. The fire occurred on or about the 8th of Nov., 1855, and originated in Dr. Babcock"s drugstore. It was caused by carrying a lighted lamp too near a barrel from which varnish had been drawn and which had been spilled upon the floor.

The whole business portion of the new town was laid in ashes by this disaster, no less than six business firms being burned out. They were: first, Dr. A. D. Babcock, whose stock consisted of drugs, groceries, paints, oils, liquors and cigars; second, A. M. Black, shoe-shop and its contents ; third, Hamlin, Beecher & Davis, dealers in hardware; fourth, A. J. Curtis, dealer in furniture; fifth, Babcock & Clark, who do not appear to have had any stock of goods in the building at the time; and sixth, Hurd & Driscoll, whose stock of dry goods were still in the boxes as received, not yet unpacked, and therefore easily saved by rolling them into the street. With this exception the building and its contents were a total loss, as there was no insurance upon either.

At the time that the fire broke out, most of the citizens were in attendance at a railroad meeting then in progress at the school-house.

Mr. D. E. Jacobs was then living in the house now occupied by Mr. H. L. Dickenson, and which was the third dwelling-house built in Galva. His mother perceived the fire by the glow of light which shown in at the window, from the burning building, when her candle was accidentally put out, and sent him to apprise the citizens at the school-house. He rushed to the door and informed them that the Wiley House was on fire. It took but two minutes to empty the building.

There has been only a moderate growth in the Increase of population in the past 15 years, but the solid and elegant buildings that have been erected in that time almost make it a new town in the past decade.(1908)

 

History of Henry County

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