Hall & Eckert Lumber Yard fire 1908

Hall & Eckert Lumber Yard fire 1908

One of the most stubborn fires ever tackled by the local department occurred on the morning of Friday, April 17, 1905, when incendiaries touched off a blaze at the Hall & Eckert lumber yard, bounded by the railroad, East Judd and Madison streets. At about 3 o'clock that morning fire was discovered coming from the lumber piles by Volney S. Brown and William Gorham, who were the first on the ground, noticing a stranger leaving the yards a short time before. The department struggled with this stubborn blaze all day before subduing it about evening. Gus Vogel and Fred Kimberly, nightwatches, were also soon on the ground and maintained vigilance with other officers until the entire establishment been destroyed, along with the residence occupied by John E. Cunningham, contractor, who happened to carry $800 insurance on his tools and equipment, but there was said to have been no insurance on the lumber yard stock. [Wdstk Sentinel 3-13-1937 Sec 3 p1]
LUMBER YARDS.
The oldest yard in the city is the W. D. Hall establishment, which is managed by Geo. F. Eckert, who has been in charge of the same for something like fifteen years. All kinds of building materials are handled. J. C, Johnston assists Mr. Eckert in the work. [Wdstk Sentinel 12-19-1901 p18]
Photo 1 shows the rear of buildings located on Jefferson St. near the railroad tracks

1908