Lewis Independent
Lewis, Cass County, Iowa
September 5, 1883

THE PICNIC

From the Herald -- Nine couples of lively young people went down to Lewis in carriages on Wednesday afternoon, and took supper there. They passed some time in snaring the unwary finny tribe. They did not catch more than two or three hundreds, and of these the ladies secured the greater number. The boys used an ordinary hook and line and worms for bait, but as they couldn't worm themselves into the confidence of even the suckers they did not catch many fish. The girls, however, showed themselves to be diplomats of the first order. They used a linen thread for a line, a dainty pin for a hook, and baited it with sweet miles, and the fish "caught on" by the dozens. Those fish were sensible. If we were a fish and had to be caught, we had rather be caught by a sweet sunny smile from some winsome lassie than by a great horrid worm. The party took supper at the hotel, and made more noise than a bunch of fire crackers under a barrel. Nez Foster and Charley Everett had one part of the usual fisherman's luck, at least they called four times for chicken. Eat? Well we should cackle, and Nez and Charley do. Henry Dickerson didn't get his share. It won't do, Henry, to be bashful at a table with Everett, Foster, Crosswaith, and Reynolds. The girls stuffed the boys' pockets full of napkins, and the boys carried them off. The picnic was given in honor of Miss Kate Boulger, who will leave for her home in Chicago next week. She will leave a host of friends whose best wishes follow her. The following comprised the party: Henry Dickerson and Della Young and Anna Temple; J.N. Foster and Ella Burson; W.M. Crosswaith and Jessie Kephart; Charley Reynolds and Ollie Parker; Frank Cady and Bertha Temple, Chas. Everett and Tessie Crouch; Mr. and Mrs. John H. Scott, and Vic Emmert and Alma Reynolds.

A FIRE IN LEWIS
C.E. Myers & Co's Elevator Burned to the Ground.

About 8:40 last Wednesday evening a fire was discovered in the elevator of C.E. Myers & Co., which resulted in entirely consuming the building and contents, together with a considerable amount of adjoining cribbing. Mr. Clark, engineer at Harris & Robberts' elevator, immediately sounded the whistle, on the discovery of the fire, which soon brought out the entire population of the town, and many from the nearest farms were afterward attracted by the flames and dark masses of smoke from the immense piles of burning grain. Mr. Rickey was one of the first to see the fire, and so small was the blaze that he mistook it for the light of a lantern, but a few minutes later one whole side of the dry pine building was one sheet of flame, entirely beyond control of any means at hand. Attention was at once directed to saving adjoining property, and good work was done in removing cribs with which the burning building was surrounded. The night was perfectly calm, not a breath of wind to fan the flames except that occasioned by the heat of the fire, and yet the sparks lazily floating to the north placed the other elevator in imminent danger. It looked for a time, as the men worked in blistering heat, as if that quarter of the town must go, but persistent effort saved any further spread of the fire. Grain had been coming in at a rapid rate for some days, and the building when burned contained 1,878 bushels of wheat, 1,200 bushels of corn, 4,458 bushels of oats, which was worth $2,750. The loss on cribs was $1,000, on the building $4,200. The total loss is about $8,850, of which amount $,4,860 was covered by insurance in the State and other companies. The cribs were insured in the State and their adjusting agent promptly paid the loss in full, on cribs, last Monday. The company was prompt and generous in the matter, and the insured parties speak highly of the adjuster, whose name we have not learned. The balance of the insurance will be promptly paid as soon as the different companies can get together and apportion the loss. No member of the firm was present during the fire, Mr. Myers being in Chicago, and Mr. Lewis and family absent on a pleasure trip to the Lakes. The origin of the fire is not known, and no blame attaches to anyone so far as we know. The elevator will be rebuilt, which statement we are glad to be able to make.