Smith Block fire at #29 East Broadway on July 1, 1961. The photo shows a fireman running for his life as the wall comes tumbling down. It was a fire that started around midnight and was under control three hours later. There was of course, some damage to the neighbouring businesses; the R.A. Patrick Block on the east and the new Smith Block on the west side. Fire Chief Burton Harper, seven professional firemen, 12 volunteers and six helpers were deserving of great credit for confining the fire to a small area--basically the property area. They were aided also by the R.C.M.P. There was no loss of life and no one was seriously injured. The damage was estimated at round $191,000.00. Deputy Mayor Rudy Schick acting for Mayor Fichtner praised the men of the helping professions, and expressed sympathy for the businesses located in this block.
A former owner of the Smith Block Mrs. M. Houston of Vancouver, formerly Mrs. Mervin Carson of Yorkton wrote the following to the newspaper: This block was once mine, built by my late husband Mervin Carson 65 years ago (around 1895), sold to Mrs. J.B. Gibson who sold it to Bert Smith.
Source of photo: The City of Yorkton Fire Department Photo Album donation.
Contact Terri Lefebvre Prince,
Heritage Researcher,
City of Yorkton Archives,
Box 400, 37 Third Avenue North
Yorkton, Sask. S3N 2W3
306-786-1722
heritage@yorkton.ca
