Source: News-Journal, August 9, 1962

FIRE DESTROYS SNYDER'S STORE

[photo of store/caption] The Snyder IGA Market that was destroyed by fire early Thursday morning. Located on Road 114 west, the building was built by Alvin Bolinger in 1954, and the grocery was moved from the uptown location February 23, 1955. The building was built especially for a grocery, and was 62x110. The front part was used for a serve-your-self grocery and meat market, and the rear room was used for storage. The building was sold to Paul and Gene Snyder in January of this year, and when the firm incorporated, the new owners leased it to the corporation. Two sons, John and Pat became members of the incorporated firm.

The Snyder IGA Market on Road 114 west, burned after midnight Wednesday night with a loss that is estimated at $100,000 or more. Only the outside walls were intact this morning when firemen finally brought the fire under control. Charred and heat damaged stock remained on some metal shelves, but for the most part everything that was flammable burned. Sections of the roof collapsed as well as sections of the ceiling and ceiling joists. Rock wood insulation in the attic made it difficult for firemen to get at the fire in the attic, while smoke and flames made it impossible to enter the building and the fire had to be fought from the outside.

The building is in Chester Township, but fire hydrants were available at the west end of Main street and also on Road 114, east of the  building. Chester, North Manchester, Laketon and Wabash fire trucks were used. Pumpers were stationed at the hydrants, and pumped water under high pressure to the fire trucks near the fire. Those pumpers then boosted the water to high pressure through the hose the firemen were using. Chester had two units, North Manchester and Laketon two units, and Wabash was requested to send a pumper to help relay the water to trucks near the fire. At no time was there any lack of water, as a six inch water main makes a circuit along West Main street and Road 114.

The cause of the fire is not known. Heskel Martin, who was on relief police duty, checked the doors and about the building shortly after 11:00 Wednesday night, and then returned about 12:15. He drove around the building. Electric lights were on in the grocery room, and he could see the interior clearly. There was no fire or smoke at that time. It was about 1:00 o'clock when Lemoine Montel who lives across the street, was aroused from sleep by the sound of glass breaking. He thought it probably was a vehicle wreck, and when he got up to investigate, he saw the entire front of the Snyder building was in flames. He called the fire department, and about the same time, someone came to the fire department and reported the fire. By the time the firemen could get there and get set up to pour water, the fire had spread throughout the front room, and probably had eaten upward into the attic. It was not until early this morning that the fire was brought under control.

Some records, not in the safe, burned, but money, insurance and other papers were in the safe, and although the safe had not been opened this morning, it is believed the contents are not damaged. Insurance appraisers are making an appraisal today, and efforts will be made to determine the cause of the fire. It is estimated the loss will be or may exceed $100,000, and although substantial insurance was carried, it will not be enough to cover the loss.

The building was built by Alvin Bolinger a few years ago as a grocery for the Snyder firm, and Paul and Gene purchased the building earlier this year. After the firm was incorporated and their sons, John and Pat Snyder, were taken into the firm, the building was leased to the corporation.

As it happens the uptown store building, owned by the firm at the corner of Main and Walnut streets, is vacant, and the plan is to open the Market in this building, until the burned building can be restored. The walls apparently are intact, but most of the windows were broken. Much of the equipment, refrigerators, cash registers, scales, etc., are damaged beyond use.

The Snyder brothers have been in business in North Manchester about thirty years. They first opened a store on the west side of Walnut street, and after a few years moved to a larger building, known as the Ulrey Block on the east side of Walnut, and fronting on Main. They occupied this building until the building that burned, was built a few years ago.

Source: News-Journal, August 16, 1962

Snyder Market Reopens Monday
Old Location at Main and Walnut

The Snyder IGA Market will open next Monday in the room owned by the firm at Main and Walnut streets. The store on Road 114 West was destroyed by fire Wednesday night of last week with almost total loss of building contents. Fortunately the building uptown, where the store was formerly located, had been vacated a few weeks ago by the Hirsch store, and was available for a speedy resumption of business operations.

Refrigeration, shelving and other fixtures were purchased almost immediately after the fire, and movement of new grocery stocks into the uptown room started yesterday. Shelving and checkout counters had been put in place Monday and Tuesday, and refrigeration equipment, meat cases, and other equipment will be here and installed in the next day or two. Although varied lines of the same type cannot be carried to the extent that were stocked in the store that burned, it is planned to have a complete stock of groceries, meats and vegetables.

Plans for a new store building have been designed by Richard Frantz of the Frantz Lumber Company, and will be taken to Indianapolis soon for approval by the state fire marshal, state board of health and other agencies whose approval is necessary for public buildings. Contract has been let to the Frantz Lumber Company and construction will start as soon as possible. The new store will be north of the building that burned, and will be larger. The site of the building that burned will be added to the present parking area. The firm had purchased several acres of land from Alvin Bolinger early this year, and thus there will be no delay in selecting the site for a new building. It is hoped to have the new building completed by late this year, and probably the greatest Christmas present for the Snyder firm would be to have the building completed and being occupied by Christmas. Weather conditions will be a factor in fulfilling this hope.

The building that burned was constructed by Alvin Bolinger and Paul and Gene Snyder purchased it last January. The firm incorporated, and their sons, John and Pat became members of the firm.

No merchandise from the burned store was brought to the uptown store. All that was usable was sold to an out-of-town salvage firm, and the remained was hauled to the dump.