EARLY MORNING FIRE

     Last Saturday morning about 7:00 o'clock fire broke out in Ford Willennar's Restaurant at the southwest corner of public square and in a short time the building and contents were beyond repair.
     Mr. Willennar had gone to the rear of the room to start fire in the gasoline stove, and when had lit the gasoline he turned away for just a moment, when the entire room seemed enveloped in flames.  As there was no noise, Mr Willennar is sure there was no explosion, and this adds somewhat to the mystery of the fire.

The building destroyed was the last frame on facing the public square, and had stood there for over fifty years.  It was owned by John A. Booth who carried insurance in the Ohio Farmers for $500.  The contents were also insured in the same company for $350, and Mr. Willennar claims his loss to have been about $700. No doubt Mr. Booth will at once erect a brick building on the site of the one destroyed, and Mr. Willennar will look for another location in which to conduct a restaurant.
     Eugene Coleman, stat agent of the Ohio Farmer's Insurance Company was here yesterday and settled the loss on the building, stock and fixtures.  The company was obliged to pay a total loss on the building and contents due to the lack of water and pressure.  The fire department never made better time or got to a fire in better shape, and it is said by a number of members of the fire department that had they have had proper pressure they could have put out the fire in a very few moments and the loss would have been but slight.\

Steuben Republican August 10, 1910