The unfortunate Mr. McSpadden

This rather tattered photograph is the only image I could find of the northeast corner of Main and Themis streets in Cape Girardeau taken before the March 1919 fire that destroyed the corner building and damaged the structure north of it. (Southeast Missourian archive)

In the late winter of 1919, Cape Girardeau resident C.C. McSpadden was making plans for a new business venture here.

McSpadden, who was born on a farm near Van Buren, Missouri, had a varied employment history up to that point, including farmer, telegraph operator for the Frisco Railroad, manager of a company that produced ice and ginned cotton, and operator of a men's clothing store. He and his family lived here briefly in 1916, before he returned to his clothing business in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. Finally, in 1919, he was able to take up residence here with his family, having disposed of his Arkansas interests. That year also saw misfortune catch up with him.

McSpadden determined to open a men's furnishings store on Main Street, and in February traveled to Chicago to buy a stock of goods.

Published Feb. 18, 1919, in the Southeast Missourian:

MAIN STREET WILL HAVE FINE NEW STORE

C.C. McSpadden to open men's furnishing store here early in March.

C.C. McSpadden returned early this morning from Chicago, where he purchased a line of goods and fixtures for a store, which he is to open on Main Street, in the building formerly occupied by Chris Freeman's restaurant, about the first of March.

Mr. McSpadden will handle men's furnishing goods and shoes exclusively and will cater to that class of trade which wants better clothes and to keep up with the latest styles.

Mr. McSpadden has contracted with the Hart, Schaffner & Marx and Wilson Bros. concerns for clothing and furnishings and will handle a line of Stetson hats and shoes. In fact he says he will handle only the better line of goods and it will be his purpose to give his customers as good a line as can be secured anywhere.

For several years Mr. McSpadden has been in business in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, but recently he disposed of the business there and decided to come here and engage in business. He has been considering opening a business in Cape Girardeau for some time but not until recently was he able to dispose of his place there.

Mr. McSpadden's family has been residing in Cape Girardeau for several years, having purchased the Chenue property on North Frederick Street, and he has now taken up his residence here permanently and become a full-fledged citizen of this city.

A month later on Saturday, March 15, 1919, he opened his Main Street store -- Mac's -- to a large crowd of customers. But the next day, all of his dreams and his store were in ruins.

Published March 17, 1919, in the Southeast Missourian:

GIRARDEAU HAD A FIRE LOSS OF $43,000 SUNDAY

Business Block on Main St. Burned During Heavy Rain and Wind Storm at Early Hour.

Fire starting in the L.B. Houck building located at the (northeast) corner of Main and Themis streets at 1 o'clock Sunday morning spread to the Meystedt building, one door north, burning everything out and causing a loss estimated at about $43,000.

The lowers in the fire and the amounts as given a reporter for The Missourian this morning are:

L.B. Houck, building and fixtures, $14,000.
Allison's Toggery, stock and fixtures, $15,000.
Mac's, stock and fixtures, $4,000.
Mrs. Johanna Meystedt, building and fixtures.
Main Street Barber Shop, fixtures.
Household goods of several families, $1,000.

While the origin of the fire is not exactly known, it is believed that it started in the far northeast end of the Allison Toggery, as the flames were first discovered there. The flames then spread rapidly and in a few minutes' time the entire building was ablaze and in a short while was reduced to ashes.

The flames then spread to the roof of the Meystedt building and ate their way downward until the two upper floors were destroyed. The firemen checked the flames before they reached the first floor of the building and also prevented them from spreading to the building occupied by the Siebert shoe store.

Two traveling men who passed along the sidewalk about 1 o'clock going to a hotel saw smoke emanating from the Houck building and sounded the alarm. The fire department responded immediately and soon had water playing on the blaze, but the wind was so severe that they were unable to check it for some time. The firemen did excellent work, all spectators admit, but the odds were greatly against them and not until the above damage was done were they able to stop the flames. Many who witnessed the fire say that it was a mighty lucky thing that all of Main Street was not burned owing to the high gale at the time.

J.M. Allison, manager of the Allison Toggery, said this morning that he had not yet decided whether he would re-enter business. His place was entirely destroyed, not a parcel being saved. His stock of goods and fixtures, he said, inventoried about $15,000 and he carried insurance to the amount of about three-fourths of the stock.

C.C. McSpadden, owner of Mac's place, told The Missourian this morning that he will reopen his business just as soon as he can find a building. Mr. McSpadden had just opened his store Saturday morning with a capital stock of about $12,000. He carried insurance only to the amount of $2,500, but reached his store in time to carry out most of his goods before the fire spread to that building. Much of his stock was damaged in the rain, however, which was falling at that time. The fixtures were water-soaked and damaged quite extensively.

The Main Street Barber Shop, owned and operated by Otto Cook and Bob Price, was not damaged by fire, but was soaked by water. Otto Cook said this morning that he considered the shop a total loss, as the chairs and fixtures were ruined by the water.

The household goods of several families who occupied the upper floors of the Houck and Meystedt buildings were destroyed, very little being carried out to safety from the latter building and none at all from the former building.

Mrs. Grace Shelton, who lived in the Houck building, barely got out of the building with her four children before the flames reached their rooms. Their effects were all lost.

L.B. Houck, owner of the building that was entirely consumed by the flames, is out of the city, but Ben Vinyard, his agent, stated this morning that he knew Houck had about $14,000 invested in the building. Vinyard did not know the exact amount of insurance carried, but said he thought Houck had about $10,o00 on the building. It is not known whether Houck will rebuild.

Al Meystedt, son of Mrs. Johanna Meystedt, said that his mother would suffer a loss of about $8,000 to her building. He said insurance to the amount of $4,000 was carried. Mr. Meystedt said that his mother would rebuild just as soon as a settlement is made with the insurance companies. It is believed that the walls of the Meystedt building are not ruined and that they will not have to be torn down.

It was thought during the fire that the Siebert shoe store had been damaged to a great extent by water, which was thrown on that building to check the fire, but Mr Siebert stated this morning that his loss was very small. Some water seeped through the walls and ran into his store, but his stock of goods was not damaged.

During the fire a young soldier, Lt. H.B. Watson of Chicago, who is in the city on a visit, did splendid work assisting the firemen and was highly praised by the firemen as well as property owners. The young soldier went into the work as though a veteran at fire fighting and did not let up until the flames had been entirely subdued. Lt. Watson was at the St. Charles Hotel when the alarm of fire was sounded and lost no time in getting to the blaze.

A person who lives in one of the Meystedt buildings on the levee said this morning that he believed the fire started from a flue in the Houck building. He said he looked out of his room shortly before midnight and saw sparks flying out of the flue. It was stated that the janitor at the Houck building had a hot fire in the furnace during the evening, but did not fire up at a late hour.

***

Following the fire at the Houck and Meystedt buildings, the St. Charles Hotel was given a scare Sunday morning, a flue burning out there. When the walls of the Houck building fell in a water hydrant was broken off and the water pressure so greatly impaired that the hotel was left without water.

Published March 17, 1919, in the Southeast Missourian:

'MAC'S' STORE OPENED WITH FINE BUSINESS

Although C.C. McSpadden was routed by fire early Sunday morning, after opening his store for one day, he is not discouraged in the least and will settle down in another location just as soon as he can rent one.

"Mac's" store was opened Saturday morning under the most favorable conditions, a large crowd visiting during the day. He reported this morning that he had an exceptionally find day's business for a beginner and is more confident than ever as the success he is to meet with in Cape Girardeau. While the fire was raging next door to Mac's place Saturday night he carried his furnishings to the First National Bank building, where they will remain until a location can be secured.

Mr. McSpadden handles gents' furnishings only and is catering to that class who look for the best values at moderate prices.

On April 2, 1919, it was announced that Johanna Meystedt, who owned the building that had housed Mac's, would be reduced from three stories to two, and a new front put on, "making it compare with other good buildings on Main Street."

An article in the Missourian indicated McSpadden wanted to return to the same quarters, but would have to seek another location, if there was a delay in the repair work at the Meystedt building.

A 1925 article gives more details of McSpadden's life after the fire: "Part of the stock (from his store) was saved and he resumed business in the lobby of the First National Bank, then went to Broadway and then back to (the) first (Meystedt) stand when rebuilt. In a few weeks he sold out and went to Arizona, in 1920."

It seems his misfortune followed him there. Also from the 1925 article: "At Phoenix he bought equities in town and ranch properties with prospect of becoming rich. The failure of the Central Bank of Phoenix, one of the largest in the state, wiped out his reserve finances. The bank never paid depositors a penny and Mr. McSpadden could not carry his equities, losing more than $30,000 by the failure. He came back to this city and started his present (clothing and men's furnishings) business in 1923."

But in the end, McSpadden found prosperity in the Lone Star State. You can read about his life in Texas in an earlier blog.

While Johanna Meystedt chose to rehabilitate her Main Street building, L.B. Houck did not. The northeast corner of Main and Themis streets remained an empty lot from March 1919 until 1925.

MANY THANKS to Betty Landre, who stopped by the Missourian's offices last week with information on a mystery picture published June 18, 2013, in a "Pictures of the Past" gallery.

We published this photo in the gallery with no information, except the guess that it was taken by G.D. Fronabarger in the old Cape Girardeau Public Library. Betty confirmed that it was taken in the basement of the old library in Ivers Square. She added that the woman standing at right was the former children's librarian, Peggy Kearney. Betty estimated the photograph was taken about 1960.

Thanks again, Betty, for taking the time to drop off your note.

All of our galleries of old photographs may be viewed on the History Page of our website.