Edmunds County Tribune -

From the Ipswich Tribune

MANY BIG FIRES

It is doubtful whether any town in the state has suffered from more destructive fires than Ipswich, the county seat of Edmunds County. Having been built as a boom town entirely of lumber and in a very reckless manner, then fires were once started it was almost impossible to check the same.

There were numerous fires taking out a few buildings at a time, but the first great fire was on September 19, 1895, then two entire business blocks and a number of residences were consumed. A little later another fire took the two remaining business blocks. With push born of adversity and a spirit that laughs at destruction, the people went to work and decided to put up only fire proof buildings. The railroad very generously volunteered to ship in buildings material at half rates and eight store buildings were put up together at the first move. Many other buildings entirely fireproof have been constructed.

In 1886 the railroad was extended from Ipswich west to section 21, town 123, range 73, where the town of Bowdle was established. From Roscoe lines were built south to Orient in Faulk county and north to Eureka in McPherson County. In 1900 the road was extended from Bowdle to Evarts on the Missouri river. This completed the line of road from east to west through nearly the center of the county and from North to South six miles west of the center, giving the county 75.07 miles of railroad.