The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-05-25
A Bad Fire at Corydon.

------, M&
Piekenbrock lumber yard, loss
$40, 900; insurance SIT,
Adam Ripper, loss $1,000; no In
surance. ..,.r,.s,
|, F. l.. Gordon, loss $500; insurance
$500.
Dolly Dawson, loss 800; insur-
ance $4O0.
Josh Clark, loss $4,000; no in
surance. ~, -. ...a. =.
Dawson & Smith, loss $5oo:s: no
insurance. <
J w. G. Riley, three buildings, loss
$500; no insurance. ...,
w. G. Riley, loss on stock, $1,000;
no insurance.
Chas Orth, loss $4,000; insurance
$1,000.
Miller & Howell, loss $1,000; in
surance $4,000. ..+..,
r. L. Henderson, small loss; B.
T. Miles & Co., small loss; T. J. Kin
nett, small loss; S. P. Pond & Co.,
small loss.
E. A. Rea, so wagons 5000; in
surance $4,000.
Corydon Auto company, small loss.
Corydon light plant, loss $3.50.
Corydon telephone company, loss
$3.50.
The above is a list of property
losses in the disastrous fire which
broke out in the Piekenbrock lumber
yard at $3.50 Tuesday morning and
destroyed all the buildings on that
quarter of the block, including the
residence owned by Dolly Dawson
and occupied by Frank Gordon, and
the wall paper store of Adam Ripper.
From the lumber yard the IRE
jumped across the street and caught
the old buildings owned by w. G.
Riley and burned everything in that
half block except the residence .of
I. H. Harris, which was saved
through the heroic work of the lire
department. This included the three
frame buildings owned by w. G.. RI
ley, two of which had been moved
in last year, the machine shop by
Josh Clark, the blacksmith and wag-
on shop of Chas. Orth and the gar
age of the Corydon Auto company,
from which was saved nine new auto
mobiles.
The fire also crossed the alley
south and burned all the frame
warehouses in the rear of the brick
buildings on the north side of the
square, but by hard work and fav-
orable wind the brick buildings were
saved, although the ends were burned
out of every building on the north
side.
That the fire was confined to the
area burned is now wonder to all
as there was a scarcity of water and
only the two small chemical engines
to fight the fire, but bucket brigades
were formed and all the wells for a
distance of three blocks were pump
ed dry to furnish water, men, women
and children all doing their best to
get water to the fighters who stuck
to their posts in the intense heat
until the fire was under control.
How the fire started is a mystery
yet unsolved, as no fire had been in
either the lumber yard or Ripper
building.
While all the buildings burned
were old, with the exception of the
big lumber shed and the Chas. Orth
building, which was new last year,
they were all filled with goods, the
Riley buildings being used as ware
rooms by E. A. Rea, and Miller &
Howell, and in these rooms every
thing was a total loss, as was also
the Josh Clark blacksmith shop, who
lost everything, including his books,
with no insurance. While the fire
has cleaned out number of old
buildings the loss has come on those.
who were in no position to stand it.
The entire burned portion will
probably be rebuilt with substantial
brick buildings, probably during the
coming year.
During the fire, when it looked
doubtful if the north side could pe
saved, the Centerville fire depart
ment was sent for and they made
quick run with a special train to
Corydon, bringing their hand engine,
a large amount of hose and fourteen
men. The fire was under control by
the time they arrived, but their pres"
ence made all feel easier.-Cor! don