Comanche, TX Explosion and Fire, Jan 1900

TEXAS TOWN SCORCHED

DALLAS, Tex., Jan. 2. - Fire at Comanche last night destroyed two sides of the public square. The loss is $40,000. An explosion of dynamite in a hardware store seriously injured CHAS. MOORE, WM. REESE, JOHN RANDALL, and WM. NEVILLE. The origin of the fire is unknown.

The Daily Journal, Telluride, CO, 2 Jan 1900

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BLAZE AT COMANCHE

LOSSES RESULTED TO SEVERAL FIRMS. PARTIES WERE INJURED BY EXPLOSION OF DYNAMITE IN STOCK.

Comanche, Tex., Jan. 1 - Fire broke out in the two-story rock building of WILLIAM BARNES on the west side of the square at about 11:50 o’clock last night and destroyed the building and the building adjoining it on the north. Barnes’ building was occupied by him as a hardware store and the other building contained the dry goods and grocery stock formerly owned by R.O. LEVI, now deceased.

An explosion of dynamite in the Barnes building did considerable damage to other buildings on that side, including practically all the window lights on the west side of the courthouse, and also slightly injured several parties standing near the building.

Among those injured were WILLIAM REESE, proprietor of the Reese drugstore, C. MOORE, JOHN RANDALL and WARREN BEVIL.

The losses were: WILLIAM BARNES, building, fixtures and stock $10,000; insurance $8,000.
SAM ZETTLEMEYER, building and fixtures, $4,000; no insurance.
Estate of R.O. LEVI, drygoods and grocery department, total loss, and damage to saddlery, harness and hardware aggregating $5,000, covered by insurance.
Hill & Rodgers, damage to drug stock, $600; insured.
T.N. BURTON, damage to furniture, $300; insured.
B. MATTHEWS, damage to saloon stock and fixtures $1,000; insured.
J.B. CHILTON, damage to buildings, $200; insured.
Damage to courthouse $200; insured.
Paine & Turner, damage to building $100; insured.
MRS. DORA GREENE, damage to building $50; insured.
M. LASKER, damage to building $300; insured.
JOE E. CHILTON, damage to stock $50; insured.

Dallas Morning News, Dallas, TX, 2 January 1900
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Transcribed by Tim Taugher. Thanks, Tim!