Leon Fire, date unknown

NIECE, SHIELDS, CUSHING, CRAIG, MERWIN, LAYTON, MOAD, HARRIS, JENREE, AVERY, WARNER, CROSS, PENNIWELL, FARQUHAR

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 3/13/2015 at 08:50:33

The Leon Reporter
Leon, Decatur County, Iowa
publication date unknown

A DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.
The town has a Narrow Escape from being Entirely Destroyed by Fire.

Yesterday morning a few minutes after one o’clock, Mrs. F. B. NIECE discovered fire in Shields Bros. livery stable at the old Methodist church. She gave the alarm and our citizens responded quickly, but everything was a mass of flames and had attacked the Niece residences which quickly burned. Mr. NIECE and little HORATIO were at Kellerton and Mrs. NIECE and the baby were alone in the house, but willing hands quickly removed all their household effects. The fire was so quick that the contents of the barn could not be saved. Shields Bros. had taken their horses to pasture that evening but a team, buggy and harness owned by TOM CUSHING also burned was a carriage belonging to Shields Bros. The flames swept across the street to the bus barn, and it became evidence that that row was domed again. The engine was quickly on the scene and throwing water, but the flames were sweeping over everything before them. Craig’s blacksmith shop, Merwin’s shop, Cross’s Building, Harris’s store, Layton’s store, Moad’s candy stand, Jenree’s building, Avery’s restaurant and two buildings owned by Mrs. M. J. WARNER were destroyed, and only after a struggle was the fire stopped at the brick building occupied by the REPORTER office and Horner’s drug store but not until it was badly scorched. During the hottest part of the fire on Main Street the wind varied and swept across the street and in a minute the front of the brick blocks on the east side of the street were all ablaze. Here was where the little engine showed what it could do, and it was subdued. But the worst battle was at the rear of the REPORTER office among the many coal houses, sheds and other small frame buildings. Penniwell’s shop, Farquhar’s oil and gasoline warehouse and the coal houses were destroyed, but the fire boys were the victors and at four o’clock the fire was under control. In most of the buildings the contents were saved, though in a damaged condition and the total loss will be between $9,000 and $10,000.

Transcription by Sara LeFleur