The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1917-08-25
OPERA HOUSE
is DAMAGED
IN Big BLAZE |!
LARGE STRUCTURE GUTTED BY
ON FIRE WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON.
Loss Will Aggregate Many Thousands
of Dollars-Fire Ladies' Did Good
WOrk-Will Be Rebuilt.

AOSS VIII HSSAOSotC NA"Ay AAOuSoAluS
of Dollars-Fire Ladies' Did Good
Work-Will Be Rebuilt.
Simultaneous with the 1 o'clock
whistles Wednesday afternoon came
the wierd sound Of the fire alarm,
calling the department to fight a
blaze which had been discovered in the
rear of the opera house building. The
fire gained headway rapidly due to
the heavy wind which created draft
through the building and within a few
moments after the fire was discov-
cred the infamable material on the
stage was burning rapidly All the
fre-fghting apparatus in the city
was put into use and it was feared
for time that the fire would spread
to adjoining property. The chemical
engine, with the regular hose equip
ment, was first to arrive and later all
the extra hose in the city was rushed
to the scene Of the fire. The old
steam engine, which has not been
used for several years, was Tired up
and pumped a steady stream from the
fire plug on Willard street opposite the
St. Charles. The N. P. round house
fire brigade was also on hand with a
switch engine and fire car and within
a very short space of time six streams
of water were playing on the flames.
The fire was confined principally to
the stage and dressing rooms on the
west end of the building, the metal
side walls and ceiling of the main
floor being a great protection and
preventing the flames eating their
way through to the woodwork. The
smoke was so intense that the firemen
were greatly handicapped in their
work but the six streams of water fin
ally proved effective after the whole
interior of the west end of the build
ing had gone up in smoke.
The building is owned by H. l..
Reichert and was valued, with furnl-
ture included, at about $4,000. 1t
was 44x110 feet with a very hlgh
ceiling, the portion over the elevated
stage being about forty feet high. 1t
was erected many years ago, on the
lot where the new annex to the st.
Charles hotel now stands and bout
seven years ago was moved to the
present site and remodeled through
out The walls and ceiling were COW
cred with steel and a portion OF the
outside walls were also steel-covered,
which probably accounts for the TACT
that the fire was unable to spread TO
any great extent, the fire being kept
within the enclosure. The loss on the
building, about $4,000, is covered by
insurance.
The Dickinson Amusement company,
which has lease on the property and
has been operating moving picture
show since the removal from the
lyric building a few months ago, are
also heavy losers. The big pipe
organ, valued at $2,5O0, was entirely
consumed, and a great deal of other
property was damaged or destroyed.
THE moving picture machine was dam
aged to some extent, although it was
in the gallery at the extreme east
end of the building. The heat was so
intense that the delicate parts of the
machine were materially damaged but
it is believed the expensive lenses are
in good shape About 1000 feet OF
:. film which had been received for
Wednesday nights show. were re-
moved from the building soon after
the fire started. The Amusement
company,s loss is partially covered by
insurance.
Louis Lohman, musical director OF
the opera house orchestra, lost $500
baby grand piano in the flames. An
attempt was made to remove the in
strument but the heat became so in
tense that the parties attempting to
remove it were forced to get out OF
the building Immediately About
$1,000 worth of orchestra music was
recovered but was slightly damaged.
No insurance was carried on the
piano and the loss falls heavy on Mr..
LOhman.
The aggregate loss will probably be
around $4,000, with insurance cover
ing about three-fourths of that
amount.
Mr.. Reichert stated today (Friday)
that the building would be thoroughly
remodeled and made into an up-to-
date play house, work to begin I'M
mediately after the insurance adjuster
views the property.
The members of the Dickinson
Amusement company have not
made any plans for the future as yet.
They have portion of the necessary
equipment for moving picture house
but there does not seem to be any
available business room at the pres
ent time. =,
The city fire department, and all
others who assisted in fighting the
flames, worked hard to save the
building and it is miracle that the
flames were exting1ished before a
great deal more damage was done,
It is said that the fire caught from! q
spark which blew into a window un.
derneath the stage at the west ED OF
the building. "A rubbish fire was
burning in a can near the building
and it is supposed that the high wind
carried a spark into the rubbish near
the window. ":
INJURIES INFLICTED