Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 June 1893 — FARGO’S FIERCE FIRE. [ARTICLE]

FARGO’S FIERCE FIRE.

THE BUSTLING NORTH DAKOTA TOWN IN RUINS. Warehouses Filled with Goods Fall an Easy Prey to the Flames—Three Thousand People Homeless—Six Lives Lost— Thirty-six Blocks Burned Over. The Loss Is Fully •3,250,000. Practically only one hotel in town is left—the Headquarters. The fire burned all around it, but it was saved. Only one restaurant is left in the town. Moorhead hotels are full. Large numbers of people are compelled to sleep in the court-house and school-houses on the south side. Only two grocery stores are left in the town, one being Yerxas', upon which the principal efforts of two companies were directed all evening in order to eave the Headquarters Hotel. The three-story Citizens’ Bank, just opened, opposite, made a very hot fire, but Yerxas' was saved though badlv scorched, and had taken fire several times. Origin of the Conflagration.

Later dispatches fully confirm the first reports as to the extent of the disastrous conflagration at Fargo, North Dakota. Over half the city was laid in waste by the destructive element. The flames were not got under control until after 3 o’clock the following morning. Thirty-five stores and business blocks and 228 residences were burned, entailing a loss of fully $3,2'0,0u0. Three thousand people are homeless, and all the churches,, school housesand public buildings left standing are being used as places of shelter. The good women of the town whose houses escaped turned out in brigades and organized to feed the unfortunate ones. The fire was started by hot ashes from the Gem restaurant thrown out behind, igniting some loose paper back of Hoseman’s dry goods store. Somebody left the front door open. Inside of three minutes the wind had driven the flames through the building and burst out of the roof. During the next fifteen minutes the flames ran two blocks west, taking brick buildings and all, then jumped across the street to Magill’s big machinery warehouse containing $9,U00 worth of twine and $5,090 machinery. North and east of this for two blocks each way are the big machinery depots, mostly two-story wooden buildings, and at this time of the year are filled to the roof with a year’s supply of farm machinery for North Dakota. For perhaps a quarter of an hour the firemen kept the flames from jumping the railroad track; then first on one roof, then another, tongues of flame broke out as whirling fire flakes settled on the shingles. Inside half an hour the whole space for four bi cks was a whirlwind of flame. The only machinery houses saved are the Walter A. Wood and Monitor Press Drill. Both were on fire several times, but the flrenr n made a stubborn fight and managed to arrest the flames, so preventing them spreading east to Moorhead. The firemen now tried to confine the flames south of Northern Pacific avenue, but the wind was carrying cinders a couple of blocks. Cole’s stable caughtfire and the operahouse block soon followed, while the Grand hotel was burning on the east. An eddy of wind sent the flames over toward Front street, carrying everything in their path. The flames then took a shoot north toward the Great Northern freight depot, burning the new Methodist Church on Robert street, and a large number of residences and small stores. The secret societies su.lered severely. The Masons, Templars, Knights of Pythias, Knights of Honor, Odd-Fel-lows, Cantons, Rebekahs, Grand Army, United Workmen, and Woodmen all lost their halls, with nearly all their property. Every open space is filled with confused collections of household goods, buggies, merchandise, legal libraries, etc., hurriedly carried there. The militia was called out and placed on duty to guard property as much as possible. All night the people were in a panic, as the flames seemed not to diminish, while the sky was lit by the great flames making the night almost as light as day. The relief corps organized received many reports of people who are missing, and without doubt it will develop that a number of lives have been lost. Six persons are reported killed.