July 4, 1901, had a disastrous ending in Dallas Center.  Almost the entire north side of the business block from and including the post office at the northwest corner, and as far east as the Citizens Bank building, was destroyed.  All of the buildings were of frame construction.  The new Citizens Bank was of brick, built in 1900, and is believed to be the reason the fire did not go farther east.  Many of the frame buildings on the south side of the street were damaged in the way of cracked windows and blistered paint.  The origin is unknown, the general belief being that it came from a Roman candle, rocket or firecracker.  At one time the pump failed to work and the available water supply from municipal and private cisterns and wells was exhausted.  Note of interest:  During the fire a fine stove was carried from the McLean Hardware Store by several huskies, then dropped as one might drop a pillow - and ruined!

          The second fire occurred in October, 1925.  Headlines - Town Hall Corner Burned; Three Buildings Burned In Early Morning Fire.

          The town hall and fire bell were destroyed in the fire of unknown origin.  The building had been built in 1877, as the first chapel of the Methodist Church and was used as such for ten years.  Then it became the town hall.  At the time of the fire it housed Hillflicker's Tin Shop, the town's fire engine room and O. W. Burger's Carpenter Shop.  Burned also was a building owned by O. A. Thompson, once the Bank of Dallas Center, occupied by the B & B Lunch Room operated by the Ross Browns, and the Loring building at one time occupied by the Dallas Center Times but at this time by O. F. Ward's Tailor and Music Shop.  A building that stood south of the town hall, owned by the town, was saved and the "cooler" (jail) next south only got a good scare.  An itinerant had been given lodging there for the night.

          The fire was a lucky one as there was no wind and roofs were covered with several inches of snow.  Had there been a strong wind from the west, the south side of the business district would have been endangered.  Had it been from the north, F. A. Barrett's house might have been threatened.  Had it been from the east, the oil station and the Woodman Hall might have been destroyed.  As it was, the Hawkeye Oil Station got pretty warm and east glass windows were shattered.  The Moser Garage across the street north, was practically fireproof.  Again the need for waterworks was demonstrated.  The small chemical outfit did little good.

     IN MEMORY OF

37

Lou H. Hoover                                                                 Loran G. Denton

Clyde B. Collins                                                          Ben & Odessa Becker