The Mena Weekly Star

Business Block Destroyed, Including Bank Building. Post Office. Telephone Exchange and Several Stores.

Dardanelle, Dec. 19.—Fire completely destroyed nearly an entire business block here about 6 o'clock this morning with a total loss of about $85,000. The fire is the second of the kind here in the past two weeks. It is believed to have been caused by a defective flue in the telephone office. The loss is only partially covered by insurance.

The most important building destroyed was the Peoples' bank building, a two-story brick structure, which was occupied by the bank and the offices of the telephone company and the Dardanelle and Ola railroad, on the first floor, and the telephone company's operating rooms and other offices on the second floor. The fire started, it is believed, on the second floor of this building and, fanned by a hard wind, quickly spread to the frame buildings extending west. The remainder of the buildings destroyed were one-story frame structures.

The postoffice was burned out, the new fixtures valued at about $3,000 being entirely destroyed.

West & Company, who operated a newsstand, soda water fountain and confectionery store, were also burned out. The store and stock of the J. D. Goldman & Company, dry goods merchants, were destroyed also. Mrs. Walker's millinery store was destroyed and several other business places.

Another row of frame business buildings on Central avenue, to the east of the buildings destroyed this morning, were burned out only recently.

The insurance is estimated at about $30,000.