Shirley, IN Town Suffers Fire, Oct 1908

TWO PERSONS LOSE LIVES IN FIRE AT SHIRLEY.

AN INDIANA TOWN SUFFERS HEAVY DAMAGE.
TWENTY-FIVE BUILDINGS BURN.

Kinghtstown, Ind., Oct. 17. -- Twenty-five buildings were destroyed by fire at Shirley, a little town north of here, early this morning. Two persons perished in the flames. Most of the burned places were dwellings.
MR. and MRS. E. V. M. PRYOR, who conducted a restaurant, perished while asleep.
The fire broke out before daylight while most of the people were asleep and spread so rapidly that few had a chance to save their possessions. Many of the people who lost their homes narrowly escaped with their lives.
The fire, the origin of which is a mystery, started either in the building occupied by the Shirley National bank, or in the restaurant adjoining. It was discovered about 3 o'clock and before the flames were controlled it destroyed practically everything in the path of the fire, including three blocks made up of business buildings.
MR. and MRS. PRYOR occupied apartments on the second floor of one of the burned buildings and their escape was cut off by the fire, which raged so fiercely no one could go to their rescue.
The town was without fire protection, with the exception of a few chemical tanks and was practically at the mercy of the flames.
The town has a population of about 1,000 persons and sprang up several years ago from the location of factories there. It is located on two divisions of the Big Four, half in Henry county and the other half being in Hancock county.
The value of the burned property is estimated at $50,000 and is only partly covered by insurance.
The Losses.
The following are the losses and insurance:
Woods block, loss $18,000; insurance $10,000.
Martindal block, loss $5,000; insurance $2,500.
N. W. REEVES, loss $1,200; insurance $500.
B. L. BYRKETT, store room, loss $600; insurance $400.
MAUD MASTERTON, millinery store; loss $200; no insurance.
LEGG and GEPHARDT feed store, loss $1,800; insurance $1,500.
GABILLES Restaurant, loss $1,000; insurance $500.
JOHN LARAMORE, loss on building $500 with $300 insurance and two business rooms, loss $500 with $200 insurance.
RICHARD FOUTZ block, loss $1,500, insurance $500; also livery stable, loss $800; no insurance.
SPANGLER Dry Goods company $4,000 loss; $4,000 insurance.
HARRY BOWMAN, grocery, loss $2,000; insurance $1,000.
CHARLES R. SHAW, men's furnishings, loss $1,500; insurance $400.
Other losses not yet estimated will bring a total of $150,000.
The total insurance is about $35,000.

The Fort Wayne Sentinel Indiana 1908-10-17

The Fort Wayne Sentinel Indiana 1908-10-17
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!