The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1915-06-04
The Fire At
Cottonwood
From the Republican.

crushing blow in her history, last
Tuesday night, when the hotel
Jackson, the store occupied by the
Cottonwood Mercantile Company,
was entirely destroyed, as was the
Myers store building, now owned
| by Warheld, Pratt Howell & Co.,
OF Sioux City, and occupied by the
Farmers Cooperative Cream Asso-
citation. The Woodley building,
the next door south. while not de-
stroyed, was ruined.
The fire started from stroke of
lightning about 1890, and within
a very few minutes the inside of
the general store Of the Cottonwood
Mercantile Co., was on fire and the
flames had burst through the front
of the building. Nearly everybody
at the hotel had retired and the FIRE
started so suddenly that some of
the occupants made their escape
with difficulty, and very little in
the way of clothing and personal
effects was saved. The building
was filled with smoke and there
was not time, even for those ac-
quainted with the building, to do
other than get out as quickly as
possible.
The two chemical engines were
put into action, but there was moth
ing to be done to prevent the fire
from spreading. At one time il
looked as though the entire west
side OF the street would go, and
possibly some OF the east side, and
it was only by the most heroic ef-
forts, and the hardest kind OF work
that the fire was checked and held
under control. Some Of our citi-
zens are deserving OF the highest
praise for the work they did, and
those whose property is standing
intact today, have them to thank
for it. The chemical engines did
fine work but the bucket brigade,
and the steady downpour of rain
which filled the streets with water,
we have to thank for saving the en-
tire business section of the town.
Even the women assisted in every
possible way, and Mrs. Z. o. Ken
nedy assisted by some OF the other
ladies, prepared lunch for the
workers, after the worst was over,
consisting Of hot coffee, sandwiches
and fried eggs, which came in the
nature Of life saver after the
strenuous work Of the night.
The Cottonwood Mercantile Co.
who also owned the hotel building
have a loss OF $4,000. 90, with
s., 10000 insurance. The War
field Pratt Howell Co. had $500, 100
insurance on their building, while
| T. c. Blackney sustained a total
loss of about $4,000 in the way
of furniture and hotel furnishings.
The Cottonwood Mercantile Co. an
nounce that they have ordered
new stock OF goods and will oc-
cupy the Hickman store building
until such time as they can rebuild
which will be in the near future.
Nothing definite can be said at this
time regarding the building of
hotel, although Mr.. Blackney is
considering the matter, and it is to
be hoped that we will not be long
without hotel, F. p. Carlisle, DIR.
NJ. Z. Mesirow, Stenet Eostmo. j.
/. Howe and Miss Rachel Sether
were among the roomers at the hotel
who are heavy losers. All their
personal effects were destroyed,
and Mr.. Carlisle lost his law libra
ry and DIR. Mesirow, his entire set
OF surgical and medical instru-
ments.
/ This is hard blow for Cotton
wood, but we should be thankful
that it was no worse, and while il
will take some time for US to re-
cover from the effects Of il. we are
confident that we are able to re-
cover and forge to the front in the
face of such difficulties as this.
] Do you read the Kadoka Press.