Randolph County's Oldest Republican Newspaper
Volume 23, Number 90
Tuesday, February 1, 1944
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Man dies as blaze destroys Winchester business block
Elvin Bragg is fire victim; loss may be $75,000
The three-story Masonic building on the north side of the Winchester public square was a steaming shell this afternoon following fire that swept the structure early this morning and was still being fought this afternoon.
The blaze claimed the life of Elvin Bragg, 41, whose burned body was found near a front view window of the Bragg and Bragg insurance office above the J. M. Best grocery. Mr. Bragg lived in a room immediately back of the insurance office and the bedroom was reported ablaze when firemen were called at 6:45 a. m. The front office, however, was not burned at that time.
Preliminary estimates placed the loss at $75,000 to $100,000, although insurance adjusters had made no careful check of the building yet this afternoon. The ground floor rooms were occupied by Leonard drug store, the Watters Variety store and the J. M. Best grocery. The Bragg office and law offices of Bowen, Mendenhall and Hunter were on the second floor of the building along with the Masonic clubrooms. The third floor was occupied by Masonic orders.
Officials of the Knights of Pythias who occupy the building east of the Masonic structure have offered the use of their club rooms to the Masonic orders it was said this afternoon.
The building was owned mainly by the Masonic lodges although parts of it were owned by Chauncey Watters and J. M. Best. It was constructed about 60 years ago.
Masonic lodges which have been located in the building include the Winchester lodge No. 56, Order of Eastern Star, Royal Arch Masons, Winchester Council No. 20 and Winchester Commandery No. 53.
Firemen were called at 6:45 a. m. after smoke was seen coming from the east end of the building above the Best grocery. Mr. Bragg's body was found against the front window, firemen said, and was taken from the room by Fire Chief Bert Harvey and Harrison McLaughlin, volunteer fireman and a former chief. They were assisted by Glenn Mills, regular fireman.
Lloyd (Chick) Waltz of Beasley and Waltz drug store notified the fire department after an unidentified man stopped him on the street and asked how to call the fire department. Smoke at that time was so thick that it was impossible to climb the stairway to the Bragg office.
A small amount of smoke had been seen by a passerby at 5:30 a. m., it was disclosed this afternoon, but the witness said that the smoke was believed to be from a fire in a stove. A few minutes later when the witness looked up again the smoke had disappeared and it was presumed there was no fire.
The fire department was not called until the blaze was re-discovered shortly before 6:45 a. m. and the fire is believed to have burned through the rear and the upper floor of the building.
Blaze In East End
The blaze at that time was largely in the east end of the building, according to Mayor John P. Clark who was called to the fire scene, and shortly before 8 a. m. appeared to be under control only to break through the roof in the west and central portions of the building.
Dr. Lowell W. Painter, county corner, had not completed his investigation early this afternoon, but his investigation showed that death was probably caused by burns from a blast of hot air which preceded the main part of the flames. Circumstances surrounding the death still were being investigated this afternoon.
Mr. Bragg's body was badly burned but his clothes were only slightly damaged by the fire. The room in which he was found was not badly damaged by the flames until after the blaze had broken through the second time, Mayor Clark said, although his bedroom had been extensively damaged by the flames.
Mayor Clark called fire companies from Portland, Union City and Lynn about 8 a. m. and with their help the blaze was brought under control about 11 a. m. Five hose lines were laid and four pumpers were used to boost water to the third floor of the building.
The roof of the building collapsed shortly after 8 a. m. and a section of the west wall gave way later in the morning.
There were no reports of injuries among firemen or spectators.
Washington street in front of the burned building was roped off this afternoon because of danger from the front wall. The entire roof was burned away and timbers supporting the walls were destroyed.
Water damaged Baily's grocery, adjoining the Masonic building on the west, and the bowling alley above the grocery and the Magee Hardware company was damaged extensively by water and flames which caused a small section of the roof to collapse.
Only small damage from smoke and water was caused in the rooms adjoining the Masonic building on the east.
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Funeral rites for Elvin Bragg are incomplete
Funeral arrangements were incomplete this afternoon for Elvin Alva Bragg, 41, who died this morning when fire swept the Masonic building on the north side of the square.
Mr. Bragg was born May 2, 1902, and had been employed at the Winchester News and Journal-Herald. Survivors besides his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Bragg of Winchester, are one brother, Kenneth of Winchester and three sisters, Mrs. Mary Barker of Richmond, Miss Leona Bragg of Salem, N. J., and Mrs. Ruth Vest of Winchester.
The body was removed to Maynard and Walker mortuary pending word from relatives.
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FIRELIGHTS
It was just three years ago tomorrow, Feb. 2, 1941, that the disastrous fire amounting to $30,000 damaged the Kabel building directly across the square from the fire today.
Men were seen in King's insurance agency standing in the windows yanking down curtains by the armfuls.
By the time the water from the hose had reached the burning building the reflection from the sun on the spray of water formed an almost complete rainbow.
An energetic person coming down the steps between the Randolph county bank and Litscherts jewelry store ended his climb by sliding all the way across the sidewalk on the ice that had formed from the water used to fight the fire.
Al Von Dran trudged over to Art's pool room and returned with hot coffee for the firemen.
Many men who are fearing being drafted willingly lent a hand to remove all the board's files but all the while wishing that their own classification cards would be destroyed but hoping that others would be saved.
One businessman in the building was asked if he would hold a fire sale but his answer was that more than likely there would be nothing left for sale.
The Lynn fire truck came breezing down the street with siren screeching to aid in battling the fire. The Union City and Portland trucks had already been summoned.
Excited men were seen removing merchandise from Best's grocery in what apparently was a coal truck.
Mayor John P. Clark was seen helping to handle the hose at one time when they were running a line to the top of the building.
At the start of the fire the wind was from the west and it drove the fire more to the east but kept the flames confined to the one building. Later the wind changed to the north and blew the smoke across the street.
Four men were seen sliding a kitchen stove down the railing of a back stairway.
The building was so full of water that it looked as if it were raining on the inside.
Since the wind was coming from the west at the beginning of the fire the double fire wall at that end saved the K. of P. building.
All the time the fire was burning the water from the hose was freezing on the sidewalk making it difficult to walk.
Spectators at the fire were seen busily scurrying to and fro carrying articles of all descriptions from the various places of business.
Jacob Frazier's jewelry store, around the corner from the burned building, was evacuated at the early part of the second outbreak of the fire.
It was reported that the Portland fire truck came into town so fast that after it hit the first railroad track on North Main street it sailed completely over the others.
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