This week in history, Yorkton was on fire.
Yorkton’s Western Grocers Branch was the third fire in a week on March 2, 1941, following a fire on February 23 which destroyed Independent Groceteria and a fire on February 25 which destroyed Harry Beck’s store in the annex of the Roxy Theatre, causing $7,000 worth of damage. The Western Grocers fire was, to that point, estimated to be the largest fire in the city’s history, with $135,000 worth of damage.
The three fire week came after the city was relatively untouched by fire for a few years, as the Enterprise reported the most recent fires in the city were at John Deere Plow Co. in 1934 and the previous October at Logan and Black’s lumber yard.
The three fires launched a debate on the city’s fire fighting equipment at the time, with calls from the writers at The Enterprise to call for the purchase of more fire fighting equipment.
“Mayor Peaker apparently is satisfied that Yorkton has sufficient equipment. At least he says he is until he is told otherwise by the fire underwriters. Unquestionably, Yorkton will be told to get additional equipment by the underwriters when they submit their report and the citizens of this city should see that it is secured. The life of one individual is of much more importance than a reduced tax rate.”
The Enterprise did have praise for the city’s firefighters, however, saying that even a brigade from Winnipeg would have been unlikely to do a better job.
Investigators were satisfied that the three fires in the city were caused by “natural causes” and “dismissed any idea of it being the work of a fire bug or sabotage.”
A crowd gathered to watch the warehouse go up in flames, and some were called in to help fight the blaze, though fire chief Carter was quoted as saying that from the beginning they knew their efforts were in vain.
“Gradually, in spite of the gallons of water being spewed into the interior of the building up through the top story windows, the smoke clouds changed from white to pink to grayish brown and then finally fierce crackling of the flames proclaimed its victory. All this within half an hour and now that hope was gone the tension lessened.”
Western Grocers did go on to rebuild after the fire.
In happier news, the Terriers were also on fire, albeit in a positive sense. “Every Terrier a star” as they beat the Saskatoon Quakers 8-5 in the first game of the semi-final series, to see who would take on either Regina or Flin Flon for the provincial title.
Women’s suits were $19.95 at the Bay, and the advertisement made special mention of how all suits were tailored by men in “mannish styles.”
“Yes, there’s a man behind it all,” read the copy. “To fashion you a real man-tailored suit at a price that’s far below what you’d expect to pay. A man will measure you... a man will tailor your suit with all the features of men’s suits so necessary for fashion rightness this spring.”
Fire victims Independent Groceteria were selling from their temporary location on Second Avenue, and were still “carrying on in the usual way.” That meant a 7lb bag of Robin Hood flour for 25 cents and a 5 string broom for 35 cents each.
