Thanks Susan for the article on the City Hall fire. That seems to be
exactly the way it happened. In the picture you can see how the west
wall had fallen outwards, this nearly blew Terry Martinson off his feet!
The picture was taken a 9 AM according to the article and was before the
big chimney was pulled over into the basement by the Rural Electric
workmen. The part about the siren being saved is not totally correct
though, we retrieved it but I think it was shot. After the roof fell in,
we could see the siren hanging on the wires, just inside the front
doors! I don’t remember who cut the wires and brought it out but I think
it had been burned badly enough to not be any good anyway. I remember it
sitting on the sidewalk in front of the hall after it was all over. I
talked to Helen Metcalfe this past weekend and she said she and her
husband had the hall rented for their wedding dance that next weekend
but when they drove into town it was just smoldering ruins! They rented
the Odd Fellows hall in Bottineau and had their dance there. The reason
I was up that early that morning was that I worked at Dunseith Sand and
Gravel that summer and I had to be there at 6:30. I worked mornings
until about 2:30 and then went to the farm. Lowell Leonard came to work
then and worked until late evening. The reason I am mentioning this is
that most 18 year olds probably weren’t up at that time, then, either!
Thanks Susan and Gary!
Dick
The attached picture is the 1944 DHS basketball team. I know most of
them but I bet Mona and the others can name them all. So that is your
assignment, Mona! Thanks for the help on the 1945 team. Being the
packrat that I am, I still have the leather knee pads Dad is wearing in
this picture! I also have a leather football helmet from DHS. We were
told to haul a bunch of football gear to the dumpground but I kept one
football helmet and a band cap. The band cap has the name “Lois” printed
on the inside. Could be either Lois Lilleby or Lois Hiatt, the only two
I know with that name. Anybody want to inform us on who?? I also have a
leather basketball from 1950 or 1951 that my uncle Cliff got when he was
in high school. That ball is in bad shape from being played with on
concrete and mud and wet conditions when I was young, but I still have
it nearly sixty years later! Thanks to all who have helped put the names
on these pictures and to Gary for everything!!
Dick
