METZ, MISSOURI FIRE,  ~  8 AUGUST 1903

_     _     _     _    _

 

DESTROYED BY FIRE.

Lightning Strikes a Store In Metz and Almost Destroys the Town.

The Loss Will be Very Heavy--Goods Carried Out In a Downpour of Rain.

   From W. J. Usrey, who lives one and three-fourths miles south of Metz, the Post learns that that town was almost destroyed by fire Friday night.

   At about two o'clock lightning struck Rodman's general merchandise store and soon the building was entirely destroyed.

   Mrs. Wilson's millinery establishment was destroyed next. All the stores in this block were consumed.

   The fire swept away John Snider's barber shop, the large hardware store of Campbell & Price and the general merchandise store of Cox & Cox, also the drug store of W. W. Blake and his six room dwelling, which was on the same block. Dr. Hornbeck's office also went up in flames.

   On the west side of Main street, from Rodman's store north every building was burned except Dr. Hornbeck's residence.

    Two-thirds of the town is in ashes. There is only one public well in the town and the fight against the fire was perfectly futile. Many goods were carried into the street during the heavy downpour and they are damaged by water.

   The loss is estimated at from $30,000 to $50,000.  Insurance is not known.

The Weekly Post, Nevada, Missouri; Friday 14 August 1903.

 

$20,000 Fire at Metz.

Correspondence DAILY MAIL.

   METZ, Mo, Aug. 9--The furious storm which passed over this section struck our village Friday night at 11 o'clock, accompanied with great electric display a half hour later lightning struck the store building belonging to Mrs. J. K. Dye and occupied by E. L. Rodman, dealer in general merchandise. The upper story was occupied by the M.W.A. [Modern Woodmen of America] and set it on fire which for a time threatened the entire business portion of the town. A furious gale from the northeast drove  the heat directly against the store building of G. W. Petty, occupied by C. R. Harris. Although a drenching rain was falling the entire population, men and women turned out and by almost superhuman efforts fought back the heat by dashing buckets of water gathered from the overflowing street ditches until the winds shifted directly to the west, then northwest, saving Petty's building and all the block of buildings south. The entire row of buildings north from Rodman's was burned, stopping only when it reached Dr. Hornback's office. The following parties sustained losses: Mrs. J. K. Dye, store building, $1200, no insurance; Joe Dye, Lodge hall, $500, no insurance; E. L. Rodman, merchandise $5000, insurance $3000; Mrs. C. B. Wilson, building and millinery, $800 no insurance; J. A. Snider, barber, building, $400, insurance $200; Campbell & Price,  hardware, $3500, insurance $1000; building $1200 insurance $500; Wiley Cox & Co., general merchandise $5700, insurance, $1500; W. W. Blake, drugs, building and residence, $2500, no insurance; Dr. Hornback's office and residence damaged $250, no insurance.

   No people ever fought for the life of their town with greater determination or greater discomfort. Such heroism evidences the character of citizenship which will overcome their present calamity and from the ashes of what was a row of prosperous businesses will arise better brick structures and in a short time Metz will have forgotten Friday night's losses, and will surge forward with renewed energy and determination to draw trade from other surrounding towns. We have an opening for a practical brick manufacturer.

   We have had a good scorching but are still in the ring for business.

The Southwest Mail, Nevada, Missouri; 14 August 1903.

 

Numerous newspapers throughout Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma

carried the story of the devastating fire in Metz, Missouri.

 

The Southwest Mail, Nevada, Missouri; Friday 14 August 1903

 

[The buildings that burned were all on the west side of Main St. The large building standing in the center is the Livery Stable; today a small park is located at that corner; the large building on the right is the Dr. Petty building which was the first building put up in Metz, having been removed from "Old Metz."]   L. H. Hood, of Metz, is showing some excellent photographic views of the ruins of that town after the fire. The business houses were all destroyed and will be rebuilt. Mr. Hood thinks the new structures will be brick. The Weekly Post, Nevada, Missouri; Friday, 14 August 1903.

The St. Louis Globe-Democrat, St. Louis, Missouri; Sunday 9 August 1903, front page

[The house in the center is where the Post Office is today (2023), at the corner of Main St and Dalton Rd. The old Methodist Church can be seen behind the two buildings on the east side of Main Street; the building on the right is the first location of the Metz Times newspaper.]

METZ WILL REBUILD. Plucky Little Town Will Arise From Its Ashes.    Speaking of the disastrous fire that almost swept Metz out of existence Saturday morning, the Times of that place says:    "But plans for rebuilding are already being discussed, and it will be only a matter of a few weeks until this block of ashes will be replaced by a substantial row of business buildings." The Weekly Post, Nevada, Missouri; Friday 14 August 1903.      A big brick block now seems likely to be the out-come of the Metz fire. It will consist of six store rooms and will be built by E. L. Rodman, Mrs. C. B. Wilson, J. A. Snider, Campbell & Price, Wiley Cox & Co. and W. W. Blake. The Weekly Post, Nevada, Missouri; Friday 14 August 1903.   Metz Will Re-Build.    W. W. Blake, who lost his drug store and residence at Metz recently by fire, was here Friday arranging for the erection of a brick store building. He says Metz will be re-built in brick and that business is now being done as usual, but at a little inconvenience. This is the third time Mr. Blake has lost his store by fire. He also suffered once by high water. The Southwest Mail, Nevada, Missouri; Friday, 21 August 1903.

A special 'Thank you!' to those who have generously shared pictures and information that makes these pages possible. Return to Metz, Missouri Return to Towns and Townships Please contact the County Coordinator if you have family information or photos that can be displayed on this page.