The Dickinson press., 1917-11-03
AN EPIDEMIC
OF FIRES IN
THISSECT[0N
CATHOLIC SCHOOL ON SOUTH
SIDE SUFFERS FROM SMALL
BLAZE-INSURED
Buchel Restaurant Entirely De-
stroyed Saturday-Chickens
Burn in Barn Fire

At 8 o'clock Monday morning the
fire department was summoned to the
South Side Catholic school, where the
building was afire. Starting in the
basement, the fire tried to eat its way
up and through the. entire house but
faithful work on the part of the fire
men, assisted by many Of the parish
kept the fire confined TO the lower part
of the house. The ;,rcaway, leading
to the kitchen and the walls Of that
room were considerably damaged ~
the fire. The walls in several OF the
other rooms were somewhat spoiled pE
the preventive water that had been
thrown upon them. Much OF tnc
furniture was ruined and u consider
able amount Of clothing was burned.
1t is not likely that the insurance on
the place will meet the loss.
Mrs. McMasters OF Glcndlvc ana
one Of the sisters were in the kitchen
and noted the smoke rolling up the
steps leading into the kitchen from
the basement. Alarm was hastily
given and the fre1nen were soon on
the scene. When they arrived, smoke
was rolling from the windows which
had thoughtlessly been broken by
well-meaning neighbors. The open
windows increased the draught, MAX
ing the work Of the fremcn more diff
ficult. Chief Davis was forced to re-
turn to the, fire station and procure
more hose. While water was being
played upon the lower part Of the
building, many Of the crowd were
carrying the contents Of the upper
floors to safety. School desks, books,
tables, statuary, clothing, etc., were
piled high in the immediate vicinity
Vast number of altar flowers were
rescued and carried into the church
as was the Holy Sacrament, which was
cared for tenderly by Father Hake:
The Mother Superior suddenly be-
thought her of small casll-box which
had been left in one Of the upper
rooms and Father Hakc ascended a
ladder, went into the smoke-filleo
room and brought the box to the
open. 1t containe.s. the ACCOUNTS OF
the school. Two little boys, Floyd
Nelson and Pete Furneis, did valiant
service, mounting into the upper
rooms and bringing to safety many
articles.
Many articles of clothing which
were in the basement for washing
were burned. Nearly all Of the food
including $50 cans Of preserves, was
destroyed. -Four feet of water stands
in the basement as result Of the
fire. The sisters are of the opinion
that the fire must have been caused
from something other than the furn-
ace because they assert that but little
fire was in there at the time. Tho
combination school and dwelling is
the residence of sixteen sisters ane
the building accommodates SO chile
boarders. All told, about 80 people
all of whom, with the exception Of
one sister, were in the church whcr
! the fire started
Immediately after the fire, the
Mother Superior, overcome by the ex'
citement, tainted but was soon rc'
vived. Not one Of them is i'll as q
result of having to stand in the colo
while the fire was being fought
Many of the neighbors offered theil
homes to the sisters in the event that
the building was destroyed. Father
Dignam was ready to throw open MS
Continued on page 5.)