Herald's history series: Fire, ice damage two downtown buildings

Editor's note: This is the weekly installment of a review of our back issues as The Sylva Herald and Ruralite celebrates its 75th anniversary throughout 2001.

Sylva Cafe Is Damaged By Fire On Sunday Morning

March 3, 1960 - Fire damaged Velt's Cafe in Sylva an estimated $15,000 to $20,000 Sunday morning. Firemen are shown here on the Mill Street side of the building. Adjoining buildings were not damaged by the blaze. - Herald photo

Velt Wilson of Sylvaa, owner of the building and the cafe, told The Herald late Wednesday morning that he plans to begin repairing and remodeling the restaurant within the next few days.

The fire started when grease became ignited on an electric stove in the kitchen of the cafe.

Restaurant equipment, food stocks and damage to the building were included in the estimate of damage made by Wilson.

Operators of the cafe are Mr. and Mrs. Dave Harris of Sylva, who leased it from Wilson in June 1959.

Damage in addition to the cafe was to four empty offices on the second floor of the building. Damage to the Hedden Barber Shop in the basement was slight (smoke damage). No adjoining buildings were damaged.

Sylva Volunteer Firemen worked about an hour to squelch the fire. A thick smoke hampered efforts to get into the building after hose was connected.

Tons Of Snow, Ice, Sleet Cause Damage To Building

March 10, 1960 - Tons of snow, sleet and ice caused a section of the roof of McGuire Building on Main Street in Sylva to collapse at about 11 o'clock last Wednesday night. Damage has been estimated at $10,000 by Dr. Wayne McGuire. Workmen began cleaning off the "roof" of the second story Thursday. Repair work started Friday. "The building is now perfectly safe - safer than it was before," said Dr. Wayne McGuire. - Herald photo

A section of the roof of the three-story building on Main Street in Sylva collapsed under the tons of weight of some 10 inches of snow, sleet and ice at about 11 p.m. Wednesday, March 2.

Workmen began cleaning off the "roof" of the second story early Thursday morning. Repair work was started Friday. And by Tuesday morning, the 8th, dentists with offices in the building were again seeing patients.

"The building is now perfectly safe - safer than it was before," said Dr. Wayne McGuire. Two-thirds of the third story of the structure, where rooms were used for storage, has been removed.

Dentists having offices in the building are Dr. Wayne McGuire, Dr. Daisy McGuire, Dr. Harold McGuire, Dr. Patsy McGuire and Dr. Noracella Wilson. Also, Tom Wilson, dental laboratory technician.

A new roof has been constructed over the front two-thirds of the building.

Elsie's Dress Shop, located on the first floor of the building, received practically no damage. Volunteers turned out Thursday afternoon, the 3rd, to assist Mrs. Elsie Massie, owner, to move the dress shop goods and equipment across the street into the building recently vacated by Stovall's 5 & 10 Store. (Stovall's 5 & 10 Store is now located next to The Jackson County Bank.) Mrs. Massie reopened her store for business on Friday in the Stovall Building. She said she plans to move the dress shop back into the McGuire Building in the future.

The Herald Building, adjoining the McGuire Building, suffered no damage.

Dr. McGuire expressed appreciation to the workmen for "coming when they were called" and for "working in sub-freezing weather."

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