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Leavenworth, KS courthouse fire, Mar 1911

Posted July 12th, 2008 by Tim Taugher

ITS COURTHOUSE BURNED.

Leavenworth County Lost a [sic] of 1871 by Fire Early This Morning.

LEAVENWORTH, Kas., March 22. - Fire which started at 1 o'clock this morning practically destroyed the courthouse of Leavenworth County. All the county records were burned. The building was built at a cost of $100,000 in 1871.

The fire started in the west side of the building in the first floor. It quickly spread all over that floor and to the top floors. The flames were fanned by a high wind which carried the sparks over the town.

The building was nearly a block long and three stories high. It was built of stone. The building was between Third and Fourth streets on Walnut.

From 7 to 9 o'clock last night two men were at work oiling the floor in the office of the clerk of the district court. The fire was discovered by William Wissler, the watchman, and the alarm turned in by him. It is supposed that a match dropped by one of the workmen may have started a small blaze. The fire soon spread from the clerk's office to the tower containing the clock. By the time the firemen and citizens arrived the building was full of smoke and flames and no one daired enter to carry out any of the records.

The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, MO, 22 Mar 1911
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Transcribed by Tim Taugher. Thanks, Tim!

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