USA > Nebraska > Hall County > History of Hall County, Nebraska > Part 20
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John Ewing, another brother, was also born in Alleghany County, New York, in 1857, and supplemented his common school education with a course at Gibbon Academy, Buffalo County, Nebraska, and taught school in Hall County at the age of 19. He continued in that occupation for seven years. He then became a successful farmer. His wife, Miss Laura Dubbs, was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, in 1864, and by her he had a family of four children, Gertrude, William, John A, and James A. His wife was the daughter of W. W. Dubbs, who was born in Ohio and came to Hall County in the spring of 1872, where he has been one of Wood River town- ship's most prominent farmers.
The four brothers first mentioned, Robert, William, Charles, and Edwin, became most successful stockmen and agriculturalists. They lived as bachelors, and became quite talented musicians, one playing the first violin, another the second violin, the third the Bell clarionet,
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and the fourth the bass viol. Charles Ewing present Wood River, James Jackson brought was elected a member of the board of super- visors in Hall County in 1888 and re-elected.
The father and mother, Robert Ewing and wife, were born in Scotland in 1819 and 1824, and died in 1871 and 1883, respectively, but all of their nine children grew to maturity.
O. M. QUACKENBUSH.
A great part of the early story of Wood River as it appears in this and other chapters of this work was prepared by O. M. Quacken- bush. Mr. Quackenbush was born in La- Cross County, Wisconsin, August 13, 1864. In 1879 he came with his parents to Nebraska and located on a farm near Lincoln. From 1881 to 1883 he attended the State University. He then engaged in various employments at Lincoln, Plattsmouth, and Omaha till 1884, when he located in Saline County and taught school, studied for the law, and was admitted to practice in 1889. He followed his pro- fession and conducted a newspaper in that county till 1894, when he came to Wood River and founded the Wood River Interests. For twenty-five years he continued publishing the Interests and in the practice of law. In July 1919, he sold his newspaper to W. W. Malt- man and removed to Grand Island to give his entire time to the practice of law.
WOOD RIVER
The community of Wood River, lying partly in Wood River and partly in Jackson town- ship commands a very lage trade area. The greater portion of both these townships, and a larger portion of Harrison and Cameron on the west, are included in the natural trade territory of Wood River. Therefore the com- mercial history of Wood River is an important factor in the commercial history of Hall County.
FIRST GENERAL STORES
The establishment of the first general stores has been somewhat touched upon by Mr. Quackenbush in his early history of the village of Wood River, in a preceding chapter. At Old Wood River station, James Jackson and A. A. Baker were the first merchants. In the
over the first store. James White, A. G. Hol- lister, John Roach, William L. G. Trapp, and F. Scwartz were early merchants. The Roach store and the Trapp store opened in 1879. N. T. Brittin purchased the Hollister store in 1880. In 1884 this business was purchased by T. J. Dunn. Stoddard Brothers were in business a short time during the 'eighties. Thos. Langan had a business also during the 'eighties. F. M. Penney came to Wood River in 1886 and engaged in the general merchan- dise business, and remained in that business until 1893.
During the early 'nineties, James Jackson, F. M. Penney, T. J. Dunn, Fred Scwartz were still in business, and Riley Wescoatt and John Maughan had stores.
The E. Brett store started in 1892 and is still a continuing business, under the manage- ment of James T. Brett. After the death of E. Brett, in 1897, when Mrs. E. Brett became owner of the store, her son, James T. Brett became manager. This store has expanded into a department store of considerable pro- portions. This store occupies a building which faces on three streets.
In 1899 the general merchandise stores in Wood River were those of James Jackson, E. Brett, T. J. Dunn, W. W. Mitchell, F. Scwartz, with groceries and other items handled by Cushing Brothers and Jos. Rounds.
W. W. MITCHELL
W. W. Mitchell engaged in the general merchandise business in Wood River in 1889, and continued for twenty years, when he sold out to A. E. Rogers who continued the busi- ness for a short time when the stock was bought by Frank Fulton. He conducted the business for several years, closing out the stock and going out of business in 1913. Mr. Mitchell has been one of the leading builders of the Wood River community in many ways. He was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, May 2, 1846, and in that state he made his home until 1860 when he went to Michigan and engaged in the lumber business until 1864. He joined the federal navy and served on a
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gunboat in the squadron under Admiral River until May 1, 1882. The firm of Hol- Farragut. In 1871 he came to Hall County lister & Howard continued this hardware bus- iness. and took up a soldier's homestead near Alda. In 1873 he opened a store in Alda and bought The A. C. Murphy hardware business was established some time after the Hollister store and continued for a long time. About 1891 John Diefenderfer established a hardware store, which he ran with the assistance of his sons Martin and Ernest. grain and sold farming machinery. He was one of the pioneer builders of the town of Alda. In 1887 he came to Wood River, bought the elevator, and engaged in the grain busi- ness, and he also continued his business at Alda. In 1889 he engaged in the general Milton C. Wingert & Sons opened trade in the hardware line some ten years ago. merchandise business in Wood River. He built a brick store, with basement, fine plate glass front, 2,500 running feet of shelving, 600 DRUG STORES feet of counters and ample show cases. Since The first drug store in the community was that of Dr. Carter and Son. Jerry Bowen 1894 he has been president of the Citizens State Bank, and though he now makes his home in Omaha he is much in Wood River, with the same consistent interests of Wood River at heart.
S. A. SHERRERD
S. A. Sherrerd came to Wood River Jan- uary 13, 1877, remained about a year, then went to Wyoming for about eight years, and retured to Wood River in 1886. He entered the employ of Hollister & Howard, hardware dealers. In 1894 he concluded to engage in the jeweler's trade, which he had learned in Pennsylvania, and accordingly opened a jewelry store. He was appointed postmaster in 1898. About seventeen years ago he opened a general merchandise store.
Mack's Cash Grocery, operated by Elsa V. McKee, and the Star Grocery, operated by J. A. Rounds, have become leading business institutions of the community.
HARDWARE AND IMPLEMENTS
The first general hardware stock in Wood River was opened by William B. Hollister on June 1, 1882. He then carried a stock of $4,000 of hardware and all kinds of imple- ments. He started out with agencies for Randolph, Hedder & Nichols' Shepard Thresher. Mr. Hollister had been a long time resident of Wood River then. He had gone to North Platte on May 1, 1868, and taken charge of the Union Pacific telegraph office, and then came to Wood River as station agent and remained in the railroad employ at Wood
INTERIOR CITIZENS STATE BANK, WOOD RIVER
came to Wood River from his farm one and a half miles northeast of town where he had resided for the preceding five years, and after a short employment in the lumber yard of Little & Foster took employment in Dr. Gib- son's drug store. In 1886 he engaged in the drug business himself, and in 1892 formed a partnership with M. I. McCarty, which partnership continued for some years. Mr. McCarty came to Wood River from Ohio in 1884. For the first three years he was in the employ of Freeman Dodge and Frank Howe, and in 1887 went to town as clerk in the F. M. Jenney mercantile establishment, and re- mained there until 1890, when he became a clerk in the Jerry Bowen drug store. In 1892 he became a partner of Mr. Bowen, and re- ceived his diploma as a registered pharmacist on June 5, 1894. W. P. Connor is now con- ducting the Rexall Drug Store, the ultimate
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successor of the old Bowen-McCarty stock. Jerry Bowen served, in addition to his career as a merchant, as vice-president of the Citizens State Bank from 1894 to 1900. Mr. Bowen recently died. During the last years of his life he had been conducting a drug store in the new county-seat town of Arthur, Ne- braska.
About 1890, H. Janss opened the second drug store stock in Wood River. This was subsequently owned by Chas. E. Towne, Dr. Thomas, Fred Hollister, and W. L. McKee. In January, 1898, D. E. Wilcox and .S. A. Sherrerd associated together in the drug busi- ness, under the firm name of Wilcox & Sher- rerd. The A. L. Wagoner pharmacy stock has also gone out of business. The other leading drug store in the community at pres- ent is the Hoye Pharmacy (Nyal Store), which has been successfully conducted by John Hoye.
EARLY COMMERCIAL INTERESTS - 1879
In 1879 Wood River comprised the follow- ing business men : Bush & Paine, grain deal- ers; A. M. Hanscom and E. J. McDermott, blacksmiths; A. G. Hollister, postmaster and grocer; W. B. Hollister, railroad agent ; C. M. Horn, shoemaker; J. Kennedy, saloon and hotel; and James Jackson, general merchant.
FIVE YEARS LATER - 1884
By November, 1884, Wood River was popularly credited with 700 people. Another glance at the business and commercial roster at that time shows remarkable growth in five years. J. H. Shick was running the Wood River House, the first hotel, and C. W. Stod- dard was the new proprietor of the Com- mercial House; James Jackson, Stoddard Brothers, Thomas J. Dunn (succeeding N. T. Brittin and the Hollister stock), Thomas Langan, and Henry Janss were engaged in the mercantile trade, R. H. Dodd in the grain trade, and C. C. Bense in the lumber business. Miss Simpson carried on a millinery business ; Claud Fransenburg, was butcher ; E. C. White, drayman, James williams, livery stable owner, and J. B. Furman, shoe dealer. W. W.
Mitchell owned the elevator and the Omaha Elevator Company had a grain house.
ANOTHER FIVE YEARS- 1889
In five years more Wood River had grown still more in population, and the commercial interests had grown to a still longer list. James Jackson and F. M. Penney were among the leading merchants. Riley Wescoatt en- joyed a large business. Other general mer- chants were Fred Schwartz, T. J. Dunn and John Maugham; O'Neal & Nolan and J. F. Langan were liquor dealers; H. Janss and Jerry Bowen were then the druggists; Hollis- ter & Howard and A. C. Murphy had the hard- ware stores; Watts & Williams, Williams & White and James Shick furnished ample liv- ery stable service; the Wood River House was still conducted by James Shick, and the Commercial Hotel then by Fred Thorpe. O. B. Desoe and W. Paris were implement deal- ers; Austin Ryan conducted a grocery store; Burkerd & Hooten and James Williams were meat dealers; M. J. Parke, coal and grain dealer; W. W. Mitchell, grain and elevator ; Wood River Gazette, published by C. W. Mercer; Maddock & Taylor, harness; Miss Annie Simpson still had the millinery shop ; Miss Sherry and Miss McGuyre, dress-mak- ing; A. M. Hascom, John Wilkinson and J. D. Sanburn, blacksmiths; J. N. Harrison and C. W. Corman, physicians; Howell Lumber Company ; A. Harper and Juckett & Jenks, barbers ; John O'Connor, C. A. Baldwin and J. R. Jewett, carpenters and builders ; Ed Dribelow and W. F. Curtis, painters; G. W. Miller, Brett & Johnson, and N. J. Costello, real estate; Charley Horn and A. C. White, shoemakers; N. T. Brittin, postmaster; John Quinn, stock-dealer ; Tom Langan, restaurant ; Thorpe mills; E. Baldwin, jewelry; C. A. Tracy, furniture.
TEN YEARS LATER - 1899
A resume of the commercial interest ten years later shows that considerable growth and many changes had taken place in the last decade of the nineteenth century in the com- munity of Wood River. The business men of the town about the end of the year 1899 rear 189g le Digitized by
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were:J. Bowen & Co., druggists; E. Brett, general merchandise, as said before this store was established in 1892 and Mr. Brett died in 1897, but James T. Brett was manager of the store; Brett & Tyrell, stock buyers; H. Brown, drayman; N. T. Brittin, justice of the peace; Wm. Chidester, carpenter; Citi- zens State Bank, W. L. Sprague, cashier; Geo. S. Clayton, elevator; Robt. Clark, car- penter; Wm. Colwell. carpenter; Cushing Bros. groceries, boots and shoes ; Wm. Curtis, painter and paper hanger; Wm. Cunningham, carpenter; J. H. Diefenderfer, hardware and implements; Dierks Lumber & Coal Co., T. W. Faught, manager; Ed. Dreblow, painter and paper hanger; T. J. Dunn, general mer- chandise, still in business; First National Bank, F. M. Penney, cashier; N. Fisher, bakery and confectionery; Wm. Fitchhorn butcher; Foster & Smith Lumber Co., W. T. Spelts, manager; Frank Ford, livery; A. Hanscomb, blacksmith; Geo. Honold, carpen- ter; Chas. Hoppel, pumps and windmills; John Hoppel, carpenter; James Jackson, gen- eral merchandise; W. B. Kern, physician ; John Langan, saloon; J. H. Ladley, imple- ments and carpet weaving; R. Mankin, hotel and saloon; John Mathews, plasterer and brick mason; W. W. Mitchell, general mer- chandise; Geo. W. Miller, real estate, loans and insurance; Miller Bros., blacksmiths ; A. C. Murphy, hardware; John Norbeck, tailor; John O'Connor, carpenter; Omaha Elevator Co., S. Mac Murray, manager ; John Quinn, coal, live stock; O. M. Quack- enbush, lawyer, publisher and editor of Interests; N. Ramsdell, painter and paper hanger; J. P. Riddle. physician; Riesland & English, pumps and windmills; Rounds & Colwell, undertaking; Jos. Rounds, grocery and meat market; E. T. Rounds, furniture ; Austin Ryan, painter and paper hanger; F. Schwartz, general merchandise, still running; S. A. Sherrerd, jeweler; James Shick, meat market ; T. C. Taylor, bakery and confection- ery; B. Z. Taylor, implements; W. & F. Thorpe, millers; John Tyrell, saloon; W. N. Wade, harness shop; W. S. Warren, livery ; A. C. White, shoe shop; White & Son, livery ;
Thomas Whalen, Commercial Hotel; Irv. Williams, dray ;. M. C. Wingert, barber ; O. K. Winn, barber; John Wilkinson, blacksmith; Wilcox & Sherrerd, druggists; Wood River Creamery Association.
TEN YEARS LATER - 1909
The Wood River Business Directory of 1909-1910, after another decade had elapsed, shows still further changes. Many familiar names are beginning to be missing and new faces appear in the commercial activities of the community :
Agricultural implements : Martin Diefend- erfer, A. C. Murphy, B. Z. Taylor; bakery: Harper's Bakery & Resaurant, L. Hawks; banks: Citizens and First National, W. L. Sprague and H. S. Eaton, cashiers ; barbers: Model Shop, Wm. Stinchcomb, O. K. Winn, John C. Wilkenson; blacksmiths: John C. Wilkinson, Miller Trell; lumber: Hampton Lumber & Coal Co., S. A. Foster Lumber Co .; carpenters : J. W. Cunningham, J. W. A. Hopper, Earl Hoppel, John R. Jewett Jr., John R. Jewett, A. M. LaPoint, Carl L. Mc- Glasson, F. J. Morgon ; jewelry: S. A. Sher- rerd, F. L. F. Leff ; confectionery : Harpers, Chas. A. Warren; creameries: Beatrice Creamery Co., H. M. Jones agt .; dentists: M. E. House, C. P. Bulger, F. H. Burton; dray lines : J. C. Hutchings, D. V. McKee, Chas Plummer, Clinton D. Smith; dress makers : Mrs. P. E. Burt, Mrs. G. E. Bridger; druggists : H. Bowen,Hoye's Pharmacy (John and D. J. Hoye) ; flour mills - now Wood River Mills, Carter Brothers, props .; general merchandise: Brett Merc. Co. (Jas. T. Brett, manager), James Jackson (then in business 45 years, and his death occured late in 1910), Mitchell Mercantile Co., S. A. Sherrerd, J. E. Rounds; grain dealers and elevators: Conrad Grain & Elevator Co., T. B. Hord Grain Co., Omaha Elevator Co., groceries: Brett, Mitchell, Sherrerd, Rounds, and Thomas J. Dunn : harware: Martin Diefenderfer, A. C. Murphy, B. Z. Taylor; harness: John R. Sesna; insurance: T. W. Faught, D. D. O'Kane; justice of peace :: A. C. White; lawyers : O. M. Quackenbush ; live stock deal-
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ers : O. W. Eaton & Son, E. S. Leavenworth, Lyons Bros .; livery stables: C. B. Wilson, W. S. Warren, E. C. White & Son; millinery : Mrs. S. C. Jackson; music teachers: Clara E. Smout and Mrs. F. H. Burton ; newspapers : Wood River Intersts, O. M. Quackenbush, editor and proprietor, Wood River Sunbeam, W. W. Maltman, proprietor; nursery com- pany: Wood River Nursery Co., W. T. Spelts, manager ; Standard Oil Co .; painters : W. H. Brunner and Edward Deblow; phy- sicians : Dr. A. T. Hubbel, F. J. Reisland and H. E. Irwin; pumps : G. G. Gard, Agt. U. P. R. R .; Wamburg & Isenberger, bakery and restaurant, Thos. Ryan, restaurant; John Norbeck, tailor; D. D. O'Kane, manager, Ne- braska Telephone Co .; H. E. Irwin, tinner ; E. D. Johnson, undertaker.
ANOTHER TEN YEARS - 1919
Another decade, down to date, shows many startling changes. A notable feature about the roster of the present commercial inter- ests down to the present time, shows lines of business that formerly were strongly rep- resented, and the presence of new lines, such as garages, picture shows, etc., which have developed in the last decare.
The business interests of Wood River, in 1919, are: Agricultural implements, C. A. Fairbanks; theatres, Gem Theatre (formerly Lyric Theatre), for moving pictures, and Moore's Opera House (still in service) ; O. M. Quackenbush, attorney; auto livery and garages : E. Diefenderfer, J. E. Rounds, T. E. J. Paukl, Ed Dreblow; the same banks, Citizens and First National; barbers: T. E. Ryan and O. K. Winn; blacksmiths : Geo. C. Miller, John C. Wilkinson, Trell Miller, and Mell Lynch; confectioners: C. B. Wilson; cream station : Wise King; dentists: Dr. A. Carlson (Dr. Bulger deceased a short time ago) ; doctors: A. T. Hubbell and H. L. Starkey; drug stores: Hoye's Pharmacy (Nyal Store)and W. P. Connor (Rexall Store) ; elevators : Central Nebraska Elevator Co., T. B. Hord Grain Co., and Hampton Grain Co. (Omaha Elevator Co., formerly) ; furniture : E. T. Rounds (having purchased
stock of Anderson Furniture Co.), and a new store, Turner & Co., about to open ; hardware: P. H. West (also handling implements), and Milton C. Wingert & Sons ; general merchan- dise stores: Brett Mercantile Co. (Mayor James T. Brett, manager), J. E. Harper (successor to E. E. Brittin's store), Mack's Cash Grocery (Elsa V. McKee), J. A. Rounds, Samuel S. Sherrerd; harness: H. N. Wade; hotels : Mankin House, A. M. Sheets; live stock dealers: Jos. H. Cunningham, E. S. Leavenworth, Fred J. Miller, Newt Senseney (Peter Holling in business short time ago, now out) ; livery stables: Scott Warren (suc- cessor to Warren & Wilson), E. C. White & Co. (successor to Williams & White ; lumber yards: S. A. Foster Lumber Co. and Hamp- ton Lumber & Fuel Company ; meat markets: Sheets Market; millinery: Brett Mercantile Co .; music teachers: Mrs. Geo. Stone and Mrs. O. H. Lilley ; newspapers : The Interests, O. M. Quackenbush, editor; pool and bil- liards: Tom Miller, Lewis Wilson; real estate: David D. O'Kane (postmaster and manager Nebraska Telephone Co.), and Seth W. Wilson; restaurants: Jas. Juckett; vet- erinary surgeon : Robt. Green ; jeweler : E. S. Sherrerd; mills: Wood River Roller Mills, J. J. Carter proprietor.
DONIPHAN
The trade center for that part of Hall County lying south of the Platte River is Doniphan. This thriving little town is situ- ated on the fertile prairie about twelve miles south of Grand Island, and about the same distance south of Hastings, and on the lines of the St. Joseph & Grand Island railroad. Lying between the two cities it nevertheless enjoys a splendid business and is a town of splendid homes.
The early history of the town radiates around its first and oldest settler, W. J. Bur- ger. Mr. Burger is a native of Cedar County, Missouri, and was raised at Glenwood, Iowa. He was in Colorado for about three years, and in 1864 brought his young bride, also from Glenwood, Iowa, to Hall County and settled in what is now the Doniphan vicinity. Mr.
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Burger carried on farming until 1881 when ing for a store and a hall was put in upstairs, he started a store. Mr. Burger was post- master at his home, during the 'seventies, and their little station was called Orchard.
TOWN OF DONIPHAN STARTED
After the St. Joseph and Grand Island railroad was in operation it was inevitable that a town should grow up between Grand Island and Hastings. So in 1879 Mr. Burger,
Samuel Biedelman lived a half-mile west of the town and later moved down after the town was started. H. C. Denman had a farm that joined the new townsite, and while he did not live in the town he became a leading citizen of the new community. Charles Dufford, a farmer in that vicinity, moved down a short time after the new town got started. S. H. Lakins moved in after the town had been go- ing for something like three years., Upson Brothers came right in, during the first few months, and started a store in August, 1879. W. H. Gideon lived at the edge of the town and helped lay out the new town. Samuel Gibson came in rather early and worked for Mr. Burger in the blacksmith job. Dr. Cas- well T. Poe came the year after the establish- ment of the town. He had located in South Platte precint and farmed there for five years, and also practiced medicine. He had then gone to Grand Island, but after the new town started he relocated in the southern part of the county and began practicing from the new village. These who have just been named were among the first settlers of the new town, whose early arrival contributed materially to establishing the town that was to be in that part of the county, Doniphan.
As remarked before, the first store was that of Upson Brothers, started in August, 1879. W. J. Burger operated a livery stable which he sold in 1880 to Scudder Brothers. In the spring of 1880 Mr. Burger built.a new build-
which was known thereafter as the Burger & McCulloch Hall. The growth of the town commercially is detailed in a section of a sep- arate chapter treating of that special phase of the life of each community.
EARLY EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY
The first girl born on the new townsite was Jennie M. Stout, on February 9, 1880, but
who owned the land where the town of Doni- . she lived only a short time. The first boy phan was built, platted a town site, laid out the first lots, sold a number of lots and started the town, which was named Doniphan, in honor of Colonel Doniphan, who was attorney for the St. Joseph & Grand Island railway. born in the new town was Mr. Burger's son, Albert Doniphan Burger, in 1879. The first marriage in the town took place October 30, 1881, and the contracting parties were L. M. Brewer and Miss Anna M. Wharry, per- formed at the hotel.
The religious side of life was early cared for by the residents of the new community and occasional sermons were enjoyed from the very beginning. The first sermon of which present record is given was that preached by a Rev. Mr. Rockaway, presiding elder of the Methodist Episcopal church at Burger & McCulloch's Hall, on Monday eve- ning, July 18, 1881. On the following Sun- day sermons were preached by Rev. E. A. McCullom, of the Presbyterian church, a Rev. Mr. Sweeney of the Christian, and a Rev. Mr. Thurber of the Methodist Episcopal. Church societies were at once organized by the Metho- dist, Presbyterian and Christian people, though it was quite a number of years before any of the denominations completed the erection of a building for its special needs.
The first school in the town was taught in the fall of 1879 by Miss Emma Smith. There had been a school house built in 1874 at the corner cross-roads near town. That building was later converted into a residence. The flouring mill which Mr. Burger started in 1881 was practically the beginning of the industrial development of the young community. The town was just seven years old when a bank was started, the Bank of Doniphan, with W. J. Burger president, John Schwyn cashier, and S. N. Wolbach, C. F. Bentley, Messrs. Burger and Schwyn stockholders. The community had a newspaper as early as April, 1881, when
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Charles Kelsey came in and started The Index. resigned that month, W. E. Moore. W. J. The Doniphan Leader was established in 1884.
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DONIPHAN'S BIG FIRE
The town had secured a good start by the year 1887. On November 26, 1887, a fire broke out that swept one side of the main street, destroyed the town records then com- piled, and became a most notable event in the history of the community. Though like those fires in the early history of a town that leave a severe loss and dreadful inconvenience for the time being, new and better buildings spring up to replace the older ones and the general appearance of the town is eventually im- proved. This fire destroyed the only brick building the town then had, the one occupied by the postoffice, William Gideon then post- master, the bank, Carmichael's grocery, a mil- linery store, a general store, and a butcher shop. The fire resulted from the attempt of burglars to blow open the door of the bank safe.
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