Long ago on independence square (Mexico, Tipton: credit, houses, rated)

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

The front page of The Examiner for January 18, 1963 has a story and photo of a house fire at the Isaac Peace residence, 824 W Maple. The home was heavily damaged.


I wonder if anyone here has memories of this event...

Did Polly's burn down too?

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

Did Polly's burn down too?

I'm pleased as punch to pontificate on the protection of Polly's Pop Place, which was safe from the flames up the street.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

The front page of The Examiner for January 18, 1963 has a story and photo of a house fire at the Isaac Peace residence, 824 W Maple. The home was heavily damaged.


I wonder if anyone here has memories of this event...

Uh, why, yes I do. Remember the event well, save for the cause. Perhaps a faulty heater now that I think of it. The Peaces lived on the ground floor and there were two-three small apts upstairs. And maybe the attached unit to the east was there too back then.

Did the article mention where the fire started and suspected cause?

They stayed with us for that night and maybe awhile longer. . . . then likely an insurance paid for lodging before able to move back in I remember him smelling of smoke and a package of purchased change of clothing.

Thanks for that find, I would not have remembered the year if you had asked. Any ideas on how I can access that article?

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

Did Polly's burn down too?

824 was like the fourth house east of River. The big rental house to the west was not damaged nor the stone private house to the east.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Uh, why, yes I do. Remember the event well, save for the cause. Perhaps a faulty heater now that I think of it. The Peaces lived on the ground floor and there were two-three small apts upstairs. And maybe the attached unit to the east was there too back then.

Did the article mention where the fire started and suspected cause?

They stayed with us for that night and maybe awhile longer. . . . then likely an insurance paid for lodging before able to move back in I remember him smelling of smoke and a package of purchased change of clothing.

Thanks for that find, I would not have remembered the year if you had asked. Any ideas on how I can access that article?

It is NOT online with the other old Examiners, which start in 1966. MCPL has it on microfilm, but that is a bit of a drive for you. I'll see what magic I can perform...

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Did the article mention where the fire started and suspected cause?

It started upstairs, but a cause is not listed in the article. Firemen from stations 1 and 2 battled it for four hours. They were hampered due to the construction of the house, due to remodeling it had three layers of roof which they had to chop through to get to all the flames.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

It started upstairs, but a cause is not listed in the article. Firemen from stations 1 and 2 battled it for four hours. They were hampered due to the construction of the house, due to remodeling it had three layers of roof which they had to chop through to get to all the flames.

Yeah, that was weird. Isaac was a carpenter and he did "work" on that house for years. Three roofs? Geez

Are these fire reports ever available as public record? I'd like to see what the cause was later determined to be, if any

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Yeah, that was weird. Isaac was a carpenter and he did "work" on that house for years. Three roofs? Geez

Are these fire reports ever available as public record? I'd like to see what the cause was later determined to be, if any

Not that I'm aware of. Perhaps it will show up in a later edition of The Examiner.

[Mad Anthonie]

Y'all think it is cold this winter? It may have been worse in the olden days. From The Examiner, January 21, 1963...

Lake Jacomo Busy
People enjoying frozen Lake Jacomo saw an impromptu ice race between Park Rangers and a fairly heavy man who apparently decided to test the ice outside of the marked skating area.
Rangers, wearing skates chased the man an estimated five miles- across the lake and along the ice near the dam- before catching him as he returned to the north boat dock area. He was asked to leave the ice for getting outside of the skating area near the south boat dock.
Ice a foot thick in the designated skating area provided safe conditions for skating and ice hockey games, and a bonfire was built at the edge of the lake.
Rangers estimated more than 250 persons decided Sunday was a good day for winter sports.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Y'all think it is cold this winter? It may have been worse in the olden days. From The Examiner, January 21, 1963...

Lake Jacomo Busy
People enjoying frozen Lake Jacomo saw an impromptu ice race between Park Rangers and a fairly heavy man who apparently decided to test the ice outside of the marked skating area.
Rangers, wearing skates chased the man an estimated five miles- across the lake and along the ice near the dam- before catching him as he returned to the north boat dock area. He was asked to leave the ice for getting outside of the skating area near the south boat dock.
Ice a foot thick in the designated skating area provided safe conditions for skating and ice hockey games, and a bonfire was built at the edge of the lake.
Rangers estimated more than 250 persons decided Sunday was a good day for winter sports.

I don't recall continual days being cold enough to freeze the lake, but apparently there were. While the article doesn't state it, I am assuming the fairly heavy fleeing man had on skates too. Too funny!