Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-12-05
IHE ElRE EIENpI
The Nest Destructive CONFEDERATION
In tho History Of Our City.
Ten Buildings Burnod--Loss $780,
900.

Ton Buildings Burnod--Loss $780,
900.
| An event which has long been antici
pa!cd and dreaded, the burning Of the
row Of old frame buildings on the north
side of Main street east of Chatham
street, occurred lart Friday night and
in extent and amount oil losses may be
set down as the most serious visitation
of the kind in our history as city.
Serious rs was the calamity Of last week
but for the fact that the night was still
it would without doubt have become
our duty in this issue to record the dc.
struction of almost the whole business
portion of our city, AS it was, the de-
vouring element swept clear the space
from Chatham street to Munson's block,
including ten business buildings.
The fire was discovered about half past
II O'Clock, in shed attached to the rear
cast wall Of the Leytze block, and used
by the inmates Of the building us a wood
house. This slight structure was soon
all aflame, and the fire being rapidly COM
municated to the roof of the block, it
sOon became apparent that it was DOOM
ed to destrnc,i IL. The Leytze block was
occupied as follows: In the basement
the beer hall Of the proprietor, A. Leytze;
on the first floor A. F. Williams 4 Son,
groceries, and ]. F. Hodges, dry goods
The second story was occupied by VIM.
Few, tailor; N. Blondin, barber; and
Miss L. V. Raymond, dressmaker. The
rooms in the rear Of this story being
used 40 living apartments by Mr.. Leytze,
Harmon Clark. and A. Dusman. With
the exception of the furniture and house.
hold effects of the families in the second
story, the greater part Of the contents of
the block, including the stocks and
fixtures Of the merchants, were removed,
though some of the goods were in dam.
aged condition
From the Leytze block the fire spread
in two directions; up Chatham toward
the north, and up Main toward the east.
The brick Wigwam on Chatham street
belonging to N. Burr WAS consumed. In
it was stored n lot Of new furniture be.
longing to s. NJ. Marquette, some farm
machinery, and a lot of turkeys, live and
dressed, belonging to Chas Burr, nearly
all of which was removed without mate
rial damage or loss. BY the most super
human exertions the flames were stayed
in this direction, though not until barn
belonging to j. S. Woodward, opposite
the Burr block, and occupied by Tom
Palmer, was badly scorched
From the Leytze block the fire at first
slowly and then with increasing fury,
worked toward the east. The first build.
ing to so in this direction was one sto-
~ saloon kept by one Latferty, the build
ing owned by Mr.. Loytze The next
was the cigar factory of Boric & McCa:-
thy, this building was also the property Of
Mr. Leytze. Next came the harness
shop and dwelling of Louis Sooner.
During all this lime scarcely drop of
water was thrown on the fire. The land
engine belonging to the city, which was
supposed TO be in good working order,
was carly brought out and stationed at
the public cistern at the corner of Main
and Walnut streets, portion Of the Hook
and Ladder Company being detailed to
work it. When all was ready, the hose
laid and the pipemen ut their posts, IL
was discovered that the machine would
not draw water, and thenceforth it was
useless for any practical purpose The
difficulty was in the valves, which were
frozen tight. But for this unfortunate
the conflagration would
have been confined to the
Leytze block and the adjoining buildings
Still, there is no person or company who
can justly be blamed for the failure of |
the engine. 1t is simply unfortunate
that there was not a company attached
to it, whose special duty it was to ope !
rate it, and who should be responsible |
for its condition. The first duty of the
city authorities should be to organize
such a company.
While the fire was raging in SOeners |
building, the Hook & Ladder Co. crap.
pied with their huge hooks, the little build.
ing adjoining, belonging to Swartz s |
Wengert, and occupied as meat market
by Birmingham s. Robinson, partially de-
it. TWAS hoped by this means
10 prevent the fire from communicating
with the brick building next east of 1t,
owned by Antony Lingscheid, the upper
story of which he occupied as a residence,
the lower floor being the shoe store of
49, H..