Muscatine County, Iowa COMMUNITY NEWS

Source: West Branch Times, West Branch, Iowa, Thursday, June 9, 1910
Submitted by Sharon Elijah, April 8, 2018

Fire at Nichols

A disastrous fire which did damage estimated at about $5,000 was discovered in the John Kirschner restaurant here Sunday morning and was only prevented from doing much greater damage through the strenuous efforts of the volunteer fire fighters and citizens. Three buildings were destroyed, being burned to the ground and the opera house block was only saved after hardest kind of efforts, being afire on several occasions and at times threatening to get beyond the control of those who battled against the flames. The origin of the flames is unknown. Starting in the Kirschner restaurant it had gained such headway before it was discovered that none of the furnishings or stock of the restaurant nor the household goods of the family who occupied the flat above the restaurant were saved. The loss on stock, furnishings and household goods was complete but was covered in large part by insurance.

The flames spread rapidly to the pool hall and barber shop of L. Melskey and the building occupied by the grain office of Foley Brothers. The contents of these two buildings were saved but the buildings like the restaurant were completely destroyed. All three of the structures belonged to S. H. Ames, of Muscatine, and it is said there was no insurance on them. Damage to the extent of $300 to $400 was done to the opera house block and the Kirschner Brothers general store, the two buildings adjoining the burned structures. The Nichols Mutual Telephone company occupying an office in the opera house block suffered quite a loss from broken cables, wires and fixtures. – Muscatine Journal.