From: KyArchives [Archives@genrecords.org] Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2005 8:56 AM To: Ky-Footsteps Subject: News.Tidbits.1928.Monroe.NEWS News Tidbits March 28, 1928 Monroe County KyArchives News Tompkinsville News March 28, 1928 The big news was the Tompkinsville fire which loss was estimated to be $30,000. It was the most disastrous fire since 1912 when the west side of Main Street burned. This fire was last Wed morning (21 Mar), started about 7 am in the pressing & cleaning establishment of D O HAGAN - a small building between the MILLER Hotel and the Counts Annex. Fire spread to the annex; intense heat from this building fired the cornish on the hotel. Fire fighters handicapped by the heat from other buildings and its height from the ground. Hotel might have been saved if it hadn't been for the brisk wind. MILLER Hotel had been built in 1912; one of the best buildings in this part of the state - its loss estimated at $15,000; had only $4,000 in insurance. The building where the fire started an inexpensive one - total loss. HAGAN did not own the building - estimated loss -$700, no insurance. Counts Annex owned by COOK & EMBERTON; an apartment building which also housed the Bliss WALDEN barbershop, ROBINSON Restaurant and A L EMBERTON's grocery. 2nd floor housed about 1/2 dozen families. Almost all of the household goods and merchandise removed - goods greatly damaged by water, smoke and rough handling. Barbershop loss $650. Restaurant loss - $1500, no insurance. Grocery loss $5,000, no insurance. CHISM Jewelry Store - fronting Colege St saved - a metal building. If it had burned Dr RAY's Dental office would hve burned, the home of _ H NEWMAN, and possibly the Methodist Church. Hotel walls crashed into the jewelry store; roof in the rear damaged - $400-500 damage. Dr RAY's office badly damaged by trying to save it ahead of the fire - $200-300 damage, insured. Buildings along the west side of Main Street and opposite the burning buildings damaged by intense heat; window panes and glass doors broken at the Tompkinsville Drug Co down to the BRADSHAW-HAGAN Motor Co. Telephone and power lines in front of the buildings burned for awhile. People along the street applied water to the fronts of their buildings . Front of American Theater badly damaged; doors and windows broken, billboard fired - but Dr BRADSHAW hurridly removed it. Household goods, merchandise and shop fixture occupying these buildings removed and put in the street. Most destructive fire in Tompkinsville ever had was in 1887 when 21 buildings and the COURTHOUSE burned. The next destructive was in 1812 when all the business buildings along the west side of Main street from the EVANS' corner to the GILl drug store were destroyed. [1912 is correct date] The Glasgow fire truck and pumper responded to a call for help. It took about 50 minutes to make the run between Glasgow and Tompkinsville and arrived a few minutes too late; if it had reached Tompkinsville 10 minutes earlier, the MILLER Hotel would have been saved. Several days required to get straightened up. Quarters for those who were burned out are hard to find; much of the saved goods now stored in the Methodist church and other nearby quarters. Lucian MURRELL, (Black) entered a plea of guilty and the grand jury who indicted him for stealing was impaneled to fix a penalty. They gave him one year in the Reformatory - the meeting lasted 15 minutes - this was reported from Barren Co. Scott CARTER of Bushong was in the city a few hours. Farris GRAVES of Meshack was in town. Mr. Birtie CRABTREE of Vernon in town Friday purchasing a lot fronting Cherry St and adjoining the F N WILLIAMS property - to erect home soon. Tompkinsville possibly to have an airfield soon. Gentleman was in town picing a location for a landing field at the edge of town. Wayne DENHAM of 88 KY, 53 years of age, son of the late Joe N DENHAM, died at the home of a sister in Bowling Green last week. Survived by 2 brothers, John and Virgil of 88; three sisters, Miss WHITE of Bowling Green, Mrs M W BAILEY and Mrs. Virgie ATNIP of San Antonio TX. Ad for McCREARY Bros & REECER of T'ville - realty Company. The Fiscal Court purchsed a caterpillar tractor and road grader recently. Cost about $500. County has between $2-3000 invested in a road roller. Citizens of Scottsville and Allen Co have subscribed $15,000 to aid in the upbuilding of the Washington Overall & Manufacturing Co which has been there for 3 years. Submitted by: Sandi Gorin http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00002.html#0000404 This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/kyfiles/