Havre and the fire of 1904

By Keith J. Doll

Havre/Hill County Historic Preservation Commission

In 1902, Ed Broadwater and Simon Pepin sold their mercantile stock of Broadwater-Pepin Co. to W. E. French of Harlem and rented their building on First Street to H. W. Gross, who owned a business east of the store. The Post Office relocated earlier to the Chestnut block, located on the northwest corner of Second Street and Third Avenue. Ed and Simon retired from the mercantile trade to give more time to their cattle business. In 1903 H.W. Gross sold half interest in his business to his brother-in-law John J. Lebert from Kalispell and the firm became known as Gross and Lebert. They sold hardware, furniture, tinware, farm machinery, wagons, buggies, coffins and caskets.

Also in 1902 and 1903, with the new Great Northern shops in Havre, they needed lodging for the workers that were moving in. Prominent men and businesses like Joe Gussenhoven, A.J. Broadwater, L.K. Devlin, Simon Pepin, Pat Yeon, H.W. Stringfellow, Joe DeMars, Gus Decelle, and the Broadwater-Pepin Company built many cottages by the railroad and around town for the workers coming to Havre to work in the shops.

Shortly after midnight on Thursday, Jan. 14, 1904, a fire was spotted in the back of the Gross and Lebert’s store. A southwest wind had melted all the snow and there was still a southwest wind blowing at that time. An alarm went off in the railway yard also a whistle at the Havre Electric Company, located on the northwest corner of Second Street and Fourth Avenue where the I.O.O.F. building is today. After the fire started there was a big explosion in the Gross and Lebert’s store, blowing the windows out and the roof off, meaning the fire had hit gunpowder. At no time, as fierce as the fire was, did they imagine saving any of the structures on the oldest block in town. The north side of the street was saved thanks to the Great Northern Railway, with only some cracked windows from the heat. A fire hose was attached to the Great Northern water system and full pressure was put on, giving the north side of the street such a soaking a fire couldn’t start. When the fire first started any items they had time to save was stacked on the street. It wasn’t long until the hobos and looters were going through the salvage and taking what they wanted. Fifteen arrests were made in both fires.

The second fire and the fire that caused more damage than the first, broke out about noon that same day. A store clerk at Stringfellow Drug Store opened the trap door to go downstairs into the cellar and was greeted by heavy smoke. The Stringfellow Drug Store was located on the southeast corner of First Street and Third Avenue. With the burst of oxygen hitting the smoke it started a fire. They only had time to remove one display case and themselves before the fire burned down the frame building.

It then burned east to the Skylestead’s Store, Montana Supply Company, then to the Hotel Havre. The fire burned to the end of the block. Sparks were flying in the air like fireflies; one landed across the street and started M. Nordin’s Clothing Store on fire. A spark landed on the wooden sidewalk of F.A. Buttrey’s Fair Store, next to Norden’s store, and soon that building was also in flames. To the east, all the buildings burned down including the Metropolitan Hotel on the far east side of the block. West from the Fair Store it went to the Buffalo Saloon on the corner. It then burned north to W.W. Thackeray’s bakery and residence on the corner. The fire went east burning dwellings and other buildings, making a clean sweep of that block. The block between Fourth and Fifth Avenues, Main and First Street of mostly dwellings burned next, all but the southeast corner. Ropes closed the streets and avenues so spectators couldn’t go past and be in danger. The Montana Central in Great Falls sent Railway engine #151, a tank car with water, a flatcar with a large supply of chemicals, and a caboose. The Fire Chief and Chief of Police from Great Falls also came to help. The train left Great Falls at 2:40 p.m. and arrived in Havre at 5:55 p.m. making the trip in 3 hours and 15 minutes. Faster by 50 minutes than a scheduled passenger trip. This train had the right-of-way, three handcars got in the way, and they were smashed to splinters, but no one was hurt. The fire pretty much ran out of buildings for it to burn, so it was easy to contain. They were able to get control of it about 5:00 that evening. Undersheriff Blevens swore in several men as deputy sheriffs to help keep order and watch the salvage. Captains McDonald and Rice from Fort Assinniboine came up with 40 to 50 men to help guard the salvage overnight. The Great Northern sent some sleeping cars for the railroad workers and their families until they could find a suitable place to stay. Each car had its own porter to keep the car warm and help where they could. Rental space for business and sleeping places were at a premium. The new McIntire Opera House, built in late 1903 and next to P.J. and Margaret McIntyre’s residence, became a bunkhouse and a place for the First National Bank to move temporarily. The Opera House was located on the north side of Second Street between Third and Fourth avenues about where Wells Fargo parking lot is now. No one was killed in the fires.

To this day, it is not known what or who caused the fire. Several theories have been made, even one arrest, but no proof or witnesses, just theories.

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To be continued in part II of Havre and the fire of 1904