Downtown fire causes heavy damage

— Sequoyah County Times, May 31, 1973

From the files of Your Sequoyah County Times

25 Years Ago

(From the May 31, 1998, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —A new Emergency Operations Plan was distributed at a special meeting in Sallisaw Wednesday.

Frank McGrath, director of Sequoyah County Emergency Management, said it has been several years since a new plan has been distributed in the county.

“This new manual is much shorter than the previous one,” he said.

Connie Dill, Oklahoma Emergency Coordinator for the southeastern district said the new plan is an updated version of previous plans. She said the last update was done in 1992.

Representatives from the Department of Human Services, the county health department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol and area fire stations, medical facilities and EMS units were at the meeting to learn about the new plan.

Dill told the group that the main goals when dealing with any type of disaster is to save lives and protect property.

Dill stressed the need to exercise the plan on a regular basis in order to be prepared for bigger things, such a national security disaster.

50 Years Ago

(From the May 31, 1973, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —Due to quick action on the part of the Sallisaw Fire Department, a major catastrophe was prevented in Sallisaw when fire broke out at the rear of Matthews’ Store at 4:30 p.m. Monday evening.

The fire broke out at the rear of the structure located at 112 E. Cherokee and incurred serious structural damage before fireman could extinguish the blaze. The cause of the fire is not known but firemen speculated that it was caused electrically.

Though the major fire damage was in the rear of the grocery, the remainder of the store suffered costly smoke and water damages, and the State Health Department has ordered owner Ralph Matthews not to sell any of the merchandise.

Matthews’ Grocery has operated in the same building for the past 53 years. The store, located in a different building, was started in 1894 by two Matthews brothers, Dan J. Matthews, Ralph Matthews father, acquired the store in 1906 and after his death, Matthews continued to operate the business on Cherokee as his father did.

Though the blaze was confined to the grocery store, extensive smoke and water damage was reported in businesses on both sides of the store.

—While most Oklahomans had their eyes on the Keefeton area Saturday night after a tornado hit there, numerous Sequoyah Countians began to recover from the devastating blow of a tornado that hit the Box-Blackgum communities around 5:40 p.m. the same evening.

The tornado left behind a total of nine homes completely destroyed, 47 houses damaged and one business completely destroyed.

75 Years Ago

(From the June 4, 1948, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —Word was received by Your TIMES Thursday that a Muskogee man, C.R. Collins, plans to open an ice cream store and malt shop in Sallisaw in about a week.

Collins has leased the property located on the corner across the street from the courthouse formerly occupied by Brownie’s Grill.

—Fred Farmer has purchased a one-half interest in Lillard Furniture Exchange, Sallisaw, he announced this week.

Farmer extends a cordial invitation to all his friends throughout the county to pay him a neighborly visit and to inspect the Lillard store.

100 years ago

(From the June 1, 1923, issue of the Sequoyah County Democrat) —The first trouble the tick eradication department has met this year in their work in dipping the cattle was last week, when some unknown party or parties dynamited the dipping vats at Brent and Sadie. Sunday the McCullough vat was blown to bits.

The citizens of Sadie and Brent communities following the dynamiting of their vats volunteered to the county officials to assist them in rounding up the guilty one, and also lend their hands in rebuilding the vats, so that dipping of the cattle in these communities would not be hampered, and the previous work destroyed. All of the vats were totally put out of commission and at the present those who are dipping cattle in those vicinities have been going to other vats near their homes.

Following the dynamiting of the Mc-Cullough vat near Maple Sunday, the sheriff’s force made one arrest. H.M. Morton was arrested following the finding of three sticks of dynamite, five caps and a fuse at his home. The sheriff’s force is close on the heels of the guilty ones who were responsible for the destruction of the vats at Brent and Sadie, and arrests are likely to be made at any time. Since Sheriff Johnston took over the office the first of the year, not a vat was blown until ten days ago. Dipping in this county had been going on without a hitch and splendid work was being accomplished by the county and federal officers in getting rid of that “ti- c-k.”

—Bob Burchett, who shot and instantly killed Jobe Spence three and a half years ago, and who was convicted in the district court and sentenced to 17 years in the penitentiary, was denied a new trial by the criminal court of appeals this week.

Burchett shot Spence with a shot gun following trouble originating over a stolen gun, for which young Burchett served a term in the penitentiary. Three and a half years ago Spence and Burchett went to his home and secured his shot gun, and shot Spence from ambush, while he was enroute to his home near Brent.

—Tom Jackson, age 85, and tourist who travels by the freight trains and railroad tracks, was seriously injured Friday afternoon when he was knocked off of Hog Creek bridge when one of the large Iron Mountain engines came by and shot out steam from its exhaust pipes, knocking the aged man from the pier, on which was standing.

A claim agent of the Iron Mountain was in Sallisaw Thursday to see the aged man and probably he will be sent to a railroad hospital for treatment.