Pictured: The Bunker Hill Fire Department, date unknown. Firemen and horses pose before the old fire house which was replaced in the 1940's
Reprint of our earlier Bunker Hill News article blog postings at https://bunkerhillhistory.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-fires-of-bunker-hill.html and also at https://bunkerhillhistory.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-fires-of-bunker-hill.html
From Bunker Hill Revisited Volumes - One and Three
Pictured: Washington St., as viewed from the Opera House corner. Sanford's south wall on right.
The fire January 23, 1880, originated in Sanford's Grocery Store on the same ground. The damage on the fire proper footed up $12,000. The insurance was fair.[1]
December 1, 1882, the ground from Bumann's three story building to Sessel's corner and on Warren Street west to the alley, was burned. The loss totaled $37,000, nearly equally divided between buildings and stock.[1],[2]
These fires occurred on the west side of Washington Street.
Pictured: Warren St. as seen from Klinefelter's store. Sessel's west wall on right.
From the Gazette News, September 20, 1893: On Friday evening, for the third time, fire held a fierce carnival on the west side of Washington Street. The alarm was given about 6:20 p.m. and within two hours $75,000 worth of the business property in the city had been wiped out.
The fire originated in the immense barn in the rear of the Johnston block. It was probably due to the pipe of a tramp or bum, or a cigar of card-playing youngsters. The facts will never be known. Almost simultaneously, all buildings south of the Johnston block were ablaze so fiercely that little could be done in the way of saving contents.
The local fire company did noble work with the fire engine, chemical, and new extinguishers and were nobly seconded by many of our people. To such effort is due the arrest of the fire at the Johnston block and the saving of the business property on the east side of Washington Street.
As near as can be ascertained the fire losses were $75,000. This includes damage to buildings and stocks not destroyed.[3],[4]
The local fire company did noble work with the fire engine, chemical, and new extinguishers and were nobly seconded by many of our people. To such effort is due the arrest of the fire at the Johnston block and the saving of the business property on the east side of Washington Street.
As near as can be ascertained the fire losses were $75,000. This includes damage to buildings and stocks not destroyed.[3],[4]
Pictured: The old firehouse on West Warren St. used by the local Corps of ground observers in their drills. The stairway and stage atop the tower were built last year. The view is taken from east of the building. (photo circa Feb. 3, 1955)
...Read more about this and other Bunker Hill, IL historical stories at https://bunkerhillhistory.org/
[1]Stanton, Carl L. . "Bunker Hill News 1893." In Bunker Hill Revisited, Volume Three, 1892-1900, p. 62. Bunker Hill: Bunker Hill Publications, 2000. Provided by the Bunker Hill Historical Society.
[2]Stanton, Carl L. . "Bunker Hill News 1882." In Bunker Hill Revisited, Volume Two, 1882-1891, pp. 44-46. Bunker Hill: Bunker Hill Publications, 1999. Provided by the Bunker Hill Historical Society.
[3]Stanton, Carl L. . "Bunker Hill News 1893." In Bunker Hill Revisited, Volume Three, 1892-1900, p. 60-64. Bunker Hill: Bunker Hill Publications, 2003. Provided by the Bunker Hill Historical Society.
[4]Stanton, Carl L. . "Bunker Hill News 1880." In Bunker Hill Revisited, Volume One, 1866-1881, pp. 209-210. Bunker Hill: Bunker Hill Publications, 1997. Provided by the Bunker Hill Historical Society.
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