Marion was visited last night by the most disastrous fire experienced in this city for many years and for a time it threatened to take out the entire block on the northwest side of city square. While that fire was at the height, fire fighters were called to a second conflagration at the home of Judge D.T. Hartwell which was burned to the ground before it could be saved.
Chief of Police Clarida saw smoke issuing from Moore’s Jewelry Store about 7:30 last night and as the town clock struck the half past stroke on the bell Fire Chief Harry Cash laid the first stream of water and was then off for the second stream. When the fire department arrived the fire already had a start and the saving of the building was practically impossible then but the fire laddies did their best. The first stream of hose was laid and played into Moore’s Jewelry store and the second stream was carried to the back and the water turned into the rear of the jewelry store. A third stream of water was then laid and carried over Hudspeth’s barber shop and played into the rear of the building.
After those streams were playing another hose was laid to play water on the fire from the top of the Reid hotel and water was thrown later from the roofs of the other nearby buildings. These were the streams that secured the control of the fire. One stream was kept playing on the front to keep the fire out of the bank and the shoe store as much as possible and the other streams played constant streams of water into the burning building.
The Odd Fellows were in a session last evening when the fire broke out. They were holding an encampment session when someone yelled fire and they heard a terrific noise. A general rush for the door was made and by that time, their room and the hallway was filled with smoke and the men had to almost crawl out to get under the heavy dense smoke that was then pouring into their room. The Odd Fellows only saved one valise full of their belongings. Practically all of their books and regalia were lost and their furnishings were also lost. The Odd Fellows rented the hall themselves and then sub-rented it to the other lodges.The other lodges that also used the room were Rebeccas, Red Men, Pocahontas, Ben Hur, Woodmen of the World, Woodmen Circle and Foresters, all of whom lost their lodge records and their regalia. The attorneys that had their offices upstairs in these buildings suffered heavy losses through their libraries being destroyed.
In the office of Neely, Gallimore, Cook & Potter they had many law volumes which are now out of print and which could not be duplicated at any cost. They also lost considerable of their personal reference books which money could not have bought. Their personal files for eight years back were among the things that went up in smoke. They were able to save their abstract books before the fire got into their rooms but this was about all they could save. The valuable law library of Ex-Congressman R.F. Hill was a total loss from the flames. It was kept in the office of Charles Otey and Spiller Lewis.
The First National Bank was the heaviest individual loser from the fire. They owned the two buildings on the east and then their own loss was also very heavy. The vault and furniture in the bank building were the least damaged of any actually in the fire but their building was a total loss and will have to be taken down. J.C. Mitchell, Cashier of the bank stated this morning that they would rebuild as soon as possible. Their new building will be a handsome structure for the bank and with offices in the upper floors. In the mean time the bank will establish itself in new quarters.
The Williamson County Loan and Improvement Association came out of the fire with a very slight loss. They moved their offices from the Citizens Bank to the office of Charles Otey as Mr. Otey had just been elected secretary of the association. Their safe which was near the west wall did not fall through and was opened with ease this morning and the records were found and taken to the Citizens Bank and Trust Company where they will be temporarily located.
It was a question many times whether the Duncan-Baker Hardware store could be saved. They were in the building adjoining Moore’s Jewelry Store and for a while it looked as the fire would break through the wall. Two facts tended to save the Duncan-Baker building and that was the fact that there was a double wall between them and the fire and the fact they had a metal roof. Smoke broke through into the adjoining buildings and did some damage there as well. The Duncan-Baker company was a loser through smoke.
The Union Clothing Company was also a loser through smoke. Their damage was between four and five thousand dollars, all covered by insurance. The Reid Hotel also suffered from the fire. The amount of their damage was not known this morning but will be in the neighborhood of $500. The Re-De-He lost their club room last evening. They had about $250 worth of furnishings in the room and this was a total loss. The members of the club are Joe Lee, Reuel Youngblood, B. Glen Gulledge, Howard McCluskey, Ward Russell, Clarence Lay and Ben LaMaster. They had insurance but expect to get new quarters as soon as possible. Charles Hay who owned the part of the building occupied by Moore’s Jewelry store is out of the city and so we were unable to ascertain his plans but it is thought that he will rebuild. It is understood that he has his building insured.
Only two bad injuries were sustained at the fire last evening. One of these was by Assistant Chief, R.A. Cash who received a bad cut from falling glass. The other injury was Clyde Gallagher. Gallagher was assisting with the hose in front of Moore’s store and the men started to change the position of the hose. It broke away from them and knocked Gallagher down breaking his wrist.
There was an immense crowd present to witness the blaze. They assembled on the square and in all of the nearby buildings. When Judge Hartwell’s home caught on fire everyone made a rush to see that fire as well. Both fires were very spectacular. Assistance was given by Herrin and Johnston City fire departments.
(Extracted from local newspapers and compiled by Harry Boyd, posted at http://www.marionfire.us/ )