THANKSGIVING DAY FIRE
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Firemen Fight Blaze Hours In Woolworth And Scott Stores On Main StreetOne of the most disastrous fires in years struck the heart of Flat River Main street business district when the night watchman discovered smoke emerging from Woolworth's store at about 5:30 o'clock Thanksgiving morning. Upon investigation, the fire was traced to the basement but because of the dense smoke the exact origin could not be determined. The local fire department responded immediately but it was necessary to call additional fire fighting equipment and the fire departments from Farmington and Desloge were called. It was estimated that each truck pumps approximately 600 gallons of water a minute so up until noon Thursday about 400,000 gallons of water had been used and the fire was still not under control. The stocks of Woolworths and Scott's are total losses which is estimated at $200,000. The buildings are perhaps valued at $75,000 or more and their damages are partially covered by insurance. The Brokerage, Good Luck and the Flat River Hardware buildings are owned by Mrs. M. L. Grady of Farmington and some damage has been done to the Brokerage and Good Luck buildings. The lower half of the Brokerage building, formerly occupied by the A & P Store, is owned by the Harry Goldstein estate. The Brokerage, a chain store owned by Kollbrenner, Inc., is managed by Lloyd Walker. Both the Brokerage and the Good Luck Store stocks and perhaps other nearby stores suffered water and smoke damages. Woolworth and Scott's store buildings are owned by W. A. Karsch of Flat River and the Ed Klein estate. Both of these buildings were built by Mr. Karsch and the late Ed Klein in 1912. In May 1924, the F.W. Woolworth Company opened a store in its present location but in a building 40 feet by 65 feet. In July 1939, the store was expanded to 41 feet by 125 feet, with a full basement, placing the store in a higher estimate classification with a stock estimated at approximately $30,000 with 24 people employed. The present manager is Joe Victor. The home and office building of one of the pioneer doctors, Dr. M. H. Topping, stood on the present site of the Woolworth building. After the business building was built, among those who occupied the store rooms before they were leased to Woolworth's and Scott's were: Leeman Coffman, barber shop; Jake Alper and Wm. Howell, ready-to-wear; Karsch Shoe Store; Silsby Grocery; Rae and Matthews Variety Stores; and Pelty's book store. Scott's opened their doors for the first time in June, 1930 but remodeled and enlarged the store and had a mammoth reopening sale on June 1, 1940, adding a full basement for stock storage and 625 square feet more of counter space, the total space being 41 feet by 145 feet. Raymond Buxton is the present manager. In a full page advertisement carried in the Lead Belt News such items as these were featured: full fashioned, three thread, pure silk hose at 44 cents a pair; men's polo shorts 25 cents and sox 6 cents a pair; turkish bath towels ten cents and 10 quart galvanized pails at 15 cents. This page was updated: Friday, 23-Feb-2024 12:37:15 MST
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