Askov American

FIRE DESTROYS HOTEL, BAKERY

An Early Sunday Morning Blaze Wipes Out Askov Building.

The Askov hotel and bakery went up in flames Sunday morning and this marks the passing of an old land mark. The building was already an old one when the Danes started to colonize here 18 years ago. About 15 years ago it was moved slightly so that it faced the street instead of being diagonal with the railroad and at that time extensive repairs were also made.

The fire Sunday morning started about 6:30 and within two hours the entire wooden structure was but a mass of ruins, only the foundation being left. The smoke was first noticed by one of the roomers at the hotel, Chr. Sorensen, escaping from the bakery which joined the hotel. He immediately sent in an alarm and strenuous efforts were put forth by the proprietor, V. Heininge, and others in the building to save the structure but the fire rapidly gained headway and by the time the fire fighters arrived with the hose and water nothing could be done to save the building so effort was immediately turned toward saving what furniture could be hurriedly carried away.

How the fire originated remains a mystery as the last baking was done by the proprietor of the bakery, Conrad Christensen, Saturday morning, and there had been no fire in the stove there since.

Mr. Heininge's interests in the hotel is a total loss as only $2,000 insurance was in force, a $3,000 policy having lapsed some weeks ago which was not renewed. There was $500 insurance on fixtures in the bakery.

The Heininge family took charge of the hotel last spring when they traded their farm in on the deal. While they have lost their entire interests the loss will likely also involve others on account of the small amount of insurance carried.

The hotel was first owned by "Dansk Folkesamfund" when the Danes started settling here 18 years ago, and was then managed by the L. Mosbaek family after which Duus & Pedersen conducted it for a while, and in turn the R. Pedersen and Martin Johnsen families have been proprietors. Mrs. Hansen of Withee, Wis., then bought the building and rented it to two young ladies who have since married and reside here--being Mrs. Jens Hansen and Mrs. Chr. Hansen.

The Louis Olsen family then managed the hotel for a short while after which Mr. and Mrs. Chr. Hansen conducted it for a number of years. H. Simonsen then purchased the hotel and together with his sons and John L. Madsen managed it a year or two and last spring it was purchased by the Heininge family and was since conducted by them. The purchase price then was $10,000.

At present the Heininge family are temporarily domiciled in the railroad section house.

No actions have yet been taken in regard to rebuilding of the hotel and bakery and it is likely that the matter will rest a while.