The Court House and Post Office destroyed: About 3 o’clock on Sunday morning, the residence of Dr. T.D. Ferguson, known as the “Yost” property on the east side of S. Main St was discovered on fire by the family and almost simultaneously by Mrs. Harriett Jennings residing nearby, who happened to be awake at the time.

The alarm was immediately sounded from house to house and from the bells of the different churches and in a few minutes most of the citizens had gathered around the burning building to find it enveloped in flames and with its valuable contents beyond all possibility of rescue. The house was a two story wooden building ceiled and canvassed and papered within, filled and surrounded with all manner of combustible material and burnt like a heap of dry shavings. All minds immediately turned to the probable extension of the flames.

North of the dwelling and almost adjoining, stood Dr. Ferguson’s office and adjoining it the ware room of Westbrook & Howard, both light wooden buildings and the latter full of combustible material, light as tinder. The intense heat made it impossible to remain between the burning house and these buildings or on their roofs and as they were immediately adjoining Westbrook & Howell’s Store, it was evident the entire block on the southeast corner of the square, including the Court House was doomed and that the very least that could be done was to remove as much as possible of the contents of these buildings and take measures to prevent the flames from crossing the streets and spreading to other portions of the town.

To remove the contents of a whole block of buildings and the same time combat the angry element on three sides at once was no small task but the people went at it with a resolution and energy as nearly equal to the emergency as human power could be. In a very few minutes the whole block was enveloped in flames for the buildings were of wood and filled with inflammable goods, but those minutes were well improved.

While some were removing the valuables or most accessible articles from the burning houses, others were drawing and carrying water from wells and cisterns and filling tubs and barrels, others extinguishing fires on exposed buildings and covering them with wet carpets and blankets and others tearing away sheds and nailing sheet iron over the windows on the east side of the court house where two blocks of wooden homes were separated from it by a street only fifteen feet wide.

At one time it seemed that the flames must inevitably pass this narrow space, as Dr. Ferguson’s stable burned to the ground directly opposite to the large livery stable of the Holland brothers, which was several times on fire and only saved by the most determined effort. On the west side of the burning block the street is fifty feet wide and yet the heat was so intense the opposite buildings were repeatedly ignited.

The large three-story brick of S. Dunaway & Sons was on fire at every window and on the roof at one time. Unyielding pluck alone saved it. Had the fire extended in this direction or east from the courthouse, a large portion of the town must inevitably have been destroyed before it could have been checked.

THE BUILDINGS DESTROYED

were the large two-story dwelling, the large smoke house and stable of Dr. Ferguson; the ware room and store house of Westbrook & Howell; the latter containing dry goods etc below and a photography gallery, barber shop and the Marion Monitor office on the second floor; the house occupied by the Post Office and the drug store of Wm. N. Mitchell & Sons on the first floor and the law office of W.W. Duncan, and the Egyptian Press office above and the court house. Eight buildings in all, four of them large and valuable, were lost.

INDIVIDUAL LOSSES

Dr. Ferguson lost the entire contents of his dwelling, including valuable carpets, parlor furniture, fine paintings, piano, bedding, clothing, a large cook stove and the entire kitchen and table furniture; and about $300 in money secreted in the garret – in fact everything except three beds, a lounge, three trunks and a few minor articles. He lost his smoke house with the entire contents. His loss is perhaps $3000 insured for $2100 in the Hartford.

Westbrook and Howell lost their ware room with the entire contents, their store house and much of their large stock of goods. Their loss in goods is supposed to be between one and two thousand dollars; fully covered by insurance in the Hartford Insurance Company. Their building was worth about $2500 and not insured.

The Marion Monitor office on the second floor lost two presses and most of its fixtures, estimated at about $500. This loss though, small comparatively, is quite a calamity to the proprietor, Mr. Copeland, who can ill sustain it. A comparative stranger surrounded by embarrassments, he had his indomitable energy and industry and manly deportment made the Monitor a success and himself a host of friends. He has our sincere sympathy and wish that he may soon possess a better office.

Wm N. Mitchell & Son in the next building east lost a large portion of their stock of drugs; their damage being estimated at from $1500 to $2000 on which there was no insurance. W.W. Clemens on the second floor lost his desks, papers, office fixtures and library estimated at about $300.

Our new Egyptian Press office on the same floor lost a fine new press, large marble stone and other valuables amount to almost $500. Many thanks to “the boys” for saving the cases and type including a good lot of pts. We will bear our loss as best we can and immediately replace the missing articles with better ones and more of them. This building belonged to the minor heirs of Dr. L.M. Lewis; was worth about $3500 and uninsured. …….comprise the bulk of individual losses but hundreds of dollars worth of property was lost or damaged ….. The Messrs. Dunaway were insured in building and furniture and carpets to the amount of over $100.

The Marion Democrat office opposite the south east corner of the square was considered in much imminent danger that much of it was removed and damaged to the amount of $75 or more. Friend Brown & Sons have our sympathy in their loss and at the same time our congratulations in their fortunate escape.

The goods in P.H. Lang’s store, Wilhelms Restaurant, Mrs. Minnie Lowe’s millinery establishment, Wm. Goodall’s dwelling and Vick & Stephens grocery store and all the offices on the second floor were tumbled around and much of them hustled to the streets in the roughest and most confused manner imaginable. No estimate of the damage can be approximated.

The court house was built in wartimes and cost the county heavily, but was always considered an inconvenient and poor affair. It answered its purpose however and would likely be considered worth six or eight thousand dollars. Few people in the county will regret that it is out of the way of building a good house on a better site. The records and most valuable papers of the public officers were saved, except the records of the Master in Chancery. Wm. H. Eubanks, the genial County Clerk, was absent on a visit to Carbondale, but his deputy, Mr. Jno. R. Little was on hand and made things lively in the office till it was cleared.

Charley Dennison, the indefatigable Circuit Clerk, got around as best he could handing out the records and securing the many valuable papers on file in the office of the Circuit Clerk. Our sturdy sheriff had not heard the alarm but his aid, Jno. Edrington, secured the records of the office.

INDIVIDUAL SACRIFICES AND DEVOTION TO THE PUBLIC GOOD

It would be unjust to close this account without a brief notice of some of these: For instance, Wm. N. Mitchell surrendered hundreds of dollars worth of drugs, paints, oils and fine liquors to the flames and exerted even nerve to save the mail and other valuables of the Post Office, literally sacrificing his private property for the public good, though poorly able to afford the loss. Such devotion to official duty will never be forgotten by the people of Williamson County and he may be assured of the confidence and warm sympathy of a grateful public. May we ever have such a postmaster.

Charley Dennison, handicapped and unable to walk with a great degree of effort, never stopped till the last book and paper of public value was removed from the office of the Circuit Court but many valuable books, papers were never thought of until enveloped in flames. They could have been easily saved but the mind was too fully occupied with special responsibilities to give these personal interests a single thought. Such are the men to have in office.

Mart Robinson urged men to carry sheet iron from his store and nail over the windows on the east side of the court house which being done aided very materially in confining the flames with that building and arresting them. Who doesn’t admire such a spirit?

Many men ruined their clothing and wore themselves down, who had not a cent of personal interest at stake, even men living miles away in the country. Such things try men’s souls.

The Ladies, Heaven bless them, won the lasting gratitude of all. They were everywhere in the thickest of the fight, working with their own hands and encouraging others to work. Tearing carpets from their floors and blankets from their beds with which to cover exposed buildings; coming from every part of the town with buckets of water; removing and protecting goods piled in the streets and in every way doing and daring in the most heroic manner.

We wish we could record many of their names on a role of honor but it would seem individuals, these are already recorded in the hearts and gratitude to be remembered with pride and affection forever. May their tender feet never again have to tread streets covered with broken glass and burning coals, may their paths be carpeted with flowers and lighted by the glow of loving hearts.

The origin of the fire will probably remain a mystery. Many stories are afloat through the town, but on careful inquiry we have been unable to trace any of them to a reliable source or find any satisfactory explanation as to how the fire originated. In every calamity we are prone to attach blame to someone. But every man should be regarded as innocent till there is proof of guilt of any one we do not condemn.

That it was a careless thing to leave a kerosene lamp burning in the parlors of Dr. Ferguson’s is evident; but how many other families in this town and everywhere are guilty of the same thing, dangerous as it is. Let us not blame harshly without evidence, but each strive to be more careful in the future.

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(This extract from June 4, 1875: Fires: Egyptian Press –archived by Harry Boyd and kept on http://www.marionfire.us/ and photo taken from 1905 Souvenir Book, WCHS )