Fire which broke out in a warehouse of the Farmer’s Produce Co. on East Union Street early Wednesday morning caused damage estimated at several thousand dollars principally to a stock of feed and seed on the second floor. Scores of chickens in pens on the first floor suffocated from the smoke. Firemen attributed the blaze to electric wiring on the second floor of the warehouse where the fire broke out. Water damage to the stock of feed and seed was heavy. Lloyd McMichael, owner, praised the prompt work of the firemen for preventing destruction of the entire building and its contents. The blaze was discovered at 3 am by Dr. F.O. Wilson who saw it from the Methodist parsonage a block west of the fire department. Dr. Wilson, retiring First Methodist Church pastor had arisen early in preparation for the moving of his household effects to his new home at Brighton, Ill. He saw the smoke and flames of the fire four blocks away and notified the firemen.

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