The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-11-19
EDITORS MEET AT ALBA

|EDIIORSMEfT AT ALBA
Southwestern Iowa Editorial Asso.
tion Met at Abba Thursday
Had a Fine Time.
| The fall meeting Of the editors OF
southwestern Iowa, at Abba last Thurs.
day, was one of the best and largest at.
tended in the history of the association
although the meeting was somewhat
married by the terrible disaster which
fell on the thriving city of Abba early
| that morning when nearly 100000 ot
business property was destroyed by fire
| Many of tho editors arrived at Abba on
| the night trains and had Just gotten to
bed when the cry of "Fire" was heard
The fire started in the basement of ]. H,
Loves dry goods store presumably from
the furnace, the fire being confined to
the basement some time. Abba has
paved streets but no waterworks and it
was nearly three quarters of an hour be-
fore steam could be got up in the fire
engines, and by this time Loves store
was doomed and ever effort was directed
to keep the fire from spreading, but a
terrible wind was blowing against which
the fire fighters were powerless and the
flames spread rapidly destroying
brick block after another and in the
midst of the fire second fire started a
block and half north of the first one
and there was two fires to FIGHT. the
second fire burning over an entire block
which hn 10 1,,,,, =
In the state. About this time the water
supply in cisterns was exhausted and the
people had to stand and see everything
burn until the special train came from
Charlton with their engine and hose
which was attached to the O water tank
and in an hour the fire was under con-
troll
With the terrible disaster the editors
supposed the meeting would be called
of, but the Abba people insisted on
everything going ahead just as if they
were usec to 100000 fires, and he edi-
tors met in the Kings opera house, at 8
O'Clock, only an hour later than the pre-
gram called for.
There was good attendance at the
morning session, the program being an
unusually good one. At 1870 the edi-
tors and their ladies left Abba on a
special train to inspect the big mines of
the Smoky Hollow Coal Co. at Avery
and Hynes. In his address of welcome
Mr.. John Il. Evans the sole proprietor
said:
We welcome you to our camp. We
have much pleasure in showing you one
OF the greatest coal plants in Iowa. We
realize and acknowledge the power of
the press and your important part in
it's great work. You hatch ideas, we gem
erate~heat: you plan enterprises, we
generate the power; you condemn the
smoke nuisance, we make more smoke;
you urge on the millions in their mad
rush for power and wealth and pleasure
and we furnish the best coal on earth to
give them speed and a safe Journey.
Enjoy yourselves with us today and
we'll not forget you when you are
gone.
The editors were permitted to inspect
the actual workings of coal mine and
nearly all of them made trip into one
OF the mines. At noon the editors were
delightfully."- entertained at a banquet in
the Evans opera house. In this con-
nection we give the following sketch of
Mr.. John q. Evans, the sole proprietor
of the mines:
"John q. Evans, proprietor and origin
ator Of Smoky Hollow Coal Company.
came to Avery, Monroe county, Iowa,
nineteen years ago. He came to super
intend the coal mines belonging to the
Avery Coal & Fuel Co., corporation
organized at Oskaloosa, Iowa, and they
had their headquarters in that city. At
this time the coal was transported from
Smoky Hollow on narrow gauge rail-
road, only hauling up 200 bushels or s
tons trip. Mr.. Evans acted as SUPER
intendent for this company until 1856.
He then leased from the coal company
what mines they had left and commenc-
ed business for himself at capacity of
about 100 tons gross per day. He con-
tinued with the narrow gauge railroad
until 1891 when to the surprise of Mon
roe county he began to put down a
standard gauge railroad track, and with
his inexhaustible push and energy he
began to increase his daily tonnage until
in the year 1902 he made an average of
100 tons gross per day, and so far for
the year 1908 his mines have averaged
l3OO gross tons of coal per day, making
an annual business of half million dol
lars for 1908. Mr.. Evans during this
period of years has worked and operat-
ed seven mines and made his Famous
Smoky Hollow Coal popular with all,
from the fast trains of the G. B. & Q.
II. r. to the common kitchen stove, the
electric plants, the packing houses, etc.
Mr.. Evans is now operating three
mines, known as No. 4, z. The extern
sive mines and railroad that produce
the Famous Smoky Hollow Cooj 10 nm
equalled in Iowa today, it being the
largest concern of it's kind in Iowa
today owned and operated by one in
dividual."
Returning to Abba at 2:3O the editor
ial program was again taken up and
every minute Of the time until 6 o'clock
occupied in interesting and profitable
papers and discussions. At $50 o'clock
banquet was rendered the editors by
the Abba Business Mems League at
the Armory at which over 800 guests
were seated. John T. Reese acted as
toastmaster, the post prandial program