After the Fire

Burlington has had hundreds of visitors since Tuesday of last week - viewing the scenes of the wreck caused by the fire - the most disastrous in the history of a town which was started more than a hundred years ago.

One of the buildings destroyed by fire last week was the birthplace of Judge Geo. Perkins, who was for many years judge of the Kenton county circuit court, and who, only a few days before, came all the way from Washington, D. C. to view the home of his birth.

The contents of Judge Gaines' law office, which was on the second floor of the store building, were destroyed.  The Judge was engaged in holding court at Williamstown when the fire occurred.

Many former residents of the town have visited the place to view the wreck of the building in which they spent many pleasant hours in their boyhood and girlhood days.

Everything in the safe in D. R. Blythe's store was found to be safe and not the lest hurt after it was dragged from the debris, while the contents in the safe of Judge Sidney Gaines' office were burned to a crisp.

The walls of the brick building were blown down Thursday with dynamite and nothing remains but a pile of brick and mortar.

The beautiful shade trees along the streets were badly scorched and it is feared they were killed.  Their dense foliage helped to keep the heat from the buildings across the street.

The tearing down of all the outbuildings back of the residences was a great help toward keeping the fire from spreading.

D. R. Blythe carried insurance in the amount of $4,750 on his stock of goods; which is about half his loss; Mrs. Drucilla Goodridge had $1,000 insurance on her residence, while the Riddell heirs had $1600 on their property, and Geo. Blythe carried $1500 on the store building.  Mr. Blythe expects to begin rebuilding in a short time.

A representative of the Anderson, Ind., Fire Apparatus Co., was in town Thursday, trying to sell the town a fire extinguisher.  This is something the town should have had a long time ago.

The Walton fire apparatus was the first to arrive, and give assistance at the fire last Tuesday.

from the Boone County Recorder, June 16, 1921