The Denison Daily Herald
Friday, February 7, 1908
pg 3

NUMEROUS FIRES

Three Reported from the County Within a Week

Van Alstyne, Tex., Feb. 7. - Fires have been rather numerous in this community of late. Friday night of last week the two-story residence of Mrs. M. W. Whittaker, two miles northeast of Gunter, was destroyed by fire. How the fire started is not known. The family was awakened about midnight by the flames and smoke, and barely escaped with their lives. Only four feather beds were saved. The smokehouse was also burned with five or six hundred pounds of meat and more than thirty gallons of lard. There was $800 insurance on the house. Carpenters have gone from this place to rebuild the house.

Wednesday night at 8 o'clock the large barn of George W. Miller of Farmington was discovered to be on fire and under such headway that nothing could be saved. Three horses, two cows and several head of hogs perished in the fire, and two wagons, two buggies, 1.000 bushels of corn, some hay and oats and several sets of harness were destroyed. The loss is between $1.500 and $2,000, and from the best information to be had it seems that there was no insurance. The origin of the fire is unknown.

Yesterday morning at 4 o'clock a barn on the farm of Will Cassidy, nine miles west of this place burned. One horse and a considerable quantity of feed stuff was burned. Mr. Cassidy, who lives in this city, has no idea how the fire started. The was insurance on both the building and the horse.