Clark County Clipper, October 9, 1884
Our First Fire.
About half past nine o'clock on last Saturday night, some parties on the
square noticed an unusually bright light South of town. The cries of a woman
and children, added to the rapidly increasing light in an instant, convinced
from that it was more than a camp fire. It was T. F. Adams house one half mile
South of town. Quite a number on horse back, and on foot, hurried to the scene,
and found the structure completely, enveloped in flames, which, fanned by a
South wind soon burned it to the ground. The house was not quite completed and
Mr. Adams and his eldest son were gone to Dodge City for lumber with which to
finish it. Mrs. Adams and three or four smaller children were sleeping in a
tent adjoining the house and were awakened by the fire crackling on the roof,
which was then burning furiously. Springing into the house she continued to
carry out such articles as she could handle, until a falling joist struck and
burned her shoulder, and she had to desist. At this point some parties from
town arrived, and succeeded in removing some things that she had pitched out of
the house, and what was under the tent. Several articles were saved, but the
most valuable, such as new stove, and sewing machine were lost, with nearly all
their clothing, Mrs. Adams being left in her night clothes. A purse of twenty
dollars and sixty cents for her benefit was made up in five minutes. Mr.
McCartney took the family to his house until further arrangements could be
made. Mr. Adams seems to be unfortunate. His cow and calf both died two or
three weeks since, and last week while in his well he was struck by a falling
bucket of mud and very luckily escaped with his life. How the fire originated
can not be ascertained. There had been no fire in the stove after four or five
o'clock. They ate supper during the hardest of the rain, and the fire then went
down. It seems strange that the roof being provided with a pipe-safe and
thoroughly wet with rain, should be the first to take fire. Many suppose it to
have been the work of incendiary.
Submitted by ~Shirley Brier~ in September 27, 2005.
Return to Kansas AHGP and ALHN