Caddo- My Home Town

Fires, 1920-1950

Fire Timeline Part Three

September 1920

Barn on the McPherren place, two miles east of town; occupied by J. L. Kennedy; 2,000 bushels of oats burned.

November 1920

Barn of Lump Reeves, east of town; corn, oats, hay, and his new Dodge auto destroyed.

December 1920

A small fire in the office of Newt Rains resulted in burns on his face and hands. He saw a bucket of “water” in the room and threw it on the blaze. It was gasoline that had been used for cleaning something. Thankfully others in the building helped put out the flames and get treatment for him. The Herald reported that “he suffers greatly”. A week later he was back at work.

January 1921

Caddo High School completely destroyed. Fire started under the stage in the auditorium. A few teachers and students had arrived early and they managed to save the piano.

February 1921

Simmons & Cain corn mill; once used as the Masonic Lodge. Thirty years old; total loss.

July 1921

Home of J. K. Bass

August 1921

Tailor shop of Roy T. McGee; he was pressing a pair of trousers when “something exploded”; building located next to the post office (the mail was quickly removed), south side of Buffalo Street; only frame building left from 1898; many surrounding buildings had to remove their stock; so out of control at one point that Durant was called for assistance; they were met at Armstrong and informed that it was finally contained. One conclusion after the fire was that the fire department needed ladders.

November 1921

1. Home of Mr. Birge in the Caddo Hills
2. Home of E. L. Powell, just west of town; family “barely escaped with their lives”; started in the smoke house; home was eight years old

December 1921

Bakery of James Lattimore; partially destroyed

June 1922

Gristmill of Roy Byers on Arkansas St.; small damage “thanks to the fire boys”.

September 1922

Barn of J. J. Jenkin

March 1923

Home of George Boydstun, a mile northwest of town

May 1923

1. Home of Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Leneave
2. Home of Mrs. F. R. Grayson; started in oil stove; home was at least 40 years old and at one time served as part of the hotel and also as a school.

January 1924

Home of Mr. McBride (owned by Mr. Flowers)

 

June 1924

Emet Boydstun barn, three miles northwest of town.

August 1924

Home of T. H. Dorsey damaged in fire started in closet; it was speculated that the fire was “ignited by rats eating the matches stored in a coat pocket”.

October 1924

Home of W. T. Skinner, southwest part of town.

January 1925

M.B. Taylor home, two miles west of Caddo. “The most horrible tragedy in the annals of the county”. The father was sick and sleeping downstairs. His four younger children (5, 10, 14) were sleeping upstairs. The mother and two older sons (17,19) were in Sherman. Mr. Taylor awoke to find the upstairs engulfed in flames. He attempted to go up the stairs but could not. He went outside and tried to climb the lattice work up to the windows. He called for help and several neighbors quicky arrived. Barney Wood and Hatsell Powell were cut and burned when they broke out windows. All four children died in the blaze. Twins Allen and Alline, and their brothers, Fred and George were buried in one casket.

May 1925

Home of J. T. Paris; contents included $200 cash

February 1926

Farmers Gin Company destroyed; $1,000 loss

December 1926

Baker home, “one of the finest homes in Caddo”; owned by J. W. Crutchfield of Durant and occupied by the family of Frank Baker; Loss $8,500 (home valued at $5,000)

November 1927

Wilson Gin totally destroyed; not in operation that year. Owned by Headley Abbott of Durant and Roy Riddles of Caddo. $8,000- covered by insurance.

April 1931

Franklin School house, four miles east of Caddo. Fire occurred at 11pm; impossible to save the building or contents. Homer Freeny and Mrs. W. P. Turnbull were the teachers. Fire was believed to be of incendiary origin.

October 1948

Granville Baxter barn; loss $9,000

December 12, 1950

1000 acres of pasture burned east of Caddo. Over 500 acres of the Stuart Ranch; eleven men battled the blaze with wet sacks and had it under control until a tree fell across a creek and ignited the neighbor’s pasture. The second fire engulfed the pastures of Joe Brown, Judge V. A. Reeves, and Joe Szenasi.

More Fires

Fire Timeline Part Two

August 1910

New water main and 35 fire plugs installed in town; prompted the organization of a fire department; assisted by Chief Charles Huber of Durant

October 1910

Home of W. M. Genett

December 1910

Home of “negro George Robinson”. (That is how it’s reported in the paper.) It was a two-story home and had been dynamited, but not destroyed, a few weeks earlier.

September 1911

Home of E. T. Tipton four miles north of Caddo; the family barely escaped

December 1911

“Serious fire” at Wilson & Hartzog Gin

November 1912

“old lodge hall shack across the tracks” burned down.  

January 1913

Corn bins of the Katy Mill and Elevator Co.; $5,000 damage; fire department unable to save it because the fire plugs were frozen.

July 1913

Home of J. H. Dempsey; defective flue. Most of the furniture was saved.

September 1913

State fire report:

192 fires

77 of unknown origin

25 oil or gas explosions

17 defective flues

12 incendiary origin

December 1914

1. Home of W. C. Hatcher slightly damaged due to defective flue
2. Barn of H. G. Huffman, almost a total loss; filled with corn, oats, hay; estimated loss $2,500.

The following is not a Caddo fire, but is another example of how fires could quickly start: Durant Weekly News

January 2, 1914

On Wednesday night, while the pupils of the Pleasant Hill School, southeast of Caddo, were holding a Christmas celebration, Frank Benefield was badly burned about the face and hands. He was taking the part of Santa Claus and while near the tree his clothing caught afire from one of the candles. Prompt action on the part of the visitors in putting out the fire saved the boy’s life, as the flames did not get into his lungs. The young man was resting easy Christmas Day.

1915 Sanborn Fire map notation for Caddo:

Direct pressure and gravity water system. Fire department of 14 men. 4 hose carts. 2,700 feet of 2 ½” hose. No hand engines. No hook and ladder cart. Fire alarm- telephones and whistle on electric light plant.

February 1915

Home of W. W. Kelso; nothing saved.

March 1915

1. Residence of M. Wilkowisky; none of the contents saved; he was not at home.
2. Hatcher School house burned; six miles southeast of Caddo. Taught by Miss Audra Phillips ad Miss Welthy Wright of Caddo. 18 months prior to this fire, a school building at the same location had burned. $75 reward offered by the community, and $25 by the sheriff, for capture of the arsonist.
3. Joe Wideman residence on Ainsworth St.; “recently acquired” by H. D. Pierson. It was being repainted and repapered.

May 1915

Mr. Wynne put out a fire in the jail after prisoners stuffed old papers between the wooden walls “in the northwest corner” and set them on fire.

June 1915

Home of Rom Sargent near the carnival grounds. It was a total loss because of the “great distance” from the fire department.

October 1915

Minor fire damage in the Witt Morris home. All the bedding on an iron frame bed burned; caused by an electric iron. The bed was away from the walls and did not cause them to burn.

November 1915

Barn of C. M. Reeves, four miles east of town; not at home. Lost 200 bushels of oats, 25 tons o hay, binder, cultivators, and some harness.

December 1915

1. Barn of Calvin Wright, west part of town, Christmas night; 7 tons of loose hay and some harnesses
2. Some damage to the W. H. Morris home caused by rats in the wall.
3. Ed Laurence home; built a fire in the kitchen stove an went to another room. The fire spread so quickly that only a couple of trunks and a sewing machine were saved.

January 1916

House belonging to Ben Siegel and occupied by J. E. Davis destroyed.

March 1916

House owned by Sid Miller; “across from the elevator”; one of the first houses built in Caddo; it burned, but those south of it were saved.

May 1916

H.D. Pierson residence on Ainsworth St. was in “full blaze” before the alarm was sounded; burned to the ground

June 1916

Home of J. E. Davis in the south part of town

August 1916

Barn of J. L. Honsinger

Month unknown 1916

Home of J.K. Bass (there is an item in the 1917 paper stating that he was “rebuilding the house burned last year”

December 1917

Home of Mr. Atterberry, east side of track; defective flue.

Fall of 1917

A. E. Boydstun’s livery barn on Arkansas St. was destroyed. He reopened for business on south Main St. but in January of 1918, sold the new business to T. A. Alexander.

September 1918

The State Fire Marshall issued a warning about trash fires.

1920 Sanborn Fire Map notation for Caddo:

8 volunteers (paid annually and for services rendered). Four hose carts. 2,700 feet of 2 ½” cotton, rubber-lined hose. Fire alarm- bells and telephone. One day police, no night police.

Fires Through the Years

Fire Timeline for Caddo, OK

My purpose in gathering this information is to help people understand that the Caddo we see today, although clearly old and historic, is merely a shadow of the town known by our ancestors. Many of the original businesses, grand homes, churches, and schools of Caddo were destroyed in moments by fires. Most were rebuilt, but were often less ornate versions of the originals. Insurance coverage was usually fractional or non-existent.

This timeline shows that fires were a problem throughout Caddo’s existence. The absence of fires from some of the early years doesn’t mean there weren’t any. It just means I haven’t found them yet. Many newspapers are missing.

Clear patterns emerge when you look at this timeline. Many house fires were caused by defective flues, or human error. Oil lamps were used before electricity became available. Gas or kerosene was often used to light stoves. Candles were set on furniture and even placed on Christmas trees. Trash and leaves were burned in piles or wire bins.

I have included barn fires in this timeline because they had such an impact on the local economy. The crops stored in them were irreplaceable until the next harvest. Most barn fires were of “undetermined origin”.

Far too many fires were caused by “incendiary devices”. Few arsonists were ever caught.

No, this isn’t complete, but I had to stop at some point so I could share it. I’m sure I’ll continue to find more fires.

Note: I have copies of the Sanborn fire maps. They’re also available online. They have lots of notes about construction, heating, wiring, etc. for businesses. I’ve included some of their comments about fire departments.

Information in quotes is from the Caddo Herald or Durant Democrat.

I’ll post this in three parts.

Fire Timeline Part One

March 1875

Home of F. M. Fox. Although there is a lengthy article about this fire, only the left half of it is readable due to damages in that issue. Two-year-old Leona Fox died in the fire.

 

December 1891

Bates home, three miles out of town. Fire started by a passing train engine.

1894 Sanborn Fire Map notation for Caddo:

No independent hose carts. Water facilities not good. Private wells and cisterns. Streets not paved.

January 1895

The Willis Boarding House

Month unknown 1899

“Methodist Church located on the corner of Bois d’Arc and Main Street. It consisted of a frame building approximately 25 feet in width and 50 feet in length. A steeple of contemporary style towered high above the roof of the church. This building was used until 1899 when it was destroyed by fire”.

November 1900

1. Original block of Caddo; Buffalo, east of Main. 21 buildings destroyed. George Ahrens killed. Fire only lasted an hour, due to heavy rainfall.
2. Bates home.

May 1900

1. C. Hancock building and Choctaw National Bank destroyed. A dozen stores damaged.

February 1902

Home of Dr. Green. Lamp explosion.

November 1902

Fire destroyed the warehouse of the American Cotton Co. The gin was saved because an auction was being held in town and all the men attending stopped and fought the fire.

January 1903

1. W. W. White’s home on Buffalo Street.
2. School held at the Choctaw Courthouse had closed for the day when smoke was noticed. A fire had “accidentally or otherwise” started in a desk. The fire was quickly put out. Average daily attendance for the school was 100.

February 1903

Home of Ben Brewer, 5 miles east of town; D. O. Nail had recently moved his household goods into the home and all were destroyed; previously in the same year Nail’s home at Blue had been destroyed.

April 1903

Nail Hotel. Fire started in the kitchen; entire building was gone in an hour; household contents saved; owned by Mrs. Folsom, managed by Mrs. F. E. McPherren; “blankets and bucket brigade” saved the Ainsworth building next door and the “town calaboose”;

May 1903

Ainsworth building a total loss and others damaged. Hancock building, formerly occupied by the Herald.   I.O.O.F. building; contents of upstairs hall saved. Lower floor was occupied by R. Wilkowisky. Jail evacuated, but undamaged. Ainsworth fire believed to be arson to cover up a burglary.

1904 Sanborn Fire Map notation for Caddo:

Private wells and cisterns. No organized fire department. Fire alarm- pistol shot.

September 1904

Choctaw Cotton and Power; too late to save the main building, but 70 bales of cotton were saved. Six stands lost; $5,000, insured. NO power to the town until it was rebuilt.

December 1905

Location unknown; Blue County Democrat reported “$10,000 in fire damages” to Caddo.

February 1907

“Southside of public square”, 5 buildings, $100,000 loss. First four of the bricks ever erected in Caddo (1895) and one frame building owned by Mattie Lynch, housing a meat market and restaurant. Believed to be arson.

March 1907

Four more businesses on the southside destroyed and others damaged. $35,000 loss. Arnold & Attaway, P. W. Arnold, Abney & Vincent, W. T. Smith Moore & Yoakum, Pace & Cobb.

Storm, 1918

Fire Department, 1910

September 14, 1956

News, 1890

Robert L. Bell

Durant Weekly News, February 18, 1938

Mystery Solved, 1915

Hanging, 1890