The Coolidge examiner., 1945-06-08
Tom 6. Nasser
Plans for Business
In New Store

Fire Early Monday Morn
ing. Damage Said Near
$4,000 Mark.
His store and stock of the Con-
sumers Market at Main street and
Coolidge avenue completely des-
troyed by fire Monday morning
with a loss running into many
thousands of dollars, Tom G. Mas
ser, for the past 10 years a sue
cessful grocery and market opera
tor here, has by no means lost
faith In the business future or
Coolidge, or the loyalty Of his
friends and customers.
Already recovered from the first
shock of his loss, Nasser is plan
ming for the future with new
stock, more modern fixtures az
improved service in his lew build
ing now being constr1ic ed on the
West side of Main st at Will
son avenue.
AC new Oh uILuIC WAlCu VIII
serve as the future home of the
Consumers market Is located at
the southwest corner of Main street
and Wilson avenue. 1t Is con-
structed of cement blocks on a
foundation measuring so feet on
Main street and having a depth of
120 feet. The structure is nearing
the finishing stages. the cement
floor having been laid this week
and the Main street facade Is
rapidly taking shape. Plasterers
will soon begin their work. The
King-Hoover Construction Co. of
Phoenix Is the contractor.
Nasser stated that between $685.
900 and $4,000 worth of stock and
fixtures were in the building at the
corner of Coolidge avenue and
Main street early Monday when
the fire started. The stock was
unusually heavy as goods were be-
ing accumulated to move into the
new market building. The stock
was total loss. Insurance, he
stated, would cover only a small
portion of the loss.
AS the fire was discovered about
one-half hour before opening time,
Nasser said he was still at home
when he heard the fire whistle
blow and was called by friends to
notify him that his store was on
fire. At the time, it is reported,
the blaze was confined to a small
area approximately 10 feet by IL
feet in area near the cash register
in the front central portion of the
building.
Fire Chief J. r. Snider stated
that the call came in and the alarm
was sounded at 1880 a. m. Monday.
! The response of the volunteer fire
department was prompt and they
found a brisk blaze burning in an
area of approximately $50 square
feet when they arrived and had a
hose line laid and ready to knock
down the fire. However, the chief
stated, lack of water for perhaps
six to eight minutes and then a
gradually increasing pressure for
some time before it became normal
entered as a complication and the
fire got away before the full force
of the water could be brought to
play on it, spreading all over the
ceiling and bursting through the
roof, with the result that the build
ing and contents were almost to-
tally destroyed.
The building was frame, stucco
and concret block structure owned
by Mrs. G. A. Christensen, reported
also to have been covered in part
by insurance.
A pumper fire truck from Cool
idge Army Air base and a crash
truck from the same base came into
town to assist the Coolidge fire de-
partment and their work was ap-
preciated by Chief Snider and men
of the local department.
At the office of the Arizona Edi-
son Co., operators of the local wa
ter utility, it was reported that the
lack of water pressure was due to
the sticking of a check valve at
the water tank some time after
six o'clock Monday morning, which
allowed all of the water to run out
of the tank, leaving no pressure, or
head of water in the mains. The
trouble was discovered shortly be-
fore the fire alarm sounded.
Although full crew was on the
job at once, it took some time to
remedy the trouble and again pump
up a sufficient amount of water to
get adequate pressure in the mains.
The sticking of the check valve,
was due to mechanical failure of
the valve and was one of those un-
avoidable things that happen oc-
casionally in the operation of any
mechanical plant.