Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-03-01

II
scattered, but wherever they may be.
IT alive, they will have kindly feelings
Tor their old home, and the memory of
their former friends Of the Valley.
For some time but little Of special
Importance TRANSFERRED to enltven the
town or make items OF interest.
During 1871, the town had reached q
point of considerable commercial
Importance, trade had largely incress-
ed. railroad freight and passenger
business, in g financial way, had be.
come quite an item, and the roads had
made considerable improvements. both
inside and out the city limits, the
brick round house had been built, sice
tracks had been laid, and everything
indicated permanency in their
improvements.
Owing to tho cold winters, we, like
wild geese, tegan to feel that 1t was
about time to GO south so began to
look for a purchaser. aud soon found
one in the person of NJ. II. Goltry, who
took charge fthe, "Hsrrtsonian" Office
vi the spring "t 1872, and we moved to
/. Independence, Montgomery, Co, Kan,
and bought tins kansas Democrat" Of
V b Bennett, but our family not liking
the country. W. again sold out and
returned to Mo Valley, and not desir.
ing TO enter into competition with
Mr. Goltry, and John Schultz desiring
to sell his grocery business and 90 to
California, we bought his establish
ment, and commenced business. but
November IA. 1879. the great fire that
swept lower Erie street, destroyed
every building romthe allev between
Osborne's Drug store and the Burbank
brick block, destroying Lshman's hsr-
ness shop, Harris & McGavren's hard
ware store, ID M Harris s. Sons gro.
Gerry store, L N Goodrtch's music store,
Dr. l. d Mckinley's Office, Ellis Bros
dry goods store, Harvey Mann's lum-
Der. door and sash yards, and all the
small buildings, causing loss of over
fifty Thousand dollars, with not q cent
of insurance on any of the property
destroyed. A. G. Hard being an occu-
pant in the upper rooms over the hard
ware store, he with his family barely
escaped from the banning building.
looslpg their entire household goods,
embl acing q fine piano and other cost
~ articles, sta heavy cost without in
surance. Another family living over
the Harris grocery store, also lost their
entire household goods
This great fire was quite financial
loss, not only TO those personally
Interested. but 10 the city aud the
public generally, and caused great
change In business.
The fire originated in the harness
shop, then conducted by Hardin Math-
ews, on the corner, aud extended east
to tie corner Of Fourth and Erie SITS
It has never been sscertained
whether the fire was the work of an
tncendisry or some other cause; the
city being without water protection,
and the wind blowing perfect gale,
with snowtfying, there was nothing to
do but stand and see the tire exhaust
itself for want of material.
j. H. Crowder, then Postmaster, and
keeping his Office on the south side of
the street from the FIRE, concluded to
move the Office to q safe place, and in
doing go, carried out the letter boxes
and other movable properties, and in
the hurry forgot to take in charge the
cash in the cash drawer, amounting to
about one hundred dollars. and after
ths excitement had subsidized he went
for his money. but it turned ont that
some fiend, to save the aash. had neen
thela and ramoyed the same Forgetting
to report the fact to the postmaster,
and 80 Crow1er was hundred short.
The idea ofrobbing during such mis-
fortune, requires measure of deprav-
ity unknown, and disgrace to even
dog town.
(3'O be cOntinued.l
Joe Dulligan was In town Monday
trying to srcape enough men together
to bury horses as fast AZ they were
killed down in the pasture. Last Fri.
day All Illinois Central train came
along and killed one. Saturday sn0th-
or one met the same fate and Sunday
morning the third ono waa killed
One belonged to Contractor Posey,
one to T A Massie and the other to
Guy Palmer. Joe estimates the value
of the horses at about a20Q-Nueieus.