Damage was estimated at $90,000 Monday in a fire early Sunday which destroyed the two-story brick warehouse of the Fredman Furniture Co. and a frame dwelling nearby. Other buildings in the vicinity of the ware house on South Monroe Street, a half block from West Main Street were also damaged. Herrin and Carbondale firemen assisted the Marion fire department in fighting the blaze which for several hours menaced a wide area of the city’s business section.

The fire started in the vacant frame dwelling owned by Frank Turnage and spread to the warehouse a few feet to the north. Firemen who were called at 12:15 am found the frame structure already enveloped by flames which were leaping through the windows of the warehouse filled with new furniture and household appliances. The warehouse contained more than 100 electric refrigerators in addition to other merchandise for the company’s Marion and Herrin retail stores. The entire stock was destroyed and the building was a complete loss. The east wall of the building fell into the street while firemen were still fighting the blaze, and the other walls were being pulled down Monday as a safety precaution.

The fire that was rapidly eating away the frame dwelling kept firemen back from the south wall of the Fredman building until the blaze could be beaten down to enable them to approach near enough to direct hose lines through windows of the brick structure. Firemen were further handicapped by the bursting of three sections of hose. They were gaining headway against the blaze when delay caused by the bursting hose enabled the blaze to get out of control.

One of two Marion fire trucks also went out of commission, but this incident caused only a slight delay as hose lines were switched to an out of town fire truck which had just arrived. In all, six 50 foot sections of hose were lost by the Marion department. Three were caught under a falling wall which showered brick and mortar over South Monroe Street. Firemen prevented the fire spreading to other buildings which were damaged by the heat.

Window panes were cracked and paint scorched on doors and windows in the three story Masonic building across the street which houses the Fredman retail store. Damage there was estimated at $200. Loss of the warehouse and stock both owned by the Fredman Company alone was estimated at $90,000.

The roof of the Van Motor Company’s building was damaged by the heat. The motor company building was being renovated in preparation for opening as a Mercury sales agency. Twenty-five window panes in the Marion bus company building at the corner of West Main and South Holland Streets were broken by the heat and tar on the roof melted ran off the building. Destruction of the warehouse did not halt the Fredman Company’s operations. The retail store was open for business as usual Monday and a temporary warehouse was rented on North Market Street for the storing of new merchandise.

Origin of the blaze was not determined. The Turnage dwelling contained an accumulation of wall paper and felt which had been pulled from the walls and there was some speculation that someone had carelessly tossed a match, cigarette or fireworks into the vacant house which was located near the street. A spokesman for the Fredman Company said the warehouse would be rebuilt.

The home of Orville Strobel south of the Turnage house was scorched by the heat. During the fire the Marion City busses were removed from the company’s garage when it was feared the blaze might spread.

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