HISTORY LINKS

Stevens Point 1873 Fire
From the Wood County Reporter
Grand Rapids, Wood Co., WI
January 1, 1874, Page 5

Surnames: BURDICK, CARVER, CLIFFORD, ELLIS, FELCH, GORDON, HAMLIN, HANSON, McCULLOCH, McGEE, NESBITT, PIKE, PRENTICE, QUINN, NEUGEBAUER, NEUGERBAUER, PRATT, PRENTICE, SCHUCHT, SENNET, SHANNON, SLOSSENS, SWEBECK, TIMM, Van HOUTEN, WALSWORTH, WATERS, WELSBY

The most destructive conflagration that has visited Stevens Point for years occurred on the evening of Sunday, December 28th. The fire broke out at about nine o'clock, and originated from the breaking or explosion of a kerosene lamp in the saloon of Mr. McGEE. The saloon was situated in the midst of a range of wooden buildings, extending on Main Street from the Public Square, on the northeast corner of Main and Second streets to McCULLOCH's new stone block, corner of Main and Third Streets, and on Second Street north to the Mansion House.

There was a light breeze blowing from the west when the alarm was first given. The wind increased its strength quite rapidly, and before the fire had exhausted itself, it was blowing a stiff gale, carrying sparks and living cinders a long distance. The flames spread with great rapidity, and by ten o'clock all that section of our city embraced within the above-described limits was one mass of burning, smoldering ruins.

The hand fire engine was promptly on hand, and was set at the reservoir on the public square. It did good service, in helping to save the south side of Main Street, several of the buildings of which were blazing briskly several times. It was soon evident, that the buildings on the north side of the street as far east as McCULLOCH's block were doomed, and the efforts of the crowd were exerted to check the fire here, save the buildings on the south side, and prevent the destruction of the Mansion House. In this they were successful.

Many of the buildings on the south side were badly scorched and the Mansion House gutted, but by dint of hard work on the breaks of the engine, and by carrying water in buckets they were saved from the total destruction that so seriously threatened them.

There is a wooden building immediately in the rear of McCULLOCH's block, used by Mr. M. as a storeroom, and this was also saved.

Below will be found a list of those burned out:

American Express Office
BURDICK Mrs., milliner
CARVER ---, grocery
ELLIS Sam, butcher shop
GORDON Peter, tailor
HAMLIN & Van HOUTEN, clothing dealers
HANSON Ole, boots and shoes
McGEE M., saloon
NEUGERBAUER Ed., butcher shop
PIKE E. L., saloon
PRATT R. P., restaurant
PRENTICE J. L., general store
QUINN P. H., general store
SENNET Ed. C., art gallery
SLOSSENS Mrs. E. M., milliner
SWEBECK ---, saloon and boarding
TIMM August, tobacconist
WATERS Mrs., milliner
WELSBY John, saloon

The saloon of Silas WALSWORTH, immediately south of the Mansion House, was badly damaged.

The furniture of the Mansion House was removed and some of the doors and windows taken out.

The glass in the fronts of all of the buildings on the south side of Main Street, between Second and Third streets, with the exception of the stores of Robert NESBITT and James SHANNON, were broken, and nearly all the goods removed. There were not great many goods burned though the loss from removals and water will be great. The total loss is estimated from $30,000 to $50,000.

The insurance agency of Otto SCHUCHT had $2,500 on the north side and that of J. A. FELCH $2,800. PRATT's furniture was insured for $500 in the Pacific and Atlantic; HAMLIN & Van HOUTEN, $500 on stock in Milwaukee Mechanics; W. J. CLIFFORD (QUINN Stock), $1,500 in Atlantic & Pacific; NEUGEBAUER $300 on furniture in Milwaukee Mechanics, and $400 on building in the Allemania, of Philadelphia.

Many thanks to Joan M Benner for transcribing these pages. Her professional page can be seen at: Golden Rule Genealogy.

[Rootsweb WI County Message Boards]

[PortageCoWI AGHP] [PortageCoWI - WIGenWeb]

[WI AHGP] [WI ALHN] [WI WLHN] [WIGenWeb]
[WI IGGS] [WI Migrations]
[WI Archives] [WI Resources]
[WISCONLINE]

Neither the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps nor any other component of the Department of Defense has approved, endorsed, or authorized this product/service/activity.