Fires have caused much destruction in our past history. They have wiped out much of our history by destroying the historical old buildings and the items that were housed in them. The riverport town of Dycusburg wasn't fortunate enough to escape the devastating fires and many of her buildings and historical documents were lost in these fires. From the archives of The Crittenden Press we can read of the destruction that was caused by one of these fires.
Dycusburg In Ashes
Crittenden Press June 7, 1906Last Thursday, May 31, at 3:15 in the early morning hours, a disastrous fire broke out in the residence of Mrs. Clifton, widow of the late J. H. Clifton, and mother of our townsmen, Will, Lewis and Tom Clifton, and on account of the early hour and the dry weather, was soon beyond control.
Mrs. Clifton's residence and her store room and all her furniture were consumed, her loss being about 6000 with only $1,250 insurance.
She and her two daughters Mrs. F. F. Charles, of Brazil, Tenn., and Miss Nelle, and her grandson, Emmet Clifton, barely escaped with their lives, losing most of t heir wearing apparel. Mrs. Charles also lost all of her household goods, which were stored there preparatory to their removal to Tennessee.
Brown & Dalton's loss on stock was about $1,000 with $500 insurance.
E. M. Dalton's loss on house was $1,000 with $350 insurance.
S. H. Cassidy & Co., tobacco factory, loss $3,500, no insurance.
S. H. Cassidy, residence and contents, loss $4,000, with $1,300 insurance.
Brasher & Campbell, general merchants, loss $4,000, insurance $2,600.
Decker's Livery stable, loss $500, no insurance.
J. B. Wadlington's residence, loss $1,000, no insurance.
Obe Simmons residence, loss $800, no insurance.
Griffin & Wells, warehouse, loss $500, no insurance.
It is said that the citizens are undaunted and that a new and better town will take the place of the old.
From the Dycusburg Community Items:
Between three and four o'clock on Thursday morning our peaceful village was awakened by the cry of "fire."
After making a hasty toilet and running in the direction of the fire they found it to be the large two story building owned by Mrs. J. H. Clifton, wrapped in flames. The fire is supposed to have stared in the room in w which Brasher & Campbell carried a line of groceries.
They also had dry good and the post office kept by G. Y. Steele was in the same building
The hungry flames were not satisfied with devouring this so they next consumed the grocery owned by E. M. Dalton and E. J. Brown. They were then fanned northward by a gentle south breeze, burning a tobacco factory, S. H. Cassidy's residence and a cooper shop, Bud Wadlington's residence, Obe Simmons residence, a stable belong to J. A. Decker, also one vacant house and the coal house. The coal burned for several days thus adding to the horror of the scene.
Several other buildings caught but were saved by the brave efforts of the men and boy, many of whom risked their lies to stop the fire.
This was decidedly the most disastrous fire that has ever visited Dycusburg, and had not brave efforts been put forth to hinder it's progress, Dycusburg would surely have been "A thing of the Past."
Just in alittle more than a year later, the little community would be hurt by another big fire in 1907.
