The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1915-01-14
iii |! ! ! = I|lSON HAS
Ed',ioNo BLAZE
0RIGM RIRE Is lSlIlKN0WN


blacksMith shop. The Hankinson
News says:
The fire was discovered short
" aaayr IL O'clock and had gained
such keadway that it was at once
seen there was no chance to save
the opera house. The blaze ap-
;pafenAy originated in the south
east corner Of the opera house,
not far from the drop curtain Of
the stage. and quickly spread up
ward so that when the first fire.
men responded to the alarm
t!ames were already bursting
through the roof at the rear. On
ly small part of the contents
was removed. including F.. J.
Dfey's moving picture machine
and some personal belongings.
The 500 electric piano, ali
chairs sand furniture, also the
lodge paraphernalia of half do
zen secret orders. went up in the
smoke.
Efforts were directed to saving
adjoining property and by almost
supeIhnman work on the part of
the firaEboys the Congregational
parsonage was saved. The black
smith shop was within eighteen
inches OF the opera house and
the building was completely de-
stroyed although there was time
to remove all the contents.
Ihe loss to the Hankinson Hall
Association, owners of the opera
house, is about $1,000. This is
covered by $2.15O insurance on
the building and $3.50 on con-
tents. distributed among the fol-
lowing companies: .Germania
$500 on building; Hanover. $500
on building and 5000 on contents
Aetna. $3.50 on building and $3.50
on contents.
IF. j.. Drey's loss includes the
efegtrIc piano and totals about
vi ,25a with 500 insurance.
O.: II: Brackin's loss on the
blacksmith shop is about $1,000,
with $500 insurance.
Five lodges had paraphernalia
stored, in the second story aid
their losses will aggregate NOR,
than 81 200. with no insurance
whatever. The ine leaves the fol !.
lowing lodges without a home
IMasons. Eastern Star. Roy..l
Nelghb0rs. Y m:. on and Woodn.eu
of the World. Tho NJ. w. A. threw
up their lease several months ago
and their paraDnerr ALA was stcr-
ri in anothe" part ut town. The
loss TO the lodges in the way ri
rec ords. char":s, Ctc.. cannot ije
measured in G".!ars and c7n:.,.
ne Yeomen and Eastern Star
lodges each had complete kitchen
Ind dining room equipment sor
serving lunches, and this was al
burned.
The loss Of the opera house is
q severe blow tc our city for il is
hardly probaJ'.e Il at it will be r.
built as it has feen financial
fsilure. The .'.uilding was con-
structed in 1858, sixteen years
go by a stock I, inDany compGs-
Ld OF local business men. La.r.
many of the stockholders dis.
Eosed of their interests and at
the present time most of the stock
is held by F. o. Hunger, Mrs. R. H.
Hankinson and John R. Jones. al
though there are several other
share holders in mall amounts.
The building was admirably suit
ed to the city's needs as a play
house. having a seating capacity
OF nearly 500 with large stage.
and plenty of scenery and acces-
ories. The front part was two
stories high, the upper floor being
fitted up for lodge purposes with
convenient property room and
other conveniences. However. the
pronertv has never paid interest
on the investment and the insur-
ance almost exactly covers the
Indebtedness which at this time