Provided by Pattie Deer Bailey of Neodesha in March of 2006:

THE GUTTED FRONT OF THE AMERICAN LEGION BUILDING At Eighth and Main -- after the flames from a natural gas explosion had been quenched by the fire department.

The blast occurred in the real estate office of John W. Deer, on the ground floor, at a few minutes before the 5 o'clock closing time, on January 18th, 1944.

Killed, apparently instantaneously, were John W. Deer and his daughter, Mrs. Harold (Vivian) Brown. Deer was in the back room of his office at the moment, and Mrs. Brown was seated on a settee in the front room.

The explosion and resulting fire were caused from seepage of gas into the room from cracks in the concrete floor -- beneath which was found a gas line riser that had not been plugged before the floor was laid down.

Building put up by I. J. Jenkins of Kansas City in 1904.
(By Kerry: I am not sure the name of Jenkins is I. J. or some other first initial)

The newspaper article below was collected by my mother, Ocie Lee Elkins, in 1944 following the fire. It was clipped out of the paper and put in her scrapbook. I have scanned in the information which follows:

TWO DIE IN FIRE IN JOHN DEER'S REAL ESTATE OFFICE

John W. Deer, Mrs. Harold Brown Fatally Burned

This community was inexpressibly shocked and saddened late yesterday when it became generally known that both John W. Deer and his daughter, Mrs. Harold Brown, had lost their lives in the explosion and fire which occurred in the Deer Real Estate Office rooms on the ground floor of the American Legion building, Eighth and Main Streets, shortly before 5 p. m.

Identify Bodies

The bodies were recovered and taken to the Loran Fawcett funeral home after firemen had extinguished the flames. Positive identification was made by relatives, Coroner O.D. Sharp said, through a ring worn by Mrs. Brown, and dental structure, in the case of her father.

Mr. and Mrs. Jess Moore, who were in the Deer office at the time of the explosion, escaped with their lives probably only because they were near the large front window of the office at the moment. Moore was able to break the window and flee from the flame-filled room.

Dr. Sharpe said Moore told him later at the Wilson County Hospital that after he got out of the office, he turned back and assisted others in getting Mrs. Moore out of the inferno, which a few seconds before had been a quiet real estate office where Moore and his wife had stopped to transact some business.

Suffer Severe Burns

The clothing of both Mr. and Mrs. Moore was afire, and both suffered severe burns. Hospital attendants said Mrs. Moore was burned about the head, face, neck and shoulders and also on her back, hands and legs. Moore, they said, was burned in much the same way.

Those reported to have aided in the rescue of Mrs. Moore and in extinguishing the flames in her clothing and that of her husband were Charles Eaton, Ralph Moulton, Earl Cunningham and Rupert Ogden, of Fredonia, all of whom were in the vicinity when the explosion occurred.

Persons near the scene at the time said flames burst from the front of the office immediately after the blast and in a very short time the entire front of the building was enveloped in flames and smoke.

Escapes Through Front Door

Dr. S. C. Sutherland, whose office occupies two rooms just west of the Deer office, is reported to have escaped through the front door. All furnishings and equipment in his office apparently were badly damaged. The entire two rooms comprising the Deer office were gutted by the flames, with all furnishings either destroyed or badly damaged.

After firemen had succeeded in bringing the fire under control, the bodies of Mr. Deer and Mrs. Brown were revealed. Mrs. Brown's body was found near the front door of the front room, and that of her father was found in the rear room.

Since the only persons who had positive knowledge of who was in the Deer office at the time of the explosion were Mr. and Mrs. Moore, and they had been taken to the hospital before the information could be learned, authorities at the scene of the fire were not sure who the victims were until identification was made by relatives.

Appears On Scene Of Tragedy

Harold Brown came upon the scene of the tragedy as he returned from work at the refinery. Knowing that his wife had been assisting her father in the office, he at once began a search for her. After checking both at the hospital and his home he became convinced that she was one of the victims of the flames, and as soon as conditions permitted he made identification by a ring worn by his wife.

It is believed that both Mrs. Brown and her father were rendered unconscious by the force of the explosion.

The condition of both Mr. and Mrs. Moore was reported as favorable for recovery at the hospital today.

Gas Believed Cause Of Explosion

Cause of the explosion, which persons near the building said blew glass from the small windows of the office far out into the street, is believed to have been an accumulation of gas in the Deer office. Neither the source of the gas nor in what manner it was ignited has been definitely ascertained. Both city and county authorities are conducting investigations to determine, if possible, the cause of the tragedy. Earl Gibson, who was standing in the Auto Inn doorway when the blast occurred, called the fire department, which made excellent time in getting to the scene and extinguishing the flames.

Scanned in March 2006 by Kerry Elkins. An attempt to correct errors was made, but this copy may still include errors and no claims are made to its accuracy. I greatly appreciate the efforts of Pattie Deer Bailey (Mrs. Gene Bailey) of Neodesha for providing her family album photo and information.