The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-12-21
INSTANTLY COMBUSTIOlJ..s
Is BELIEVED ORIGIN::s :
" DALTON BUILDING IS
- -
!: i. LEFT PILE OF RUINS
Blaze Starts in Restaurant About 8 O'clock and in
A Twinklng Interior of Structure Becomes
y. ~-~~~--*~- Seething Mass of Flames
DOOM IS QUICKLY DISCERNED
Action Turned to Saving Handsome Brick Block
OF O'Leary-Bowser; Occupants Flee Dense
- Smoke; History of Building "

L
to- their work of destruction and the
interior sof the building became q
seeth1ng mass of fire. The doom Of
the old-timer was sealed and the fire.
men confined their efforts to pre-.
venting a spread of the fire to ad-
joining buildings and those nearby.
/ New Block Threatened.
Adjoining the Dalton building is
the splendid two-story brick build.
ing of O'Leary-Bowser Co., the first
foor and basement being occupied
by the O'Leary-Bowser department
store, resplendent in it's holiday at
tire and with heavy Christmas stocks.
The store became quickly filled with
dense smoke and the employees were
driven from their duties and the
store closed. ".,.
- Smoke Empties Offices.
On the second floor of the O'Leary-
Bowser building are offices and these
were also emptied of their occupants
by the sitting smoke The offices
are those of M. j. Brown lawyer;
DR.. j. w. Diedrich, dentist; DR.. H.
A. Northrop, osteopath; w. N. Web
er, lawyer; D. H. Fisk, lawyer, and
the Melba Beauty Parlor.
At the rear of the Dalton build
ing is the office of the Longballa
Land company, occupying small
part of the building When it was
seen that the Dalton building was
going the effects of the land COM
pany were moved to safety.
Burned Structure Frame.
The Dalton building was of frame
but had brick front, it having been
installed two years ago at the time
of a fire. The front part of the
ground floor was unoccupied, a saloon
going out of business when legalized
liquor selling was given a knockout
In Bemidji. Back of this and 'front.'
Ing on Beltrami avenue was the res
taurant. .~. .-:
Valued at $4,000. !
The building was valued at about
$4,000 and was insured for $4,000.
The. contents carried $4,000 insur-
ance. .:. ... e.. 49,.
| Save 0Teary Store. ...~.
s When 1t was seen that the build
ing could not be saved, the flremen
turned their attention to saving the
O'Leary-Bowser building from seri-
| GUS damage and possible destruction
and two leads Of hose were sent into
action on the side next to the Dalton
building. It was about 10 o'clock
| when with a loud blast the terrific
heat blew out the front plate front
Of the Dalton building and the east
wall went down in charred mass,
caving inward. An excellent piece
Of judgment on the part Of the fire.
men was the saving Of the water for
any possible spread of the flames to
other business houses, and slowly
but surely the old frame structure
went down and out, black heap of
Etimber and frame construction.
Interesting History.
What has become to be known as
the Dalton building was built in
1894 by G. E. Carson and M. e. Car
son for q general store in the pioneer
days Of Bemidji. It was erected for
q general store and was one of the
first to be built in Bemidu and was
known throughout this part Of Min
nesota, being a big trading center.
IL &OCCuQAeu SIOuuu space 1O4SV leeC. Z
The building was sold in 1899 to.
Edward Rose who sold 1t to man
who bought the Markham hotel and
traded in the building on the deal.
Later the same man sold the hotel
back to it's former owner and again
took over the building.
Passes to Dalton.
Next, the building was sold to
man from Wisconsin and then passed
into the possession Of Mr. Dalton. It
became q saloon after Carson Bros.
sold It and the upstairs portion be-
came rooming house.
Where the restaurant was located
used to be the stable which was re-
modelled for business purposes
It Is believed that Mr.. Dalton VIII
replace the burned building with O.
modern brick structure which will
add greatly to the business district
Of the city, as the corner Is ono of
the most prominent In the business
district. sSs