Main Street Fire-1876

SPENCER, KNITTLE

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 2/22/2008 at 15:34:40

Sabula Gazette
February 19, 1876

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE – Last Monday night a fire broke out on the west side of Main street, Maquoketa, and destroys the six frame buildings between Spencer & Knittle’s brick store building and the Exchange Block, the large brick on the corner nearly opposite the Midland House. The city having no adequate machinery for extinguishing fires, the fire had its own way until all the wooden structures were consumed and it was opposed by brick walls. The buildings destroyed were the meat market of Hess & Edinger; an unoccupied frame belonging to S. B. Gage; the bakery of Field & Sutherlands; the grocery store of A. G. Henderson; the drug store of W. Duffin, which building was owned and partly occupied as a residence by Dr. G. Traux; the building owned and occupied by R. G. Gardner as a residence, photograph gallery, and book, stationery and fancy goods store. The goods were removed from the store of Spencer & Knittle, damaging them to the amount of several hundred dollars. The losses are as follows; Hess & Edinger, $500, no insurance; S. B. Gage, $600, no insurance; Field & Sutherland, $2,000, no insurance; A. G. Henderson, $2300, Insurance $1500; W. Duffin, $3500, insurance $2500; Dr. G. Traux, $2000, no insurance; R. G. Gardner, $4500, insurance $1200; Spencer & Knittle, $500, fully insured. Total loss, $15,900; total insurance, $5700. Mr. Gardener’s gallery was one of the finest in the State; his store was filled with a profusion of fancy goods and notions of all kinds, and was one of the neatest kept places in the county; his loss is particularly heavy and hard to bear as all his negatives, the accumulation of years, were destroyed.

Although the losers may not be able to see it in that light as present, this fire will work as a blessing to the city; it was sure to come, sooner or later, and as the burnt district is within the city limits, we expect it will be covered by brick buildings fit to grace the Main street of the finest built town in Jackson county, and before long, too.