Prosper, MN Lumber Yard Fire, July 1913

NEIGHBORS SAVE TOWN OF PROSPER.

MEN FROM THE SURROUNDING TOWNS COME TO AID AND FORM BUCKET BRIGADE WHICH CHECKS FLAMES.

Prosper, Minn., July 25 -- (Special) -- Three hundred men, comprising all of the citizens of this town, and all of those who could come from the neighboring towns, formed a bucket brigade here and saved the village late yesterday, when a fire starting in the lumber yard threatened to sweep the single street.
After several hours' heroic effort the fire was confined to the lumber yards, where the sheds, offices, stables and lumber-piles were destroyed.
Several other buildings were partly burned. The loss is estimated at $7,000 or $8,000.
The fire was discovered by a small boy at 3:30 yesterday afternoon. He ran through the town yelling the alarm, and the whole population turned out to battle the flames. They found that it was so far advanced as to be beyond their control, and the village was in despair. The telephone operator, however, had been busy putting in calls for aid to all of the surrounding towns, and in a short time help began to come from Mabel, Preston, Canton, Decorah and Harmony.
Like Prosper, the small towns were able to send nothing but men, all lacking fire fighting apparatus.
A store's supply of buckets was commandeered, and a line was formed which passed the water from a pump so rapidly as to keep the fire from getting a good hold on the Southern Minnesota station.
Had the station gone up, all hope would have been lost of saving the town. If forms the connecting link between the village proper and the lumber yard, where the fire began.
At 9 o'clock this morning the fire was still smouldering, but all danger was past. The flames continued to devour the lumber piles all during the night.

LaCrosse Tribune Wisconsin 1913-07-25
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!