Fire of unknown origin leveled Bill and Pat’s Café located four miles east of Marion about 2:20 am Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Bill Kirby, the café operators who lived above the restaurant, jumped from a 10 foot balcony after they were awakened by smoke. Firemen said a wind from the northwest prevented the blaze from spreading to a butane tank 20-foot north of the two story building at Moeller’s crossroads. Two D-X gasoline pumps in front of the cafe burned. The top of the building was falling in when firemen arrived. Mr. and Mrs. Kirby jumped from the front balcony of the building when a stairway was blocked by flames. They escaped injury. Firemen pushed a 1958 Mercury automobile which had a flat tire, away from the burning building. The flames did not spread to cabins located west of the concrete block and wooden café building. The fire call was answered by firemen Bob Cash, Bill Whiting and Jack Whiting. The building previously housed a grocery store and “Dutch’s Tavern.”

(Extracted  from local newspapers and compiled by Harry Boyd, posted at http://www.marionfire.us )