The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1921-01-14
$4,000 FIRE DESTROYS
DAKOTA TELEPHONE BLDG.
INSURANCE BELOW LOSSES; LITTLE
SALVAGE; BUILDINGS ON BOTH
SIDES SUFFER

pletely destroyed the Dakota Tele-
phone Building and contents, is stal
mystery and will probably never be
accounted for. 1t started near tha
south wall, about 20 feet from the
east end, where barrel of tar was
located. The dense smoke which
poured from the basement is conclu-
sive OF the fact that the fire must
have gotten to this tar.
The fire was discovered shortly be-
fore six o'clock and for full hour
did not assume the aspect of a dan
gerous fire. Smoke poured from the
basement windows and thru cracks
on the upper floors, but no flames
could be seen. Firemen broke down
the basement door, and with the aid
OF gas masks worked their way con-
siderable way into the basement. but
no signs OF a fire could be seen. One
OF the men crawled on his hands and
knees far into the Mittelstaedt store
but the only signs he found was that
the floor seemed warmer on the south
side.
The building was owned by the Da-
kota Telephone company, and was
! valued at S25.O0O. The Offices of the
company were in the building and
nothing was saved On the second
floor was the Office of DR.. Mittelstaetlt
dentist, who had an estimated loss of
81 500 and insurance amounting to
$1,000, the Beauty Shop, which was
owned by Mrs. Geo. Tessin, with q
loss OF 81 900 and $500 insurance, Or.
Flett, who estimated his loss at ST.
500 with less than one-half covered
by insurance and DR.. DeTuncq with
$1,000 loss and $500 insurance. The
entire row of Offices in the rear of the
building were burned, leaving the
front row hanging. The Mittelstaedt
Brothers entire stock was swept a.
way, which had an estimated value
i Of between $4,000 and $5O, 800 on
which they. carried $34 .OoO insurance.
! The total loss of the building and
contents amounts to $4,000 covered
by insurance amounting to about Is
per cent.
The occupants of the buildings on
both sides of the block were in con.
slant danger and suffered great a.
mount OF damage thru smoke and wat
er. The First National Bank building,
which adjoins on the south, seemed in
danger for while The flames went
through the wall and scorched the
walls and "'oodwork of the n. Good
man and Hendrick Offices, and caused
tremendous amount OF damage by
smoke. The smoke was filled with tar
and creOsote which was practically
burned on the furniture and inStru-
ments by the heat and which was al
most impossible to remove. 1t pene-
trated the book cases and even the
leaves of the books so that the firm
has suffered a great loss in this way.
/ Their loss is put at 81 200 covered by
/ insurance.
! DR.. JacOtel, who occupies the suit
Of rooms to the front moved all Of his
books and valuables from the building
after the danger had become so great.
He suffered considerable loss, but
was covered by insurance. Damage
to the furniture and fixtures in the
First National bank amounts to ST.
900 fully covered by insurance.
The walls and woodwork will have
to be refnished as will some Of the
furniture. The front will have to be
repainted. Several times the smoke
was so thick in the bank building that
it seemed that the building was on fire
After the fire, investigation of the
wall showed hole thru in the attic
Of the building. This must have been
caused by rafter which was pulled
cut when the roof fell.
! Considerable damage was done to
the building occupied by the Economy
store and the Offices of DIR. Lowthian
and DR.. Kirchner on the second floor.
Water and smoke did considerable
damage to the stock in the basement
OF the Economy store and flooded the
furnace pit, so that the entire building
and the one occupied by the N. F..
Nelson store. and Robert Jones on the
second floor, which are heated from,
the same plant were without heat the
following day.
A large share of the movable stock
on the shelves was moved from the
Economy store and placed in the Wooe
Farm Mortgage Co.'s Offices. Con
siderable damage was done to the
goods in the moving as well as from
smoke and dirt, but the loss was COW
cred By insurance. Upstairs the heat
and smoke were responsible for the
damage except in the Offices Of Dr..
Kirchner where q flooded Chimney
burst thru the tin and flooded his
Offices with water and SCOT, running
three rugs. The damage was covered
l by insurance.
II The building is owned by Mrs. A.
M. Rouck and the estimated damage
amounts to 81 800 which WAS covered
J by insurance.
The grand total 81 estimated dam.