Fire On Main Street | Grayson County, TXGenWeb

Denison Fire
August 4, 1884

The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, August 10, 1884

FIRE ON MAIN STREET
Last Monday morning about 3 o'clock, the Grand Southern Saloon, corner Main street and Austin Avenue, took fire from within and was totally consumed, together with the entire stock. The possession of the property was in dispute and the trial for possession was to come off in Justice Cook's court on Monday, and some seem to think that the fire originated by the plied match of an incendiary. However this may be, there is nothing which fastens even a suspicion on any individual. The Grand Southern building was owned by Mrs. Chichet, of Denison, and was occupied by Leaverton & Scheuber, of Ft. Worth. The house was insured for $1,300 and the stock for $1,900. The house burned was a frame building, but was joined on the west by the Flag store, a large brick building belonging to the public school of this city. It was damaged to the extent of rendering it necessary to build a new east wall, though the damage is covered by insurance. The stock of goods was somewhat injured, also covered by insurance. Judge Cook had given his fine $50 gun to a negro to clean up for him. The African had left it in the Southern, consequently it, too, was cremated. Next morning the judge was seen around the charred debris, and some wag suggests that he was there to call together a jury of inquest to ascertain the exact nature of his gun's demise.
It may be of more interest to our readers to know that the lot on which the burned saloon stood, was the first one sold at the public sale of Denison lots in 1872. It was bought by Sam. Cook, the price being $300.
Judge Cook lost a stove in burnt house worth $25.