The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1954-07-29

days Of extreme torrid weather,
followed by tornadoes, heavy
electrical, wind, rain and in some
instances hail storms at Caldwell
and in various sections of Noble
county and Southeastern Ohio, it
might not be amiss at this time
to recount the two most destruc-
tive conflagrations ever to have
visited Caldwell.
1t was at 800 o'clock in the
morning of Tuesday, May S, 1897
that flames were discovered by
Miss Rose Schafer, who had
been aroused from her sleep in
her room in the home of her
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Chris
Schafer, on the Site now occupied
by the Otto j. Lorenz building
on the southwest corner of the
intersection of Main and Cum
berland streets. The fire started
from some unknown origin in
a one-story building occupied by
James Kinks harness shop and
stores in the rear of the Schafer
three-story brick building and
that structure soon fell to the
ravages of the fire demon.
In addition TO occupancy by
the members of the Schafer fam
lily the third floor was occupied
as the Masonic Temple and the
first floor by Mr.. Schafer's
jewelry store and Walter H.
Bowron's drug store. From
thence to the alley to the west
Main street there were two-story
frame structures occupied as re-
sidence and by the Wickham and
Kane insurance agency in the
upper part and the lower floors
by S. A Lafferty's furniture
store, Jerome Wehr's grocery, l..
H. and P. H. Barry's shoe store
and the Adams Express office -
all were destroyed.
The flames then leaped across
the alley and communicated
with the Daniel Neuhart three
story brick building. H. E.
Peters insurance agency was
located on the second floor and
the first floor was occupied by
0. S. Dilley's dry goods store and
the Rannels & Knouff hardware
store. This building was also con-
sumed by the flames but they
were brought under control be-
fore the William Glidden build
ing, now occupied by H. c. Jor-
dams dry goods store, was at
tackled.
The Cambridge fire depart
ment was called to the scene of
the conflagration, but by the
time Of its arrival on special
railroad train, the fire had been
practically brought under con
troll The total loss ran up into
many thousands of dollars, but
no person was injured during the
time of the fire.
1t was just four weeks later,
at 100 O'clock on the afternoon
Of Tuesday June 1st, that Henry
Schafer, while seated in front Of
his merchant tailoring establish
ment, now occupied by the Home
restaurant, noticed heavy clouds
of smoke issuing from the
Church Curtis livery barn hay
NOW, now the site of Mrs.
Blanche Rogers business and
residence property on West
street who Immediately gave
the alarm of fire.
At this time the annual school
field day event was in progress
on the fairgrounds and almost
all of the residents of Caldwell
were in attendance. The barn
was at once a mass of flames and
spread quickly to the north and
to the south Several small
residences north to Spruce
street were soon consumed by
the flames, while others crossed
the alley to the south and spread
through several small structures
before communicating to the
three-story Eagle hotel property,
now the site of the Farmers &
Merchants bank building.
The hotel at the time was con-
Quoted by Edward Morris and
it and its contents were soon
consumed by the flames. From
the hotel property to the alley
to the east were tWo-story frame
structures occupied by one fam
ily Peter F. Yoho's dry goods
store and B. F, Gibson's grocery
store. Across the alley and to the
corner of Cumberland street
were the properties housing the
family and saloon of Adolph
Michael and that next by the.
family of Charles Rwmpe and
his saloon.
To the north on Cumberland
street was two-story building
that had years before been used
as Caldwell's first public school
building, the bell on which is
now in use on the grade school
building on the hill, and this was
the last building to be consumed
by the fire demon that had made
its second visit to this village
with a months ti,,,, nz-