From the front page of the Ridgeway Journal dated September 3, 1931:
The Lewis Cafe building, owned by L. Y. Spragg, caught fire during the early hours of the previous Wednesday morning. Ridgeway fire fighters were called out early enough that the fire was brought under control quickly, despite the fact that the fire bell didn’t “function as it should and a lot of people didn’t even hear it.” The fire originated in the kitchen and was first detected by Mrs. Lewis who lived over the Cafe. “Presumably it caught from a defective flue or was the result of electric wiring.” After the fire, the Lewis family moved to the Linch Graham property.
After the fire, the editor wished that “the next time Ridgeway has a fire, it would happen before bedtime or about time to get up in the morning.” He would rather sleep than have to roll out of bed to fight a fire which “is not a pleasant pastime.”
“Two aeroplanes” flew around Ridgeway but “did not stop long enough to get acquainted.” They were from Trenton and also stopped in Blythedale.
The editor, Fred M. Sanderson, wrote a long column describing a trip he and his family took to see friends and family back home “in the county of Ray.” They stopped in Knoxville, Morton, Orrick and Lawson, visiting and collecting gifts of produce and chickens along the way. They enjoyed their visit, especially getting to see their youngest grandson.
The First National Bank, which had closed permanently eight months earlier, announced a second dividend of 15% which was to be paid to depositors. This was in addition to the 40% which had been paid earlier. “This is considered to be very good management on the part of the receiver, W. J. Gebhard.”
