(The following news article appeared in the Friday, March 8, 1918 edition of the Potsdam Herald-Recorder, front page).

 

$50,000 FIRE AT NORWOOD

Jacobson Store Entirely Destroyed

Other Buildings Take Fire and Donahue Livery Barn Has Roof Burned Off

 

A serious fire visited Norwood Sunday afternoon when the three story block of the Jacobson Bros. on Main street was totally destroyed, entailing a loss of $50,000.

 

The entire first floor was occupied by the Jacobson Bros. who conducted a dry goods, clothing and ladies' furnishing business, also a department of 5 and 10 cent goods. The second floor was done off into four tenements, the front apartment being occupied by the Jacobson family, and the remaining three tenants were John LaValois, John Graveline, and Earl Murray and Benjamin Hoie, who occupied one flat together.

 

The fire was discovered by Mrs. Earl Murray, when she detected the odor of smoke. The other occupants of the building were at once notified and all escaped safely, but were unable to save any part of their clothing or household effects. So rapidly did the flames develop that it was with difficulty that the last ones left the building.

 

It is thought that the fire must have started in the basement from an overheated pipe. The firemen quickly responded to the call and by heroic effort, saved the building on either side of the Jacobson block.

 

On the north side stood a small block owned by the Holbrook estate and occupied by the A & P Tea Company. This was damaged by a falling wall which broke a hole in the side about 15 X 20 feet, causing a loss to canned goods shelved on that side of the building, but the damage by fire was small. The second story of Holbrook store was occupied by Mrs. Osgood and family. All her household goods were removed and fortunately her loss is small.

 

At the south side stands the Harris & Fletcher store, which is occupied by Hesselgrave & MacPherson, grocery merchants. This was slightly damaged by fire.

 

During the progress of the fire live brands were carried to several other parts in the eastern section of the village. The roof of the Holt store occupied by J. D. Stearns, the roof of the Pruner billiard room and the barn formerly occupied by the Donahue Bros.' livery, all on Mechanic street, took fire, as did the residence of Guy F. Sawyer on Pine Street, a quarter of a mile away. All these were extinguished without damage excepting the blaze on the livery barn. The roof of this building was partly destroyed and fell in. Elliott Richardson occupied the building with a garage, but all cars and tools were removed and the only loss is to the building.

 

When the fire was at its height the Norfolk fire department was summoned and was hurried by special train with its apparatus to Norwood.

 

Besides the loss of the building and large stock of goods, among which was a consignment of about a thousand dollars worth of new goods put into the store Saturday. Mrs. Jacobson lost in the neighborhood of one thousand dollars worth of diamonds and jewels. Books containing open accounts of three thousand dollars and upwards, were destroyed together with nearly three hundred dollars which was in the cash register.

 

Jacobson Bros. state that as soon as the loss is adjusted they will at once plan for rebuilding.

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