Fire which did damage estimated at $200,000 swept an entire block of the Marion public square Tuesday morning destroying the three-story Goodall Hotel Building and two other two story structures.

This was the most disastrous blaze in Marion’s history. Buildings destroyed were owned by Louis Gudder and W.T. Huspeth. Destruction was complete. Tuesday dawn found only the skeleton and fragments of brick walls standing where one of the city’s most valuable blocks just stood the day before.

Destroyed in the fire was the Goodall Hotel, Cox Pharmacy, Economy Variety Store, Virgil Center’s Variety Store, a barber shop, Odum’s Jewelry Store, George Goodall’s office, Anderson’s Shoe Shop.

In the Hudspeth building were the Aubuchon Variety Store, Williamson Co. Soil Conservation Office, C.A. Moore Ins. Adjustors, Wearever Aluminum Dist. Office.

Damaged were the Marion Baking Co., Frank Sims office, Kozy Café, and Western United Gas and Electric Office.

Notables that had stayed in the Goodall Hotel: Jess Willard, Ronald Amundsen, Willliam Jennings Bryan, Gov. Richard Yates and Bob Fitzsimmons.

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