| A History of STRUM and the TOWN OF UNITY by Roy Matson |
| THIS IS PAGE 31 | TABLE OF CONTENTS | PAGE BACK | PAGE FORWARD |
| The 1914 Fires It is often admitted that any major change in appearance of a small town business district occurs only after a major fire. Strum underwent two such happenings in December, 1914. The first instance removed the Pederson store and the old central lean-to located on the corner of the present Immanuel Church lot. The fire department crew used the opportunity to become acquainted with their newly acquired hand pumper. Both buildings, however, burned to the ground. The second fire took place on the evening of December 25, a night long remembered by village residents. Six frame buildings on the east side of Main Street went up in smoke leaving scars that remained for a decade. The blaze started in J. C. Call’s living quarters on the second floor of his business building north of the depot. With a south wind aiding the fire, it consumed everything in its path, finally being stopped by T. M. Olson’s two story brick building. Besides Call’s large place of business, gone were the hotel and Olson’s two story heavy hardware shop and three smaller buildings. According to Clarence Knutson, then 15 years old and manning a position on the new pumper, a fire was under control at Call’s second floor when the cistern went dry. The fire got a good headway while a second source of water was obtained and when some ambitious fireman cut the nozzle off the hose, hope of control was gone. Willing hands removed furniture from the hotel and stock from a couple of the buildings. Flames were high above the tallest building and visible for several miles. |
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