lows Palmer, 4or
a books Evans, new assessor book
u minute book and large warrant 10,
which were being used BY the accom-