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Fire Damage in Center Estimated at $100,000
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Center Publisher Views Ruins---newspaper gutted by fire
On Wednesday
night, March 6, 1974, fire destroyed The Champion, Center's weekly newspaper and
White Auto Store. The entire east side of the courthouse square, at one
time, was threatened.
Asst. Fire Chief Fred Baugh said the
fire broke out about 5 p.m. in the rear of the appliance store shortly after it
closed for business. He said no one was inside the store at the time.
However, he said, employees at The Champion next door were still at work and
reported hearing an explosion prior to seeing smoke coming from the rear of the
store. Fireman said the cause of the fire was undetermined. Curtis Sims,
deputy state fire marshal, was in Center Thursday investigation the fire.
Baugh said there were no injuries in
the fire except for a few minor scratches sustained by firemen. He said
the blaze shot upward to about 30 feet from the roof of the building.
The two firms are located in one
building and there was no firewall between them, Baugh said. He said the
Matthew-Miller Department store received quite a lot of water damage.
Bill Gaines, owner of the appliance
of the store, would not estimate Thursday afternoon the damage his building
sustained, however, Bob Pinkston, editor of The Champion, said his damage would
run about $50,000. He said most of the damage to the newspaper was in the
backshop. He said one of the linotype machines destroyed in the blaze was valued
at more than $30,000.
Mr. Pinkston said everything was
destroyed except for some bounds files dating back to early 1900's. He
said the newspaper, established in 1877, will be printed at Nacogdoches until a
new permanent office is established at Center. He said temporary quarters
have been acquired up to the street from its present location.
Firemen said a few lawn mowers and a
cash register were saved from the appliance store. Baugh said they were
located in front of the building. Baugh said smoke was terrific all over town as
firemen fought the blaze.
Edited from the Shreveport Times, March 8, 1974.