Quick action by firemen extinguished a blaze that damaged the Wallace Shop, a children’s clothing store operated by Mr. and Mrs. Argyle Wallace at 109 W. Main St. early Sunday evening. Wallace said Monday that he could not yet estimate the damage but that all of $15,000 to $16,000 stock of merchandise was damaged by smoke. The frame building housing the store was badly damaged. It is owned by Virginia Dunston. Delbert “Red” Emery, employee of a service station across West Main Street, saw the fire about 7 pm and called firemen. He saw flames and smoke pouring from the rear of the building, he said. Marion firemen took two trucks to the scene and had the fire under control 30 minutes later. Fire Chief Herman May said the blaze apparently started in the attic, probably from electric wiring. Most of the fire damage occurred in the attic at the rear of the building, although smoke spread throughout the structure. Robert L. Kent, operator of Kent’s Pastry Shop adjacent to the east of the Wallace Shop said there was some water damage in his shop. A firewall helped prevent the fire spreading to the two story Winters building to the west. Fire Chief May said that assistance which the local firemen received from others helped put a quick end to the fire. A fire truck from Herrin stood by in the Marion fire station while both Marion trucks were used in fighting the fire. Marion police and sheriff’s deputies joined the fire fighters at the scene while their officers kept in touch by radio with firemen in neighboring towns to call them if they were needed. Two Morris, Ill. firemen, Leroy Delockery and Ray Kendelspeal, who were passing through Marion on their way to take instruction at a fire college at Memphis, stopped and gave local firemen a hand. Marion Sea Scouts turned out to help. Early discovery of the fire and prompt action in controlling it brought a quick end to a threat to the heart of the business section.

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