Mine Was Burned -- Big Loss for Seymour and the Sunshine Mine by Fire

Semi-Weekly Iowegian - 20 August 1909

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  Seymour, Aug. 20 -- Scores of miners employed at the Sunshine mine owned by A. G. Widmer of Centerville had a narrow escape about 6:30 Tues-evening in a fire that put the mine out of commission.  When discovered, the tipple of the mine was on fire, but the blaze spread so rapidly that in less than an hour the framework had all fallen in.  The night shift had gone into the mine to work, but they escaped uninjured through the air shaft, although they had a narrow escape. Seymour will feel the loss heavily, as the mine payroll has been heavy.

  Besides the tipple, engine and boiler rooms, with all the machinery, a good part of which was comparatively new and in good order, there were some 500 or 600 tons of coal burned and three freight cars.  Part of the chute with several tons of coal fell right across the main track and all tracks of the Rock Island road and it took considerable time to clear them.

  The property destroyed was valued at something over $10,000.  Insurance was about half the amount.  There has been considerable speculation since the fire as to whether the work will be rebuilt or not.  The burning of the mine will be a sad loss to Seymour, as between 200 and 300 men depended on the Sunshine for their sole support.