Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1916-02-17
Fire AND smoke
DAMAGE COURT HOUSE
Early Morning Blaze in County
Building.

mately $4,000 occurred to the Stuts-
man county court house at James
town from fire, water and smoke in
blaze that for time threatened to
gut the entire building early Sunday
morning. The fire was extinguished
only after sharp fight by the James
town fire department, who were con-
sidered fortunate in being able to
control and put out the blaze be-
fore it had become general conflag-
ration. Damage occurred mostly in
the southeast corner Of the building,
in the basement, auditors and COM
missioners' room, stairways and to
the decorations throughout.
The cause of the fire is not def
nitely known. About am. Sunday,
Sam Daley, the janitor, who sleeps
in the court house basement in a
room opposite the storeroom, rose as
usual and went through the corridor
or tunnel to the Jail and to the boiler
house, just southwest, to fire up for
the morning. He noticed nothing
wrong. Returning, he found the tun-
mel filled with smoke. He called
Sheriff Wright who, looking out, saw
flames escaping from the windows of
the court house storeroom and i'm
mediately turned in the fire alarm.
The fire bell was rung and the West
ern Electric whistle blew for long
time. On account of the early hour
and Sunday, it was difficult to arouse
the volunteer firemen.
However, within short time the
crews had arrived and two streams
were playing upon the fire. The
blaze was most severe in the base
ment storeroom, burning the joists
into the ceiling and between the
floors. The fire spread through the
commissioners room floor, into the
partitions and also up the stairway
leading to the court room. The heat
was intense ard the entire building
filled with smoke. The basement
and first floor were flooded before the
fire was extinguished. The fire boys
fought the blaze for two hours before
it was completely quenched.
The entire court house shows in
side the effects of the smoke, but
the damage, fortunately, is not ir-
reparable. But little smoke got into
the vaults and the records and books
in the auditors, register of deeds
and other Offices were not harmed,
though a few papers show the effects
of the smoke and certain supplies,
assessors books, ETC., office equip
ment, typewriters, etc., will need to
be overhauled.
The debris was cleaned up to a
great extent Sunday and repairs COM
menced early Monday morning.
There will be need of new decorat-
ing over practically the entire inter-
ior. Woodwork is badly checked
and new floors are needed in the
commissioners and auditors Offices.
The smoke filled the court room on
the second floor and the district
judges office and chambers, damag-
ing several books.
The transaction of business at the
court house was not interrupted
Monday. Insurance will cover the
loss completely, which contractors
roughly estimate at approximately
$4,000. That the loss was not great
er is considered fortunate.
The worst effects were in the base
ment storeroom, and here the blaze
probably originated. Several joists
were burned almost through, allow
ing the floor in the auditors room to
sink dangerously until propped from
beneath and braced by posts. In the
storeroom were several oily rags,
which may have started the fire by
spontaneous combustion, or match
may have been dropped there.
versally accepted. We ought to do