Winfield’s Old Log Store.
WINFIELD COURIER, JANUARY 6, 1876.- In the course of
the next four months after the organization, Manning, with the aid of the town
company, had surveyed 20 acres of "the particular 40 acres" of his
claim into the six blocks along Main street from 5th to 9th streets, and had
built the old log store, now occupied by the Post Office and COURIER office,
and had moved his stock of goods into it.
Dr. Mansfield opened a small drug store in one corner of the Log Store
May 1st, and shortly after erected a small drug store where the present store
stands.
A structure
20x30 feet and 20 feet in height, consisting of two stories, was erected by the
citizens from logs cut from the trees growing along the Walnut river. This building served a variety of
purposes.
This
building was located on the present site of Manning’s opera house. (NOTE - This is either 819 or 821 Main
Street. RKW) It was afterward removed to the ground where the telegram office
now stands, and was reduced to ashes a few years since. The upper room of this building was used for
a private school during the summer of 1870, being presided over by Miss Anna
Marks, later one of the leading teachers of the county.
Courier MAY
6, 1880. - Last Thursday night, between 11 and 3 o'clock, Winfield was visited
by the most disastrous conflagration yet happening within her borders. The fire started in the old log store, one of
the landmarks of the town, and for years occupied by the COURIER, but was now
being used by F. Leuschen as a cabinet shop.
The fire is supposed to have originated from the old rags, oil, and
varnish in the shop. The alarm was given
before the fire was thoroughly underway, and had those first on the ground been
furnished with decent appliances, it might have been controlled, saving thousands
of dollars worth of property. The old
log building was like a tinder box and made a very hot fire. Next to it on the east were two buildings,
one belonging to C. L. Harter and occupied by the moulder at the foundry, the
other owned and occupied by Robert Hudson.
These buildings were both destroyed, but the contents were saved.
Immediately west of the log building,
across the alley, was an old livery barn belonging to Hackney & McDonald,
which was the next to go.
From this the fire was communicated to
the Central and Lindell hotels. As soon
as it was evident that the hotels must go, the work of getting out the
furniture began. Carpets, bedding, crockery
ware, and furniture of all descriptions were tumbled promiscuously out of
windows and doors into the street, much of it being broken and smashed. The hotels being dry, pine buildings, burned
rapidly, sending up large cinders which fell in different parts of the city,
making the utmost vigilance necessary to keep them from igniting buildings
three blocks from the fire.
When the two hotels caught, everyone
turned their attention toward saving the buildings on either side of the
street. They were covered with men who
handled buckets of water and barrels of salt, and by their exertions prevented
the fire from spreading and destroying the larger part of the business portion
of our city.
The old part of the Central Hotel was
owned by Jas. Jenkins, of Wisconsin. The
new part of the Central Hotel was owned by Majors & Harter. They had sold out to A. H. Doane, and were to
have given possession Saturday morning.
The Lindell Hotel was owned by J. M.
Spencer, and was leased by Jas. Allen one month ago.
Our citizens generously opened their
homes to the homeless people, and accommodations were offered for more than was
needed.
The following is a list of the losses
and insurance.
Captain Stevens, store, loss $1,000; no
insurance.
Fred Leuschen, furniture store and
dwelling, loss $1,200. Insurance on
stock, in Home, of New York, $300.
C. L. Harter, tenant dwelling, loss
$300; no insurance. Tenant had no loss
except damage.
Robert Hudson, dwelling, loss $800. Mrs. Hudson removed most of her
furniture. No loss except damage. No insurance on either house or contents.
Hackney & McDonald, livery stable
occupied by Buckhart, loss $800; no insurance.
Central Hotel, main building: James Jenkins, loss $3,500; insurance, $1,500
in the Atlas.
Central Hotel, Majors & Harter
portion: loss to building, $2,500;
insurance, $2,100, as follows: Weschester,
Springfield Fire & Marine and Hartford, $700 each. [Their insurance was on building and
furniture.] The loss of Majors &
Harter in excess of their insurance will be upwards of $3,000.
PUZZLING!
$2,100-INSURANCE...AND YET $700 EACH ($1,400)...DOES
NOT COMPUTE
WITH $2,100 INSURANCE...COULD BE THE
DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN $2100 AND $1400 WAS INSURANCE
ON CONTENTS!
J. M. Spencer, Lindell Hotel, loss
$2,500; insurance $1,000, as follows:
Fire Association, $500; Phenix, of Brooklyn, $500; James Allen, loss
$1,000; insurance, $800.
Policies are in the agencies of Gilbert,
Jarvis & Co.; Curns & Manser; and Pryor & Kinne. The companies are all first class, and the
losses will be promptly adjusted and paid.