JAMES McMONIGAL, 78, 811 Avenue A, died at a local hospital Friday morning. A resident of Council Bluffs since 1925, McMonigal was a watchman at the old Continental Furniture Store and was badly burned when the building was destroyed by fire. He was a member of the Eagles' Lodge and Spanish American War Veterans.

Final rites were held at 9 a.m. Tuesday at St. Francis Xavier Church for James McMonigal, 78, 911 Avenue I, who died last Friday and who never forgot the date of December 3, 1925. It was 5 a.m. on that day fourteen years ago. Mr. McMonigal, night engineer for the old Continental Furniture Store, then located where the Safeway Store now stands next door to the Union Bus Depot, reached under the boiler of the heating plant to light an oil burner. A sudden explosion followed. Then a second one. It struck Mr. McMonigal. Though burned he managed to make his way from the basement to the street.

Wales L. Otis, traveling salesman staying at the old Grand Hotel, where the Hotel Chieftain is now located heard the explosions and rushed to the street to get his automobile out of the way. Staggering across the street and screaming came Mr. McMonigal. Otis put him in his car and rushed him to Mercy Hospital. En route McMonigal related to Otis what had happened.

Almost immediately after Mr. McMonigal managed to escape with his life the Continental building was glowing with flames. Within three hours, Pearl Street from First Avenue north, half way up the block, lined on both sides with ruined buildings, including the old Grand Hotel. The west side of Main Street was in a similar condition.

Omaha had rushed help to the local firemen to battle the configration, which caused a loss of $1,250,000.

It was the greatest disaster in the city's history. Eventually the buildings were rebuilt.

At Mr. McMonigal's funeral services requiem mass was celebrated by the Rev. James P. Danahey.