Oakland, IL Business Section Fire, Oct 1886

AN ILLINOIS TOWN IN RUINS.

THE BUSINESS PORTION OF OAKLAND DESTROYED BY FIRE.

Oakland, Ill., Oct. 19. -- The greater part of the business portion of Oakland is in ruins. A fire which broke out at 9:30 last evening has destroyed whole blocks. The fire originated in CHAPMAN & Son's building, on the southeast side of the square, and spread to McCONKEY'S bookstore on the west and GILBERT'S shoe store on the east. The wind blew from the east and south, and soon 14 buildings on the east side were in ruins. Sweeping on west the flames soon enveloped BOWMAN & GREGORY'S furniture store and the brick block of ASHMORE & BARBOUR. The goods were removed from the store and placed in the park, which was used as a storing place. The Opera House soon caught fire and the south side was ruined. Fire companies from Paris, Terre Haute, and Charleston were telegraphed for. The following business houses were burned, but the losses cannot yet be given:
GILBERT, boots and shoes.
McCONKEY, books.
WILLIAM CAMPBELL, harness.
BOWMAN & GREGORY, furniture, (two stores).
WALTER ASHMORE, dry goods.
W. R. BARBOUR, hardware.
EDWARD CONEGHAN, dry goods and groceries, two empty store rooms, and two more rooms filled with dry goods.
J. T. WEST, restaurant.
CLEMENTIS'S meat market.
D. W. CRAWFORD'S drug store.
JIM CURTIS'S barber shop.
CLARK Brothers, hardware.
Ledger office, presses burned.
MRS. REHLING, millinery.
BLOCKS, meat market.
J. E. TIBBS, coffin and photograph gallery.
WINKLER'S blacksmith shop.
The total loss will amount to over $300,000, and is covered by at least one-third insurance. The AEtna and Phoenix Insurance Companies will suffer most. As BARBOUR'S building was burning 300 pounds of powder exploded, causing great excitement, but injuring no one.

Terre Haute, Ind., Oct. 19. -- The total loss at the Oakland (Ill.) fire of last night will aggregate between $150,000 and $200,000. The individual losses are many and range from $500 to $26,000. The insurance covers about one-third, the AEtna and Phoenix being the principal losers. Many of the business men are ruined, as they carried little or no insurance. Oakland contains about 1,000 inhabitants and is surrounded by one of the best farming and grazing countries in Illinois.

The New York Times New York 1886-10-20
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!