The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1922-02-27
WE|VTWORTHSTOR
BURNED SUNDAY
FIERCE BLAZE LEAVES ONLY
HEAP OF RUINS.

A fire of unknown origin broke
out in the Zimmerman department
store in mid-afternoon yesterday not
finishing its destructive work until
the building and entire stock valued
at $2.400 had been entirely consum-
ed.
1t was along about three o'clock
when group of young people stand
ing in a restaurant opposite the site
of the burned building beheld dense
smoke in the Zimmerman store. The
alarm was sent forth and excitement
ran high as the populance flocked
to scene all anxious and willing to
aid in extinguishing the flames that
had by that time gotten too much
headway to control. The inflam-
mable materials within were soon
seething mass and the thin sheet
steel siding on the frame structure
became intensely hot.
The wind blew yesterday from the
northwest quarter and the direction
it took caused the sheets of flame
from the burning store to leap over
the roof of the cream station, ad-
joining on the south. The wind al
so whipped the fire into heat of
unusual intesity, so hot that plate
windows on the opposite side of the
street cracked and fell out. That
the fire did not grow into the pro-
portion of conflagration having for
its prey all of the business houses
on the south and, for that matter, on
the other side of the street, was due
to the protection afforded the burn
ing structure by being encased in
steel siding. The firemen and all
hands assisting managed to keep the
flames interiorily located at the
point where they first started.
A call was sent to the Madison
fire company and on short notice
Chief I. d. Lee detailed several of
his men to muster chemical equip
ment for quick trip by special
train to wentworth. Things moved
arpidly her looking towards assist
ance for the neighboring town. When
preparations were about completed a
telephone message reported that 1T
was impossible to save the burning
building, hence all of the local fire
company did not go, though several
did and helped all they could.
The saddest feature of the fire
was the sudden death from over ex-
citement and heart failure of Charl-
es Thomas well known and high
ly respected citizen of Wentworth,
who was engaged in the grocery bus
mess in neat little store across the
street fro mthe Zimmerman estab-
lishment.
AS the fire broke forth from the
Zimmerman building, Mr.. Thomas
made dash to remove his car from
a location near the burning struc-
ture. He succeeded in dcing that
and had his auto in safety when,
after taking but a few steps forward
he fell dead in the presence of a
large crowd of people. For the time
the attention of all was on this more
tragic incident. Surely Wentworth
had enough trouble and loss for that
one day.
/. '~~~-
and a daughter. His son, Bert Tho
mas, resides in Madison. His boy
Arthur, conducts the Wentworth
cream station. The daughter, Miss
Blanche, Is at home. The wife of the
deceased is sister Of County Com
missioner Joe Rosenow.
The Zimmerman store buildin,
was a pioneer structure, H. p. Har
and Martin Heizer built 1t in 1885,
and conducted business there unit
1884 when Zimmerman and Harmn'
purchased it. In 1922 Harms sole
to Mr.. Zimmerman, who has been II
continuous possession for 38 years
For the present Mr.. Zimmerman
: will continue in business in th'
warehouse or the front street lot
He intends on starting immediatel.
r the erestion of new store build
: ing. He receives insurance on three
fourths of the valuation of tn
burned structure.