A NOONDAY BLAZE. A careless boy cook in Gill’s Restaurant played the part of Mrs. O’Leary’s cow while cooking dinner, Tuesday. He let the grease in the skillet catch afire and then threw water on it, which action only served to enlarge the blaze. The ceiling of the restaurant, which was located in the basement of CH. Denison’s building on the north side of the square, was very low and the blaze soon got a start on it. Much hard work was done by men with buckets of water to extinguish the flames in their embryo but the smoke was so dense they could not locate the fire in to check it. When it became a certainty that the building was doomed the work of carrying out the goods of the different firms commenced.
Trevor and Payne saved most of their dry goods but lost their entire grocery department and their shoes. Dudley Aikman saved most of the fixtures of his butcher shop. All of the mail in the post office was saved and a small part of the fixtures. Pillow’s stock of books, papers and stationery was saved. After all goods, that could be, were removed from the attention of the fire, fighters turned to the adjoining buildings.
Jim Goodall’s new brick on the west side and Frank Goodall’s on the east were in the greatest danger and their rescue from the flames seems miraculous. All the expose wood work of these buildings burned, yet the flames were held at bay, even during the hottest period of the big fire. The bucket brigade fought nobly. The fiery tongues shot out viciously and almost lapped the north side of the court house. They roared over North Market Street and set fire to the window and door frames of F.M. Goodall’s fine, new, brick building. Spectators declared that this building was beyond rescue and it did seem as but a force of determined men faced the scorching heat and held the demon back. It was a noble fight and a great victory for had the new Goodall building burned – we shudder at the thought of how far the destruction would have gone.
The firms and individuals suffering are as follows: Trevor & Payne carried a $15,000 stock which was insured for $12,000. The value of the part destroyed is not yet known. The building belonged to Chas. H. Denison and was valued at $15,000 and was insured for $8,000. The new fixtures of the post office cost Postmaster Hartwell $275 and were insured for their full value. There was also a safe, stove and other fixtures which were also fully insured. Will Pillow saved all of his stock, but lost about $20 worth of fixtures not insured. The Knights of Pythias had about $600 worth of stuff destroyed which was a total loss. The Masons lost their paraphernalia which was insured for $150 but this will not near cover the loss. The Odd Fellows carried $232.70 in insurance but lost paraphernalia and fixtures to a much greater value. The Eastern Star, the Rebeccas, the Modern Woodmen, the Golden Cross and the Miners lost their all and we are informed that none of them carried any insurance.
Sam H. Goodall lost his office furniture, books and papers and switch board of the telephone system, a $2000 loss. He carried $1000 insurance on the destroyed property. Dudley Aikman suffered a small loss but saved most of his property. His loss is covered by insurance. Dick Toney lost all his barber shop fixtures but his chairs but was insured for almost full value. John Gill, owner of the restaurant in which the fire started, lost his entire stock of groceries and restaurant fixtures and had not a cent of insurance. He is a poor man and the loss with him is the greatest of all. Jas. A. Goodall’s building suffered the loss of a plate glass window and other damages but his loss is fully covered by insurance.
A.L. Clines’ front is all glassless and will have to be repainted but the insurance company will pay for the repairs. Some insurance company will be obliged to put about $125 worth of repairs on Abney’s drug store front. F.M. Goodall estimates the damage to his building to amount to $700, fully insured. Denison & Spieldoch’s store stock of clothing received much hurt from the fire, smoke and water to an extent not yet known but the loss will be borne by the insurance company. Smith & Henshaw, lawyers, had their sign ruined. Not insured. A.F.White & Co. Real Estate agents had their office over the postoffice. We could not learn their loss. The Electric Light Company lost some poles and wire which were not insured.
(Extracted from the Egyptian Press and compiled by Harry Boyd, posted at http://www.marionfire.us/ )