FIRE AT McGREGOR-1875

CAWELTI, PEARSALL, SCOTT, MUNSON, MASON, PURCIFER, BASS, MERRILL

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 5/18/2021 at 21:26:34

Dubuque Daily Times, Friday, Dec 03, 1875, Dubuque, IA, Page: 9

FIRE AT McGREGOR

ON WEDNESDAY EVENING, Dec. 1st, McGregor was visited by a fire, from which the rows of stores on Main Street narrowly escaped destruction. The fire broke out in David Cawelti’s barn and carriage house early in the evening, a fortunate circumstance, for in a very few minutes the entire population were at the scene of action, men, women, and children all working with equal eagerness to subdue the flames and remove the property from the buildings in danger. Mr. Cawelti was absent from the city when the fire broke out, but returned in time to find the conflagration at its height. His loss, in barn, horse, buggy, cutter, harness, etc., was about $1,200. From this building the fire communicated to and destroyed or injured others, as follows: Barn belonging to Pearsall & Church, occupied by Will Scott; loss $1,000. Two dwellings occupied by Frank Munson and one by Mrs. Mason; loss $1,500. House owned by D. Cawelti, occupied by T. J. Larkin and Mrs. Purcifer, partially burned and the remainder torn down; loss $800. Warehouse owned by G. S. G. Scott, partially torn down, loss $500. Total between five and six thousand dollars. The fire is believed to be the work of an incendiary. Some of the buildings destroyed were old landmarks in McGregor. The Cawelti house was built by George L. Bass thirty years ago; was afterwards occupied by J. L. Merrill; in it the First Congregational Church was instituted, and there the first minister of that church in McGregor died. Others of the building were nearly as old. The stillness of the evening is what saved the business portion of the city. The lack of water was severely felt, and water was carried by men and women from long distances to extinguish the flames. The Hook and Ladder company did noble. We condense the above from yesterday’s McGregor News.