Flames on Main Street Extinguished by Our Hustling Firemen.
At five minutes after noon on Friday last flames were seen issuing from the roof of the red front on Main street. Five minutes later the firemen had two streams of water pouring on the fire, which was then shooting up under a strong south wind. The general impression was that the red front and at the Nora and Graham buildings on the north could not be saved, so fierce were the flames and so strong the wind. But 10 minutes after the first hose was laid the boys had four streams playing on the building and within half an hour all danger of the fire was over.
Meanwhile everyone turned in and helped the merchants to carry out their goods. Smith & Penrose occupied the first floor of the red front with a stock of groceries. Willing hands placed most of their stock in safety. The upper story was occupied by the families of Robert Lang and a man named Erickson. They got their stuff out with considerable loss by water and breakage. The next building on the north was occupied by Frank Hora, the first floor being his harness shop and the second his dwelling. His stock was slightly damaged and his household goods injured by water and breakage. J. D. Brown, the next occupant on the north, in William Graham's building, suffered some inconvenience, but little loss. The Golden Eagle Clothing company carried out their goods and got some of them dirty, and Burnside & son had a similar experience.
Frank Motie owned the red front. The upper part of the building was damaged to the extent of $600, covered by insurance. Penrose & Smith's stock is about $300 the worse for the fire, uninsured; and the tenants in the second story sustained a loss of $50 with no insurance.
Frank Hora's building was damaged $400 and his stock $35, both insured. He had no insurance on his furniture, and cannot estimate the damage. The Graham building was insured and it will take $35 to repair it.
Penrose & Smith have moved into the building formerly occupied by the Herald, where they will remain until the red front can be put in shape. Mr. Hora moved his goods back after the fire, and is at the old stand.
The fire is thought to have caught from the chimney of the red front, as it originated under the roof.
Fortunately the tank was full of water, and the half hour that the hose played lowered it only three feet. But so scanty is the supply in the wells that the tank could not be filled again until Monday evening, although the pumps were started as soon as the fire was over. We must have a better water supply. That is now apparent to all.
The work of the firemen was highly praised. It was conceded at the start that the entire block was in great danger, yet in half an hour the boys put out the flames with only two buildings damaged. Without water works the entire business part of the town would have gone, owing to the high wind.
Frank Ady was hit on the head by a chair thrown from the second story of the red front, and received a severe scalp wound. No one else was injured, but excited people made the usual mistakes and laughable blunders.
(Researched and transcribed from microfilm by B. Ekse. Note: I thought this article would give some idea of what was located where in 1894. The fire must have been on the east side of Main, because Burnside was on the same corner occupied by Hemer's Plumbing in 2002.)