1886 Bonaparte Fire!

BOWN, MEEK, PATTEN, CRESAP, COOLIDGE, BRADFORD, TROUTMAN, BROWN, STEINMEYER, PARKER, BLACKMER, WHITELEY, STEBBINS, WILCOXON, CHENEY

Posted By: Volunteer - Rich Lowe
Date: 7/15/2014 at 13:07:59

BONAPARTE JOURNAL
FRIDAY : : JULY 16, 1886

EXTRA EDITION.

CONFLAGRATION.

The people of Bonaparte were awakened from their peaceful slumber at 1:30 this morning by the cry of fire! help!! fire !!! George Brown Meek Bro’s. night watchman, discovered flames leaping from W. B. Patten’s bakery on Washington street. Cause of the fire is not known and yet we have heard no supposition. About two thirds of one block was consumed by the fire fiend. In a short time the noble citizens responded to the call with buckets, Water and salt.

Through their heroic efforts further progress of the fire was checked at Bradfords livery stable on Second street, and at the post office building on First. Men, women and children were at the scene of conflagration and worked with determined energy.

Following is a list of the buildings consumed:

John Cresap’s frame building on the corner of Washington and Second streets, occupied by C. Coolidge. Two pool tables were saved. Bradfords livery stable was burned to the ground, horses, harness, buggies and wagons were saved. Building was insured. Mrs. Troutmans building on Washington street, occupied by W. B. Patten was entirely consumed. About $50 worth of goods were saved. Both goods and buildings were insured. Mrs. Coolidge’s building on Washington Street, occupied by Ira Brown as a workshop was burned. Brown's tools all lost. Dr. Steinmeyer's building on the same street, occupied by E. B. Parker was among the doomed, a few things were saved. Dr. Blackmer’s office on this street was burned. Nothing saved. J. W. Whiteley's store on the corner of Washington and First streets could not be protected from the flames. Very few goods saved. No insurance. Stebbins Bros. and Co on First street lost almost every thing. Barber shop on this street saved all fixtures. Mrs. Wilcoxon and family, who lived in the second story of this building saved about half of their household furniture. Cheney’s building, Davis and Stutsman’s and the postoffice building was entirely consumed.

But little was saved at either place except at the post office. Fortunately everything belonging to the office was saved.

All of the above named buildings are now smoldering in heaps of ashes.

It's a sad and sorrowful site.

Source: Entler Scrapbook Collection, vol 1, Iowa Historical Library, Iowa City, IA

- -
From another account by the late T. C. Pender and O. J. Coolidge:

"1886 – July 16, occurred the first big fire since the burning of the Woolen Mills. In this 14 buildings were totally destroyed, as follows: Theo Bradford livery stable, ice house and office building, two story frame owned by John H. Cresap and occupied by C. H. Coolidge as a billiard hall; two story frame building and ware house owned by Mrs. C. A. Troutman and occupied by W. C. Patten's bakery; one story frame owned by Martha W. Coolidge and occupied by Ira Brown with a carpentry shop; one story frame owned by Dr. B. P Blackmer; one story frame owned by F. A. Steinmeyer and occupied by by Bruce Parker's restaurant; two story brick with stock of merchandise owned by J. W. Whitely and Sons; Stebbins Bros. hardware store; glove factory, a one story frame owned by Cheney Bros.; one and a half story frame owned by C. L. George and occupied by W. A. Packer, postmaster. In addition to above, three buildings belonging to L. H. Mills and A. Whitlock were slightly damaged. All buildings on the west side of Washington street and five on on Front street, livery barn on Second, all in Block 2 were destroyed."

Bonaparte Fires History
 

Van Buren Documents maintained by Rich Lowe.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen