Southern Illinois Record

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The Southern Ilunois Record
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VOLUME V.
FLORA, ILLINOIS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28. 1916
NUMBER 14
Flora Almost
H
Fire Swept
BIGGEST FIRE IN FLORA'S HISTORY
WAS THAT or SATURDAY HORNING
Flames  Start  in   J.   C.   Hyers
Buildint, Cleaning Up Every-
tliin( to the Corner
The citizens of Flora were awak¬ ened from their peaceful slumbers Saturday morning about 4 o'clock by the flre whistle which gave tbe alarm that there was a conflagration some- •where in the city. By telephone messages from the Central offlce it was soon learned tbat the J. C. Myers and Jay Valbert's buildings and the Scudamore Bros, big department store were on flre, the flames starting In the former's building. Upon learn. Ing the location hundreds ot people were soon on the scene to witness the most destructive conflagration in the history of Fiora, and for a time it looked like the entire north side of North Avenue would be flre swept. Luckily, however, the wind was blowing from the southwest, or there would have been no telling where the flames would have stopped. The Scudamore Bros, store being on the corner of the avenue possibly prevented tbe flames from spreading further to the east thus saving J. O. Tibbs' hardware store. However, it required some hard work in putting up sheet Iron shutters to the win¬ dows to save the building trom ser¬ ious damage. Jay Bowman's hard¬ ware store on the opposite side of the street would have suffered heavy damages and probably would have been destroyed bad It not been for the timely work of placing sheet iron over his show windows.
The buildings burned v£ry rapidly and In less tban two hours time the walls bad fallen in—a mass ot ruins.
Flora's volunteer flre department did some very good work In assisting to check tbe flames, as did also a number of the B. & O. railroad boys wbo were rlgbt on the Job till tbe finish. Ofllcials of the railroad com¬ pany wired to Olney and Xenla fire departments and cars were soon on the way for tbe transportation of the fire engines and the laddies. They arrived too late to do much good, however, and tben the water pres¬ sure by that time was too weak to do much good, and the supply exhaust¬ ed.
i'he loss by fire on the burned buildings and stocks will almost reach $100,000, the salvage amount¬ ing to less tban $1,000. Scudamore Bros, were tbe largest losers, in the way of stock, their loss amounting to upwards of $35,000, with 80 per cent, insurance on the sanie. Mrs. L. Arbuthnot owned the liullding and carried insurance to the amount of about $€,000. Loss between $3,000 and  $4,000.
J. C. Meyers' loss on stock and building will reach In the neighbor¬ hood ot $3iS,000; insurance on stock, $17,000; building, $5,600. No goods were saved. Mr. Meyers informs us that he will rebuild with a modern building as soon as he can get to it.
Jay Valbert's loss is estimated at $10,000. Insurance on building, $3,600; on stock, $2,100. Mr. Val¬ bert conducted a grocery and feed store and carried a large stock of flour, was owner of the building occupied by C. M. Boswell's cafe. The latter carried no Insurance on his flxtures and stock. However, he was lucky to save considerable of hla belonglngss. Mr. Valbert will rebuild.
A wall from the Meyer's building tell over on the grocery and meal market of W. F. Downard and tbe stock was ruined by fire and water. Frank owned tbe building, which was partially covered hy insurance.
The temporary offices of the B. & 0_ division were In the second floor of the Meyers building. The con¬ tents, consisting of offlce furniture, typewriting    machines,    adding ma¬
chines, record books, contracts, etc., were entirely destroyed. Nothing waa saved. The estimated loss on the flxtures Is between $5,000 and $6,000. The loss ot the record books for the railroad company Is a very serious one as It will take a long time to get matters straightened out. The officials had quite a time secur¬ ing a home for their headquarters, the only available place being tbe City Hall, which waa tendered tbem by Mayor Geo. Price. Had tbey been unsuccessful in securing rooms here they would have bad to gone back to Washington, and In fact there was strong talk for awhile ot making the change.
Without the B. & O. shops and their officials. Flora would be a dead one, as this is tbe biggest and best industry In the city. Tbey have done much tor Flora and we should ex¬ tend every courtesy possible to this worthy corporation.
NOTES OATHBRBD LATBR
Origin of tbe fire, unknown.
Fire Scenes in Flora Sat. Morning
Through providence many build¬ ings were saved In Flora Saturday morning by the snow on the house tops.
City Electrician Wheeler says the nozzles on the bose are no good. Others say the bose was "busted." Owing to these circumstances Mr. Wheeler did the best he could.
Flames from the burning buildings set flre to the Presbyterian church but were soon extinguished by some lively work, and then Rev. W. Ed¬ wards was right on the Job and with the othera worked like a trooper.
The tenement house of Dr. N. W. Bowman, Just west ot his residence also caught on flre but the flames were soon subdued with but very little damage to the building.
Scudamore Bros, saved a small aniount of merchandise which was taken to the W. T. Schertz building on West North Avenue for inventory and storage.
It's an ill wind that blows no¬ body good. This old adage was proven Saturday by tbe loss of Scud¬ amore Bros, big department store when their many customers thronged tbe other places of business making it the busiest day they had ever had. The name of Scudamore Bros, is uni¬ versal throughout Clay county and tbe loss of this popular flrm is deep¬ ly deplored by the citizens ot Flora. However, their many friends hope that they may remain In Flora and engage  In   business  again.
CARDS OF THANKS
I Sincerely thank those who took such an Interest In assisting me In tbe way of protecting my building from tbe fire during tbe morning of the big conflagration.
J. BOWMAN.
Mrs. S. T. Hinckley desires to ex¬ press her gratitude and thanks through the columns of the Record to those who so nobly assisted in saving her buildings from destruc¬ tion Saturday morning during the fire.
The Flora tkjmmerclal Club wishes to extend thanks through the press to the lire companies of Olney and Xenla for their prompt response to Flora's call for aid during the big fire Saturday morning, Dec. 23.
Lodfe Paraphernalia Destroyed
Several lodges occupied the second floor of the Valbert building, as fol¬ lows; Apple Tree Camp, M. W. A.; Trainmen, Ladles Auxiliary Lo Train¬ men, Conductors, Track Men, Knights of Pytliias and Ben Iiur. The furni¬ ture, books and everythlnjj; belonging to the above Uxlges were totally de¬ stroyed. A small insurance was car¬ ried on the furniture, fixtures, etc.
Good Words for the Record
Xenla, 111., Deo. 22. The Southern 111. Record, Flora, I'l.
Gentlemen: Enclosed please find check for Vi, subscription for two years for the be-st paper in Clay county. Yours very truly,
KLLE.S-   Fl.NTT.
Urs.  Dou( Naney Injured
Mrs. Doug Naney received a very painful Injury Thursday of last week at her home ofi Noith Locust street while clImiMnf up lu a wardrobe to pet sonif clothing, .'^he fell back¬ ward, aiightli-g on ber head, causing a slight concitision ot the brain.
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SOCIETY EVENTS
OF PAST WEEK
Alpha Beta's Entertained—Other Club Notes
On Tuesday evening. The Alpha Beta's were very pleasantly enter¬ tained at the home of Mrs. Rob't Jeflerls on North Ave., this being the occasion of their annual Xmas party. About fifteen members were present and a most enjoyable evening was spent in conversation. A Xmas tree, laden wltli gifts, stood In the east end of the living room. Much pleas¬ ure was evinced tn the opening of these gifts, all which proved to be very beautiful, as well as useful. An elegant two-course luncheon was served, and all departed at a late hour. Those present were, Mesdames: Fred Cunningham, Charles Ilemphill, J. L. Boyles, W. W. McMahan, A. D. Shrlner, Siierrill Pirtle, R. D. Finch, Earl Taylor, Rob't. Jefferis; Misses Mary Ellis, Jessie Taylor, Maud Rus¬ sell.
The out-of-town members present were Mrs. FI. F. Wyatt of Cincinnati, U., Alice Mann, St. Louis, Mo., and Mrs. Loren Mitchell, Chicago, Jll.
MRS.   ED.   HANCOCK   KNTBRTAINS
The Stitch and Chatter Club and their husbands were pleasantly enter¬ tained by Mrs. Ed. Hancock at her home on Sixth street last evening In
In honor of  Mrs. Brissenden and
family of Bridgeport, who were her guests. The lirlssendens, who are musicians, furnished entertainment for the evening and a royal good time was had by all.
ENTERTAINS    MKRRY    MATRON    CI.tlB
Mrs. Karl Taylor delightfully enter¬ tained The Merry Matron Club at liei home last Friday aftermwn with a Chrlstm.18 party.
One of the features of the afternoon was a Christmas contest, Mr.s. Tor¬ rence receiving the prize.
Late In the afternoon each one re¬ ceived a Cliristmas parcel from a large basket in the center of the din¬ ing table after which the hostess served a delicious two-course lunch¬ eon. The members pre.sent were Mesdames Earl Taylor. John Hrissen¬ den, Rolla Finch, Sherrill Pirtle, Ed Mann, Fred Cunningham. Frank Tor¬ rence, A. L. Carney, Charlie Hemp- hlll and Jack Baylor. The guests were Mrs. Ferdinand Tonney of Swlfton Ark. and Mrs Daw Garl)er of Peoria.
Mrs. T. J. Friend will entertain The Baptist Missionary Society at her bome on Jan. 4, 1917.
IN THE SOUTHERN SUNNY CLIME
A. Kutz Writes The Record From Orlando, Florida
Orlando,   Fla.,   Dec.   22. To the Editor Record: Flora,   III:
As we are now settled at our home, I thought I would write a tew lines for the beneflt of our neigh¬ bors and friends.
We left Clsne on the morning of the 14th of December. Left Fair¬ field at 1 p. m. There were nine in our party, consisting ot myself and wife, John Ulrich and wife of Flora, Wm. Daughenbaugh and Wm. Purdy, both of Rlnard, Allison Ferris, daughter Clara and son Cloyd.
IWe arrived In Jacksonville Dec. 15, at 11:30 where we stayed all night. Next morning at 9 o'clock we left   tor   Orlando,  arriving   there  at
1 p. m. The cold followed us down and the first night had a frost, and a rain—lots of rain, but yesterday was a  beautiful  day,  which was  on  the
2 Ist.
This morning I went to see J. A. Rogers and wife and Allison Farrls and daugbter and son and while sit¬ ting on the porch, talking, Uncle Nath Roberts came up, and then I went home to my quarters and I and my wife and John Ulrich and wife and Wm. Purdy sat on the porch, reading my St Louis paper. William Daughenbaugh bad gone fishing. Am glad to bave this party here with us, as It makes It so nice for us to be together.
Orlando is on the boom. A new tourists' room Is being erected; also a new government building. Tbe new Jail is about completed and there are quite a lot ot dwellings in course of construction
We are all feeling fine and enjoy¬ ing ourselves and wishing our friends a merry Christmas and a happy New Year, and that tbe day may bring joy and leave only happy memories.
Your old friend,
F. A. KUTZ,  SR.
Glad To Note Improvements
Paris 111., Dec. 2(i. Southern 111. Record, Flora, 111.
Gents: I'lca.se lind enclosed a check for 01 to renew my suljscrlptlon another year.
Was glad to read that the factory had located in Flora, and I ara always glad to read Xenla and P'lora news. Wc are now paving Purls wltli good roads, and have 52 miles ol brick paving in our tuwnship outside of the city.
Wishing you and all your readers a Merry-Xmas and a prosperous New Year, I remuln Yours,
W. IT. Filson
Christmas Spirit Prevailed in Flora
A SAFE AND
SANE XNAS
nUNICiPAL TREE A DECIDED SUCCESS
Cantatas at Opera Draws Larga
Crowds, Many Being Turned
Away
The Christmas spirit prevailed In Flora Monday. The day was an Ideal one for the occasion and the majority of the people seemed to enjoy them¬ selves. Xmas dinners were ' quite prevalent throughout the city and no doubt that a number of those who enjoyed the big feeds will now suffer from Indigestion for some tlmo to come.
Unlike the olden days of Christmas- tide, the day was a safe and sane one in F'iora.   No shootln' crackers went.
Tha Municipal Christmas tree, the first one for Flora, was a decided success, and Miss /oe Friend Is re¬ sponsible for It, and shoald be con¬ gratulated for suggesting the propo¬ sition.
The Commercial Club, who also did much towards promoting the affair, deserve much praise for their efforts. W. I). Scudamore, president of the Club, and Claud Smith took an active part as a committee on arrangements. C L. Wheeler, city electrician, deco¬ rated and placed the lights of red, white and blue on the tree, which was an artistic piece of work. Tlie ladles of the different churches who were on the committee to solicit donations did nobly. Tlieir names are as follows: Mes