The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1916-11-09
Kathryn Recorder Tale
Of the Three Bad Fires


has happened. About $50 p. m. Fri
day the ominous cry of fire, fire. and
the sound of tramping of running fee,
were heard on the streets of Kathryn
1t developed that fire had in some
way broken out in Thoreson Runck
Co.'s store. The chemical was brough,
into action, but the fire had gained toe
strong Roadway to be checked and sc
it ran it's course, consuming Thoreson
Runck Co.'s store, the Sheyenne Val
ley Bank building, Louis Larson Co. s
hardware store and the drug store
building. There was little salvage.
We could easily demonstrate how
this fire could have been confined to
the building in which it originated, but
what's the use; we would have to use
so many "ifs" and no good would be
accomplished; suffice it to say that
Kathryn has learned its lesson through
lack of preparedness by experience,
as most small towns do.
Everybody did good work in helping
to prevent the fire from spreading.
Gallant work was done in preventing
the fire from getting a foothold in Hal
vorson's barber shop and the old
Runck store building behind the Far
mer's State Bank building. The drug
store, which was built of concrete
blocks, served as a buffer to the build
ings on the east of the fire area.
1t was fortunate that there was little
or no wind, otherwise the whole town
would undoubtedly have been practi-
cally wiped out
The loss totals very nearly $4,000,
which was pretty we'll covered by in
surance.
The estimated losses are as follows:
Thoreson Runck Co., stock $4,000;
buildings $4,000; fully insured. Louis
Larson Co., stock $4,000; buildings
$4,000; fully insured. Emil Peterson
drug stock $4,000; insurance $1,000.
kathryn-kidville telephone exchange,
$500; no insurance. Sheyenne Valley
bank, building and fixtures $4,000; full
ly insured. Drug store building ST.
500; fully insured. E. A. Moe house
hold goods $3.50; insurance $4OO. Aug.
II. Malm household goods 5000; insur-
ance $780,
Louis Larson's Hardware is temper
arlly located in the garage belonging
to Rasmus Olsberg.
Mr.. Nicholson found temporary
quarters at the post office and was
ready to take care of business Satur-
day morning, even if accommodations
were a little cramped and frontierlike.
A gang OF carpenters started work on
temporary quarters for the Sheyenne
valley bank on the old foundation
Ihls will serve until next spring, when
mr. Mickelsen plans to build a brick
building.
Thoreson Runck Co. are located
temporarily in the Columbia hotel
building, which they occupy until plans
for rebuilding materialize. While no
definite plans have as yet developed
there is no doubt but that in the near
future the devastated area will be
rebuilt with fine brick buildings mod.
ern and credit to the town.
About 5 o'clock Wednesday morning
the residents Of Kathryn were again
startled by the alarm of fire" This
Time 1t was the N. J. Olson Co. eleva.
tor which burned. How the fire origin.
ated is mystery. There are some
VINO consider it possible to have
caught from the work train which has
been stationed on the siding west of
town.
Members Of the fire department OF
Nome and Litchville came down with
a supply of hose to render assistance.
The building and contents burned to
the ground in a very short time.
There was but very little grain in the
mouse at the time of the fire.
Leo Olson, the buyer, had all his
personal effects in the elevator office
and these were burned up.
Wednesday afternoon the east-bound
passenger set fire to the grass on sec.
tlon II, west of town, and before the
nre was under control it DESTROYED a
barn and granary belonging to Rasmus
Olsberg. The granary contained 500
bushels Of wheat and about $50 bush.
els OF oats and barley, which were also
destroyed. Loss on buildings is esti-
mated at about $500, with no insur-
ance.
TO THE CITIZENS