The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-02-02
DECATUR FIRE SWEPT
Eatlre Fast Side Of Square Burned
Tuesday Morning with a Total
less of About $50, 900.

Tuesday Morning with a Total
less OF Abost 100000.
Decatur City was again swept by
a destructive fire early Tuesday morn
ing, Oaly a few years ago the entire
north side of the square was totally
destroyed by fire, and the thriving
little city was Just recovering from
that fire, a number of substantial
brick business houses having been
built on the site of the former fire,
and now the entire east side of the
business district is smouldering
heap of ruins, so that with the two
fires the entire business section of
the town has been destroyed within
q few years.
The fire which started Tuesday
morning in Toney & Ross restaur-
ant, destroyed seven buildings, one
of them double brick, another ce-
iment block, and entailed total loss
;of about 100000, but fortunately
many of the goods in the buildings
were carried out before the flames
reached them, and nearly all of the
losses are fairly we'll insured.
The fire was first discovered about
1890 O'Clock by S. H. Campbell,
whose restaurant adjoined that of
Toney & Ross, Mr.. Campbell occupy
ing the second story of his building
AS a residence. He at once gave the
alarm, and Earl Riley, who lives
lnear, heard him and fastened to the
scene taking his revolver and box
of cartridges, and the lively fusilade
he kept up soon aroused most of the
citizens of the town. When first
discovered the fire was in the rear of
the restaurant and had not made
much headway, but the buildings be-
ing frame and very dry, and the fa-
cilities for fighting fire being limited
to bucket brigade, the flames rap
idly spread to the buildings north
and south, and it was at once seen
that the entire row was doomed, and
the energies of all were devoted to
saving the contents of the buildings,
but of course all of the stocks were
considerably damaged by the rapid
moving.
The building where the fire started
was a double brick, owned by E. w.
Townsend, and was worth about
$4,000, being insured for $1,000. 1t
was occupied, both rooms, by Toney
& Ross restaurant, and nothing was
-. from their stock which was
valued at $500 or 5000, and was in
sured for $500. To. the north OF this
building was the restaurant and
meat market of S. H. Campbell, who
also owned the building. Part of his
stock was carried out, but their
clothing and household goods up
stairs were nearly all burned. Mr..
Campbell's building and stock were
worth about $4,000, and he carried
only $1,000 insurance, $1,000 on the
building and $500 on the stock. To
the north of this building was the
two story building owned by the Cit
liens State Bank, which occupied
the lower floor and DR.. D. r. Spring.
steen coupled the second floor as an
office. Everything in the way of
of the bank, the big safe being pro-
tected inside the vault and when the
vault was opened Wednesday every
thing was found to be in good shape
and the bank is doing business in tenn
porary quarters, until arrangements
can be made to build. The loss on
the building was ST., 500 with insur-
ance of $500. They also had 5000
insurance on their fixtures. DR..
Springsteen saved only part of his
Office fixtures, and will lose probably
saw, with no insurance. The big
two story steel covered building on
the northeast corner was owned by
the Odd Fellows lodge, and was val
ued at $4,000 to $1,000, and was in
sured for only 500. The first floor
was occupied by C. r. Meeker's gen.
eral store and his stock on the first
floor was carried into the street, but
everything in the basement was de-
stroyed. Mr.. Meeker carried
$1,000 stock, and it was insured for
,$5, 500.
On the south of the building where
rthe fire started stood the one story
cement block building owned by VIM.
sWoodard, and occupied by Clyde
Pickering as barber shop, using
sthe rear rooms as living apartments.
The building was valued at $500 and
:sMr. Woodard had no insurance. Mr..
Pickering and wife were in Leon at
the time of the fire, but most of his
shop fixtures were carried out, but
quite lot of his household goods in
ithe rear rooms were burned. He had
mo insurance. Next was the one
story building owned and occupied
by @. B. Creal & Son with their hard
MsAre store. The building was worth
81 500 and was insured for $1,000.
They carried a stock of $4,000, and
most of it was carried out before the
building burned. They had $1,000
insurance on the stock. The last
business house on the south was that
owned by B.. J.. Riddle and occupied
by the general store of Riddle Bros.
The building was worth $500, and
was insured for 81 900. Riddle Bros.
carried $500 stock, and the stock
was carried out ahead of the flames.
They were insured for $4,000. This
was, the last building north of the
alley and the fire stopped here for
want of material. -.