The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-05-19
SATURDAY NIGHT FIRE
Grocery Store of 4. Il. Garner was
Badly Damaged BY Smoke, Fire
and Water in Midnight Blaze.

1t has been some time since there
was fire in the business section of
Leon, and but for good work there
would have been very disastrous
fire Saturday night, when the grocery
store of R. II. Garner at the south
west corner of the square was badly
damaged by fire which started in
the basement.
Mr.. Garner was the last down in
the basement Saturday night, going
down and locking it up about half
past nine o'clock. He closed the
grocery about 1880 and started for
the home of his brother, j. O. Gar
ner, of Eden township, about II
o'clock to visit over Sunday. About
midnight Mrs. Orel Estes smelled
smoke which was discernible in
the kitchen of the Estes Cafe, but
could not be smelled in the front
part of the building. Mr.. and Mrs
Estes made a careful search all over
their building for fire, going down
into the basement and around the
buildings at the rear but could dis
cover no fire. They closed the cafe
at o'clock and walked past the
grocery but did not notice any fire or
smoke, but as they were passing
along the south side of the Exchange
Bank they saw a puff of smoke come
out of basement window about the
center of the building. Mr.. Estes
secured a lantern and chemical ex-
tinguisher and went to the basement
and broke in and tried to fight the
fire out but there was SO much smoke
he could do nothing. The alarm was
hastily sounded and big crowd was
soon on the scene. There was trouble
in getting the big engine started and
the hand engine was brought out
and used to keep the flames back
until the big engine was started and
then it soon made short work Of the
fire. The grocery store was filled
with smoke and the flames burned a
hole through the floor about the
center of the room and let one coun-
ter drop through to the basement.
There was not so much flames in the
store room but owing to the smoke
it was necessary to food the whole
room and the smoke and water. left
the stock in badly damaged con-
dition. Mr.. Garner purchased the
store from F. M. Coder only few
weeks ago and had Just received sew
eral big invoices of new wgoods.s Mr.
Coder's insurance of $1,000 In the
Royal and Commercial Union COM
panies had been transferred to him.
His loss has not yet been adjusted,
but it is thought the insurance will
nearly cover his loss. The fire was an
unfortunate one for Mr.. Garner as
he vas just getting acquainted with
his trade. He but recently came here
from Bay City, ILL.,, and is a fine
young man. He expects to resume
business just as quick as the insur-
ance is adjusted and the building re-
paired.
The fire evidently started in pile
Of gunny sacks and empty boxes,
probably caused by cigar stump
and had smouldered for long time
before getting start, as Mrs. Estes
amelled smoke for at least an hour
before the fire was discovered.
The building was owned by l.. P.
Sigler, who carried $1,000 insurance
In the Hartford, the adjuster being
here Tuesday and settling the loss In
full. ~
The second story of the building
was occupied by A. p. Olsen's law
Office and L. P. Sigler's insurance Of
nee, but they were not damaged
aside from the smoke.