Home > Records > History Main > 1884 History Index

February 8, 1871, Atlantic suffered her first serious loss by fire. On that night several buildings located where the Conrad and Huse "brick buildings are now, were destroyed, as follows:

S. T. McFadden, druggist, building, $2,000, stock $5,000, stock mostly saved. P. Kirby, boot and shoe dealer; building $900, stock $3,500. George W. Barber, jeweler, suffered the loss of a building, and most of his stock saved. Stafford and Hawks, dry goods dealers, lost very largely of their stock. McGrew and Loofbourow, lost a building worth $1,500. J. B. McGrew lost in grocery stock $540. Buildings belonging to King Brothers, and Mr. Green were also destroyed, that belonging to the first named parties being the house occupied by Stafford and Hawks. J. H. Barnwell, M. D., and C. F. Loofbourow, attorney, lost books and papers of considerable value. Lucy Allman, photographer, lost goods pertaining to the photographic art, to the amount of $150, probably.

The following account of the great conflagration which visited Atlantic, Christmas morning, December 25,1880, is taken from the columns of the Cass County Democrat:

Saturday morning last, while the fire laddies and their girls were engaged in tripping the light fantastic, and the balance of Atlantic's populace were wrapped in slumber, the fire bell began to clang,and it was soon known that a fire had broken out in the building occupied by Messrs. Rathbun and Winters. In a very short time the fire boys were at the scene, and awakened by the continued ringing of the bell and shouts of fire, the citizens began to arrive by hundreds. When first discovered the fire was an incipient blaze, and from one who was on the ground first we learn that it seemed to be confined to the counters of the building. The hose was soon in readiness and a stream playing upon the counters, putting the fire out there, and it had just begun to be noised about that the fire was conquered, when it was discovered that flames were issuing from the sides and roof of the building. Turning their attention thereto the boys worked with terrible energy to conquer it, but the stream was licked up by the fast increasing volume of flame, and it was soon patent that the block could not be saved and that every building must burn. It then became in order to tear down adjoining buildings, and they came down rapidly. In the meantime the occupants of the buildings had been hard at work, assisted by hundreds of willing hands, and the store rooms all along the street were gutted of their contents and carried to places of safety. By three o'clock the scene was one worthy of an artist's pencil to portray; the lurid flames leaping skyward, the crackling of burning buildings, the shouts of the commanders of the fire companies, the falling of buildings being razed by the crowd, the thousands of people loaded down with goods taken from the store rooms, the pile of goods in the street, the grotesque maskurs coming from the ball, and the crowds of fair women lining the opposite side of the street was one never to be forgotten, and which, we hope, Atlantic will never see again. The character of the night was favorable for Atlantic, the wind blew but the faintest breath; had it been otherwise, or like unto Sunday night, instead of noting the destruction of one half a block of buildings, we would have occasion to note the destruction of over one-half of the town; even as it was, burning bunches of boards and shingles were carried over six hundred yards from the fire. In all the block there was not a brick building, it being made up of frames erected in the hurry of the beginning of the town, and there was nothing to break the speed of the fire. From this the city should take warning and prevent the erection of buildings in the heart of the city which endanger the entire town, in case of a conflagration such as this.

The Watson blook on Fourth street was insured for $2,000; loss abont $2,500. In one room was Harlan and Ostren, grocers, whose loss was covered by insurance. In the next room was Needham's tailor shop; no loss. Applegate and Company occupied the next room as a packing office. They saved their office furniture and fixtures. Next was Gould's barber shop, from which everything was carried in safety. In the upper story of this building was W. P. Egbert's photograph gallery, from which but little was saved. No insurance; loss about $500. The building on the corner of Fourth and Chestnut was owned by Dr. Wilkins, and occupied by J. S. Harlan, boot and shoe dealer. The building is a clear loss. Harlan saved his stock in good shape and with but little loss, and that covered by insurance. The next building was McDaniels', two stories, occupied below as a bank, by himself, and above by Isaac Hopper and Dr. Newlon. The building was not insured; loss $1,500. Isaac Hopper loses about $500; no insurance. Dr. Newlon lost all his books and instruments worth about $400. C. Egbert owned the next building, the one in which the fire originated. It was occupied by W. J. Winters and P.. Rathbun; loss on the building $1,200; no insurance. P. Rathbun had no insurance and lost about $500 in stock. Winters had $1,225 insurance, and lost from $500 to $600. The next building was owned by Charley Minte, and occupied by John Acklin. No insurance on building or stock; loss on building $500; on stock $200. The next building was occupied by W. Wildes as a second hand store. Loss on stock $100; no insurance. The next was J. S. Harlan's, and occupied by Misses Dorey and Hibbard, milliners. Loss on building $400; no insurance. Loss on stock $1,200; insured for $300. The next building was owned by J. P. Gerberich, and occupied by S. W. W. Straight, druggist. Loss on building $1,000; insurance $500. Loss on stock $2,200; covered by insurance. H. T. Jones' building was next, occupied by J. L. Winnie, baker and confectioner. Loss on building $800; no insurance. Loss on stock $700; no insurance. The next was C. T. Somers' building, occupied by Mason and Sanders, grocers. Loss on building $1,000; no insurance. On stock $1,000, covered by insurance. The Odd Fellows building came next, occupied by Winters and Hill, grocers. Loss on building $500; insurance $300. On stock $500; covered by insurance. Next was Copeland's building, occupied by himself. Loss on building $1,000; insurance $750. Loss on stock covered by insurance. Next was Richard and Montgomery's building, occupied by W. A. Wakefield, butcher. Loss on building $400; no insurance. Loss on stock small; no insurance. Next was Richard and Montgomery's building, occupied by Dr. Montgomery, druggist. Loss on building $700; insurance $500. Loss on stock $1,200; covered by insurance. On Fifth street was Dr. Emmert's office, owned by Emmert and Montgomery. Loss on building $250; insurance $100. Contents of office were all saved. In the second story over Montgomery's drug store, lived John Morris, who lost nearly all his household goods; no insurance. The sheds and barns in the rear of the buildings destroyed, were nearly all saved.

In the early stage of the fire, it was reported some one had been killed by a falling building. This report, however, was untrue, the only accident happening being to Ferdinand Wood, who was struck and severely cut in the face by a falling ladder. This accident was not a very serious one.

After the block had been consumed, and the saved goods made as secure as possible, the b'hoys concluded to make a night of it, and needing something to strengthen them after their arduous labors, they succeeded in getting it, and from that time until morning it was one continual round of pleasure, for which they are in a large degree excusable.

The origin of the fire is unknown, but the general impression seems to be that it was the work of an incendiary. The truth or untruth of this can only be determined in the future.

The fire had scarcely died out before McDaniels had the lumber on the ground for a temporary abode for his banking business. Copeland also had lumber on the ground Monday, and began the erection of a temporary building for his grocery stock.

Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, March, 2022 from: "History of Cass County, Together with Sketches of Its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens", published in 1884, Springfield, Ill: Continental Historical Co., pp. 899-901.