FIRE RAGES FOR NEARLY AN HOUR

THOMPSON, SNYDER, SHELLABARGER, IDLE, HARTMAN, CRULL

Posted By: Judy Kelley (volunteer) (email)
Date: 3/9/2012 at 18:00:55

FIRE RAGES FOR NEARLY AN HOUR AND BUILDINGS BURNED TO THE GROUND

FIRE FIEND COMBATTED WITH BUCKET BRIGADES.

WOMEN HELPED THE MEN

BUILDING WERE FRAME AND FIRE SPREAD RAPIDLY.

LOSS ESTIMATED AT $15,000.00.

Only $3,000 Insurance on the Entire Block and Contents - People Claim That Business Block Will Be Replaced With Brick Structure.

FIRE LOSS AT LETTS.

Masonic hall, loss $2,800; Insurance $1,650.

One story frame, owned by Dr. Thompson, loss $500.

Two story frame owned by I. F. Snyder, loss $1,800; Insurance, $750.

Empty two story frame, upstairs occupied by M.W.A. and F.F.A., loss $2,000.

Barber shop one story frame, loss $500.

Empty one story frame owned by D.W. Shellabarger, loss $1,500.

Two story frame owned by F.B. Idle, loss $1,500.

Empty two story frame owned by D. ______ loss $1,200.

Meat market owned by G.W. Hartman, loss $1,200.

Barns and woodsheds and damage to Mississippi Valley Telephone company wires, $1,500.

Number of building burned, 8.

Total loss about $15,000.

Origin of fire - Supposed poker game in empty house.

Total Insurance, $3,000.

Time of fire and duration - 11:40 p.m., burned 55 minutes.

(By a Staff Correspondent.)
Letts, Ia., Aug. 25. - Fire starting in the rear of the Woodman hall at Lettsville last night at 11:40 p.m. In 55 minutes wiped out the entire block with a loss of nearly $15,000. The loss is almost total but $3,000 being carried on the buildings. The origin of the fire is a mystery but it is supposed to have been started accidentally by poker players who were in the habit of playing in the empty buildings of the row.

The fire was first discovered by a traveling man who was sitting in the Commercial hotel opposite the Woodman building. He immediately gave the alarm and the town was aroused by the cries of fire.

A strong wind was blowing from the northeast and the place where the fire started being in the centre of the block served as kindling wood to a brush heap. When first seen the flames were eating their way through the rear of the Woodman hall. Soon they spread and burst from the front of the building sending up a show of sparks. The wind pulled the flames to the next building owned by L. Snyder and they burst their way through the roof ten minutes after the alarm was given. The blaze leapt from building to building and soon the entire block was ablaze. Bucket brigades were formed and the farmers came pouring in from nearby farms to lend their aid. Everything possible was taken out but soon the flames became undurable and the firemen confined their efforts to holding the flames to the doomed block of buildings. One by one the roofs fell. The flames began eating back in the block and soon the other buildings were also afire. Dwellings situated nearby took _______time and again but were extinguished __________________________ bucket brigade. The flames leaped the alley and burned the barns and woodshed owned by Dr. J.A. Thompson. Soon the meat market situated on the alley corner took fire and burned to the gournd. The upstairs was occupied by Mrs. Crull, a widow, who lost all of her household effects.

The Odd Fellows hall situated directly across the street and in the path of the flames was severely scorched, the paint dropping off where the flames licked the roof and sides. Finally like a hungry animal brought to bay the flames subsided leaving a mass of ruins in the place of the frame block which had stood there scarce an hour before. The destruction was complete every building being razed to the ground with only the charred embers remaining. The sidewalks even were burned and the wires of the Mississippi Valley Telephone company situated on that side of the street were entangled and strung in hopeless confusion with the wreckage. The big plate glass windows of the Citizens bank situated across the street were cracked by the heat of the flames and counters and wares were destroyed in some cases by the flames after they had been taken from the burning buildings. The women worked heroically along with the men entering the burning buildings and coming out with their arms full of articles. The fire lasted exactly 55 minutes from the time it started until the last upright fell. Letts will rebuild again with brick, is the verdict of many citizens. The row was situated on the south side of the main street, the first block from the depot. Shellabarger's operal house and a small harness shop on the north end of the block, are the only buildings standing. The fact that they were saved is due to the _________ vacant lot between the bur__________ buildings and the opera house _____ that the wind was blowing away _____________

source: unknown and undated newspaper clipping.
The blanks are because the clipping is very old and crumbling.