Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1890-12-19
KIRKSv|LLE FIRE.
A Young Man Crush
ed Beneath Fall
ing Walls.
VALUABLE PROPERTY DE-
STROYED. FULL PAR
TICLARS OF THE
FIRE.

Last Saturday morning Kinks
vile was again visited by another
destructive fire. But this time to
the loss of property was added the
loss of life, aud the great physical
suffering of those who were buried
beneath the falling walls. Other
visitations of tiie have swept away
block after block that were soon
rebuilt, and the circumstances of
these fires have been almost for
gotten. But that of Saturday
morning, with its attendant hor-
rors, will ever remain indellbly
fixel in the memory OF every be-
holder.
The fire originated in P. NJ.
Smiths hardware store, on the
northwest corner of the square,
but whether on the first or second
floor, there are conflicting opin-
ions. The first arrivals on the
ground found the street filed with
dense smoke, and little fire to be
seen within the building. But
soon the explosion of keg of
powder scattered fire in all direc-
tions, and from this time on the
the flames were master of the stu
alton. The hardware store, furni-
ture store, shop, and ware room of
P. Nj. Smith and residence and
shoe shop of W. L. Smith went
down before them in quick sue
cession. The fire department was
quickly on the ground and the
hose was connected with the we'll
at the PARCELS House and stream
turned on the fire. 1t was soon
discovered, however, that it was
mere child's play to attempt to
cope with the fire, with the means
at hand, and attention was turned
to the Masonic building across
the street, which was already be-
ginning to smoke from the intense
heat.
BY this time the water in the
we'll at the PARCELS House was ex-
hausted, and new supply had to
be found. The engine was moved
to the well at the mill, the hose
attached, and an attempt made to
reach the mansard roof of the
Masonic building which had
caught fire in the cornice. But
the humiliating discovery was
made that, the most determined
effort at the pump was powerless
to raise the stream to the cornice,
and extinguish the little blaze not
larger than mans hand, that
threatened the destruction OF
the building. Firemen then
ascended to the roof and attempt
ed to extinguish the flames from
that position.
But the heat was SO intense that
no one could remain upon that part
of the roof, and the position had
to be abandoned. From this time
on saving the building was looked
upon as a hopeless task, and the
county records were all carried
out and deposited in the park out
Of reach of flames or water. 9th
ers were at work removing the
goods from McKeehan's drug
store, Harris jewelry establish
ment and Pickler's dry goods
store.
The fire gradually worked it's
way into the building and once in
side spread rapidly over the entire
upper story. The joists on the
east side were burned off and in
falling pushed the fire wall Of the
Masonic building outward, and
without warning, and when there
WAS not a thought of danger, it
toppled over and fell upon the
Hart building and Pickler's store
room, crushing the former as if it
were an egg shell, and breaking
an immense hole in the latter, 60
ing through roof and second floor
and depositing tons of brick and
mortar upon the first floor of the
building,and filling it with sitting
dust and smoke.
The crash was SO sudden that
the crowd seemed dazed for an in.
stant, but was quickly aroused by
the groans of the injured and the
cries for help from those impris-
oned in the ill-fated building, and
rush was made to the rescue.
But the totterlng wall above them
gave warning that there was still
danger. and only a few entered.
When the crash came there
were within the building Mr.. VIM.
Hart, his son Volney, his daugh-
ter, Mrs. Rose Bunker, Fred.
Sweat, VIM. Price and n. D..
Smith. The latter three worked
their way out and escaped, but
were all severely bruised and cut
about the head and face.
Mrs. Bunker was rescued after
being III the ruins about twenty
minutes. She was severely cut
about the head and injured inter
nally. An attempt to remove MIR.
Hart was made by placing rope
around his body, and pulling
from the outside. But he was pin
ned down by heavy timber, and