The Daily Journal from Franklin, Indiana • Page 1

MONDAY NEWSSTAND PRICE 50 CENTS JOHNSON COUNTY, INDIANA MONDAY, JULY 1,1996 On1 1 BROWNS 7 Fire, destroys 0 it 1 kf.L isronc staff photo tY VU.OMW null About 90 minutes after firefighters responded to Brown's Market, an explosion broke out windows in front of the by ilding. Former City Hall burns down siue it V. 14 f.f MARKET) TAW PHOTO BY MNNinm ML VtCWO that once housed City Hall offices and Grocer doesn't plan to rebuild Franklin store By Jennifer-Del Vechio DAHY JOURNAL STAFF WRITER Joe Dobbs says he has enough good memories of his neighborhood grocery store. So, the 63-year-old Franklin resident says he doesn't plan to rebuild THE AFTERMATH Brown's Market at 3 E. Monroe St.

The store, which had a reputation for quality food and a personal touch that kept customers coming back, was destroyed Saturday by fire. 1 "I'm not going to rebuild at this point," Dobbs said. "I'm semi-retired and competition is tough. We were small potatoes compared to the others (grocery stores)." "I'm sorry and sad about it, but I'm not devastated," Dobbs said. "Life has to go on." Dobbs began his grocery store career in 1956 by delivering bread to Brown's Market, which was first known as Standard Grocery.

In 1964, he became partners with Kenneth Brown before. sole owner in ia78. It was the start of an endeavor that put every member of the Dobbs' family to work in the store at some point. Dobbs said he'll miss his job and (SEE AFTERMATH, PAGE AS) 1 ii mm th i mwwwiiiwwb TIME TO MOURN Ceremonies remember soldiers killed in bombing. NATION, PAGE A2 ATLANTA BOUND United States selects Olympic gymnastics team.

SPORTS, PAGE B1 Accent A6-A7 Classified B6-B7 Comics B5 DearAbby. B5 A4 Johnson County. A3 Police, fire A3 Sports B1-B4 TV listings Weather A8 LESS HUMID Not quite so hot today. MAP, PAGE A8 Emily Blevins, 60, Indianapolis Ralph W. Ridenour, 79, Greenwood Peggy M.

Hovious, 29, Gosport Benny A. Loomis, 65, Nashville Ezra Love, 77, Indianapolis James E. Swift, 76, Nashville TOT POND DAY The Purdue Extension Service and the Soil and Water Conservation Districts in Johnson and Morgan counties will host a "Pond Field Day" starting at 6 fonight. The program is on Hickey Road in Jackson Township. At the four-way stop in Morgantown, participants should drive north 12 mile and look for signs.

Topics include: fish stocking, proper pond design, hunting and fishing laws and aquatic wee6controL Information: 736-3724 or 342-1010 TAXES DUE Any Johnson County prop erty-owner with delinquent taxes from May 1995 and prior taxes, penalties and special assessments must pay by today to avoid their property from sale in the 1996 tax sale. Information: County Treasurer's office j-736-3711 Circulation 736-2777 Classified 736-2700 Newsroom 736-2726 Franklin Firefighters arrived only minutes after flames began consuming Brown's Market in downtown Franklin on Saturday morning. But despite their efforts hall Franklin 's past lived i By Jennifer Del Vechio DAR.Y JOURNAL STAFF WRTTER One of Franklin's most historic landmarks was reduced to rubble Saturday after a fire engulfed the building, shattering windows and caving in walls. As firefighters battled the blaze at Brown's Market at 3 E. Monroe Street, hundreds of bystanders stood watching, many with tears in their eyes.

The building has been part of Franklin's history since 1895. THE FIRE The fire reportedly started at 9:49 a.m. in the back of the store when the building's main electrical panel caught fire. Franklin firefighters reached the scene at 9:52 a.m., but their entry into the building was delayed while waiting for PSI Energy crews to arrive and turn off electricity to the building. PSI received the call at 9:55 a.m.,, and two linemen responded to; the fire scene within 10 minutes, according to Sharon Acton, Franklin's PSI manager, Acton said the linemen shut down the powerline that serviced Brown's Market within 10 minutes after arrival.

The power company then sent in two additional linemen and bucket trucks to shut down power near the area later, at the request of the fire department. The Indiana State Fire Marshal's office has been sifting through the rubble to determine the exact cause of the blaze, which is still under investigation. When the fire started, six (SEE FIRE, PAGE A5) courtMtov The Franklin City Hall building as it appeared in 1 895. LANDMARK MEMORIES Brown's Market Building 1895 The building became Franklin's new City Had. A council-appointed committee didn't want the Cost of the building to exceed $15,000.

1896 The opera house was in full-swing, with Hubert H. Woodsman in control of operations, promotions and hiring entertainers. 1915s- The opera house or theater on the upper floor was leased to O.I. Demaree, who was reportedly "very innovative." During the Wonder Five era, a group of Franklin's finest basketball players, Demaree would report the basketball team's away games through telegraph to people in the opera house. 1920s Demaree installed Franklin's first electronic scoreboard so basketball enthusiasts could see away 'game scores.

1921-1945 Franklin's fire department was installed there. 1932 'Demaree retired, and the opera house closed. lite lite Swlion moved to the old armory, the Green Door Restaurant opened. 1950s Brown's Market moved in, and the upper floors became storage areas. Source: Johnson County Museum of History 37S JOHNSON COUNTY MUMUM St -7 4 9' the fire destroyed the historic building the fire and police departments.

The stories were plentiful Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Some people remembered their high school commencements, from Y- (SEE BUILDING, PAGE A3) nside 'r W6 r. Building served as theater, cafe, police station By Valorie Tramm Claburn DAU.Y XXJRNAl STAFF WRITER James Whitcomb Riley recited poetry there. Rabid followers of franklin's Wonder Five packed its seats to watch an electric scoreboard relay an update of road game scores. It housed traveling Vaudeville THE BUILDING acts and a restaurant where Franklin's admitted cronies hung out to talk politics.

And, amazingly, it survived one other destructive act of nature. But the historic former Franklin City Building, once heavily damaged by a storm in 1895, couldn't overcome a fire that gutted the building Saturday afternoon The loss not only hit Franklin in the heart of its downtown area; it struck at the emotions of those who remembered going to entertainment events at the building or taking a stroll down to Brown's Market for 35-cent soda. Hundreds of spectators, some seerningly a wake, came downtown to watch the brilliant blaze consunte'the interior of Brown's Market on East Monroe Street. Firefighters were called to the scene just before 10 a.m., but they weren't able to save it. All that remains of the century old building which has served Is City Hall, the fire department, rrn moro iT maijta wtm Barber flay Sosbe, left, talks to Franklin firefighter Stuart Bridges after a cash register was saved from his shop next door to Brown's Market.

Eolice headquarters; an opera ouse, a restaurant and a grocery are memories and photographs: "It seems everybody remembers being in there at some point or other," said Mary Ann Plummer, director of the Johnson County. Museum of History in Franklin..