Riceville, Fire 1901

RICEVILLE

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 6/14/2021 at 19:37:57

Source: Decorah Republican July 25, 1901 P 1 C 7

FIRE AT RICEVILLE.
All but two General stores and a Bank in Business Portion Wiped out,
Riceville, July 22d.—Riceville was visited by a disastrous fire Saturday afternoon, which consumed between 60 and 70 buildings. The fire was discovered at 12:30 in the rear of the Cooper meat market, where one of the concern, says the proprietor was frying out lard. It is supposed that some of the hot lard spilled on the floor, became ignited and started the conflagration, which spread eastward, consuming all before it.
The day was excessively warm, a hot wind from the southwest adding to the fire's fearful heat, and making conditions in the burning district frightful in the extreme. Scores of people, overcome by the heat, lay in the streets like drunks. The town has no fire protection, and help was called from neighboring towns. Hundreds came from Elma and Alta Vista on a special run at a rate of over a mile a minute,
The people worked heroically to save their homes, their places of business and stock of goods, but the hungry flames leaped from building to building, and from street to street, until the entire business portion of the town was in ashes.
Two general stores and one bank remain. Following is a list of places burned:
The Congregational and Methodist churches and parsonages of each, three hotels, two drug stores, three hardware stores, one bank, one printing office (Riceville Recorder), C. G. W. depot, opera house, postoffice, seven general stores, two butcher shops, three milliner shops, one lumber yard, two black¬mith shops, one dentist office, one law office, one photograph gallery, telephone office, three residences, many barns, outbuildings, etc.
The loss will reach $200,000, with $100,000 insurance.
No lives lost. More than 20 families were rendered homeless. A relief fund has been started.
The foregoing report is clipped from the Minneapolis Tribune of Monday last. While we have been unable to secure any particulars the list undoubtedly includes the grocery business of our old friend and former townsman Henry Yager.