Misc: Montgomery Fire, Grant Parish, Louisiana Source From an unidentified newspaper article dated December 13, 1926. Submitted to USGENWEB by Greggory E. Davies 120 Ted Price Lane Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** MONTGOMERY FIRE LOSS ESTIMATED AT $40,000. One Man Burned To Death-Several Injured In Leap From Burning Building. The blaze which swept over half of the business district of Montgomery about 12 o'clock Monday night, caused a loss of $ 40,000 or more, destroying five buildings and damaging several others. The blaze originated in the restaurant of Mr. J. F. Drewett, which was in the same building that Mr. Drewett operated a rooming house. Roscoe Davidson, age 35, who lived at the Drewett house, was burned to death. It is thought that he was asleep and never awakened in time to attempt to make a dash for safety, as others in rooms near him had to jump from the windows when they discovered the blaze. Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Neeley and Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Bird, who were registered at the hotel, were among the ones escaping death by jumping from the second story windows. Mrs. Neely had an ankle sprained badly and an arm bruised. The others escaped serious injury. The fire was under shch headway when discovered that every one in the house only had time to escape with their lives and very little clothing. All of the contents of the rooming house was a total loss. Other buildings that burned were E. W. Rodgers' store, Mr. Drewett's store, the barber shop, the J. W. Carter meat market, the post office, of which Mr. L. L. Thompson is the postmaster, the Montgomery Mercantile Co., of which Mr. John Harlan is proprietor. Other buildings that were damaged by the blaze were the Buckhorn Cafe, a brick building, which was the real cause of checking the blaze; the Montgomery Drug Store and the Oddfellows' Hall, the last named two being only slightly damaged. A strong wind, cold weather, and the lack of fire-fighting apparatus hindered the efforts of the volunteer firemen who formed bucket brigades and engaged in combating the blaze. The Loyd J. Harrison store and the Montgomery Drug Co. were only saved by the constant work of these volunteer firemen and thin coating of ice that covered the buildings at the time the fire originated. The fixtures from the barber shop, the meat market, and some of the stock of the Montgomery Mercantile Co. was all that could be saved. This is the second disastrous fire to occur in Montgomery in less than three years. On the night of Jan.1, 1924, a fire originated in the W. O. Harrison store, spreading rapidly to the Spikes barber shop, Dyson's market, Simmons' Cafe, Odd Fellows' Hall,, occupied by Montgomery Drug Co., then to W. P. Harrison's store. Crossing to the north side of the street the flames spread to the store of E. W. Rodgers, residence and store of J. F. Drewett, Dr. May's dental office, Carter & Durham market, the post office and Bosley's cold drink establishment. Here the flames were checked by the brick building of the Farmers & Merchants Bank. This fire loss of 1924 was estimated at $ 100,000. Most of the buildings were rebuilt on the north side of the street of wood and falvanized iron, and it was these new buildings that were destroyed in the fire of Monday night. (Submitted to USGENWEB by Greggory Ellis Davies, Winnfield, Winn Parish, LA.)