1883 - 1866 - 1890 - 1948

1883

In talking recently with Dave Richards and Fred Roethig, I discovered that they were both members of the volunteer fire department that had exciting and hard times at the big fire, in which an Akron company came to assist just after they got surrounding buildings under control.

It is hard for me to locate the exact site of the old place now, but it would be next south of the Citizen's Bank building, which was built over from the Howard brick store building. 

Next south of the Comstock building, which has such an interesting and unusual history, was an alley about 20 feet wide, then Jim McMillin's saloon, Noah Phase's barber shop, George Martin's bakery, Henry Howard's clothing store on the first floor and E. O. Knox's Cuyahoga Falls Reporter occupying the second floor.

This paper was a very thriving and interesting weekly at that time, with quite a history back of it. I don't know whether any of the records or paper/files were saved but suppose that they were all destroyed.

Mr. Knox was soon re-established with new equipment on the corner of Portage and Front streets, where Acme No. 8 is now located, in an old building that had been the L'Homedieu grocery corner on the Wetmore property. There was quite a hall above it, which was reached by an enclosed wide stairway in the rear from Portage street. This auditorium was used for pubic meetings and considerably as a mission hall. I remember hearing gospel hymns there as I stopped in a few times to meetings as I was returning from the little school in the park.

The Tremlin home was much lower than the sidewalk and back from the street, leaving a depressed yard in front in which the drainage was cut off by the wall of the Lodge block and the higher ground of the home. The firemen pumped so much water into the Lodge building, that it made a small pond in the Tremlin yard, and some of the firemen got drenched by falling into it. Fred Roethig was helped out of this lakelet by an old townsman pushing a ladder to him.

A lot of the old frame buildings in the Front street picture made thrilling and very interesting fires during the past fifty years, several of which I witnessed."

William R. Lodge 

Article placed in CF Reporter on October 1, 1937

1866

 On the morning of October 24, 1866, several business blocks on Front Street, including Gillett's grocery store, Tifft's meat market, Dr. P. G. Somers; office, post office, Steadman's jewelry store, and the fine stone block building known as the Bank Building, the lower floor of which was occupied by H. C. Lockwood as a dry goods store were all consumed by fire. 

When it became evident that the fire was out of control, a messenger was sent galloping to Akron for that city's fire department. The mayor gave his permission but Akron's department had only a single pair of ($550) horses and no livery stable would furnish another pair. So, they started out on foot with 20 volunteers.

Howard St. had not yet been opened up the hill. They went out Cuyahoga St. to Tallmadge then up the old "Chuckery" hill, with the firemen pushing and pulling on ropes.

Somewhere between Chalker's Landing and the Gorge, they were met by a second messenger. He informed them that the fire had burned itself out and their assistance was not needed. The exhausted firemen returned to Akron.

The goods in several establishments burned were mostly removed, but the buildings were a total loss, amounting to many thousands of dollars; but the saddest result was the death of Mr. John M. Hinde, a young recently married man of 24, and a soldier of the late war. Though young Hinde was troubled at times with heart disease, he was among the foremost in trying to save the property of those who were being burned out, and while thus engaged in removing goods from Lockwood's store, he sank exhausted behind the counter, and though afterwards found and carried into the open air, and every effort made for his resuscitation, he did not recover consciousness, and soon afterwards died.

Newspaper Headline: The Beacon of October 24, 1866

"The citizens of Cuyahoga Falls, notwithstanding their own severe loss by fire this morning, contributed $105.00 to the firemen of this city, who so promptly turned out with steamer, hose, etc., to aid them in subduing the fire. Though they were in readiness to start within fifteen minutes from the time of receiving the notice, and made all possible speed, the fire had nearly spent itself before their arrival, the messenger to turn them back meeting them about a mile this side of the village."

1948

Other Fires...

1833

A large paper and paper-stock warehouse belonging to Stow & Wetmores, on the east side of the river, was destroyed with all its contents. 

1840's

The woolen factory and the stone saw-mill standing on the west bank of the river was burned to the ground. The factory belonged to Ogden Wetmore and the mill to Henry Newberry. They were never rebuilt.

1851

The large flouring mill of Stow & Wetmores, on the east side of the river, north of Portage Trail was totally destroyed.  It was believed to have been the work of an incendiary. 

1853

On the night of November 25, 1853 the fine new paper mill of J. M. Smith & Co., on the west side of the river was entirely burned. The mill, stock and machinery was valued at $20,000 but about $5,000 worth of machinery was saved. The mill had been in operation for only a few days. Mr. William A. Hanford, the "Co." part of the firm, had made application for insurance and the papers were to have been executed the next day so the loss was permanent. 

1860

For many years the bagging and twine factory of John Hinde & Sons, in the south part of the village and later known as the Glen Wire Mill Property, was one of the most prominent of the varied industries of Cuyahoga Falls, giving employment to a large number of hands, and consuming immense quantities of flax from the farms of the surrounding country. This mill was destroyed by fire, entailing a very heavy loss upon its proprietor but it was at once rebuilt and soon in running order again.

1867

The west side paper mill of J. M. Smith & Co., burned as above stated in November 1853 was immediately rebuilt by that firm and re-christened the "Phoenix". Passing into the possession of Hanford & Yeomans, it was again burned at noon, on the 30th day of October, 1867. Loss $25,000 to $30,000; insurance about $12,000. The mill was again rebuilt by Messrs. H & Y. and supplied with first-class machinery and then a part of the plant for some years operated by the Cuyahoga Paper Company.

1872

About 1 o'clock on the morning of September 18, 1872, the large machine shop of Alford, Pitkin & Co., successors to A. G. & H. W. Bill, on the east side of Water street, was discovered to be on fire, and owing to the stiff breeze that was blowing at the time, and the want of proper fire-extinguishing appliances, was speedily consumed. The main building was a two-story frame, 35x130 feet in size, with office, blacksmith's shop and other small buildings attached, all o fwhich, with their valuable machinery, tools, etc. were totally destroyed. Loss was at $20,000; insurance gave $3,000.

Across the street stood the fine new brick "Empire Mill" of the Hanford Brothers, devoted to the manufacture of fine cover papers, the structure being part two and part three stories high, above the basement, and all filled with first-class machinery and valuable stock. The wind, blowing briskly from the east soon carried the flames from the machine shop to the mill and rapidly consumed it. Loss was at $32,000 and insurance paid $14,000. At this fire Thomas O'Neil stumbled and broke his leg above the knee. Mr. James Peebles was overcome by heat and carried to his home in an unconscious condition, but both recovered. The mill was immediately rebuilt and together with the "Phoenix" was later owned by George Sackett, Esq. and then operated by the Cuyahoga Paper Company.

1881

On the night of March 31st the three story building of the Falls Wire Manufacturing Company was discovered on fire about 10 o'clock by Marshal Richard Reid and Mr. C. A. Vaughn. The alarm was immediately sounded, and though citizens promptly rallied and fought the fire vigorously the second and third stories were destroyed, the lower story with its machinery and large amount of wire ready for shipment were saved. The large new warehouse and annealing rooms were saved by the faithful work of the "bucket brigade". At this fire Mr. Carleton H. Reeve was quite seriously hurt by the falling of the ladder on which he was working; Mr. Charles F. Harrison injured in one of his eyes and another man somewhat bruised by a falling ladder though fortunately none of the injuries were fatal. 

1882

On the evening of September 28 the hollow brick block building belonging to the estate of George H. Lodge, the lower floor occupied by G. C. Cook, groceries; A. Seadschlag, merchant tailor, and George Martin, pretzel baker, and the upper floor by the Reporter office of E. O. Knox; the offices of Dr. A. H. Bill, physician, and Dr. E. a. Cramer, dentist, and the reading room of Mr. John H. Brainard, together with a small dwelling house belonging to the same estate were entirely consumed. 

1886

About 10:30 pm on July 1st the Phoenix Lumber Company's Planing Mill, opposite the Empire Paper Mill on the east side of the river, with all its machinery, lumber sheds, piles of lumber, etc., was totally destroyed. The fire was to have been caused by the firing off Roman candles from a passing train on the P. C. & T. Road in anticipation of the approaching Fourth of July.

1887

At about 6:30pm on December 8th the roof of the moulding department of the Falls Rivet Company was discovered to be on fire near the cupola stack. The building was a story and a half. Finding the fire beyond control of the bucket brigade and the capacity of the hose attached to the steam pump of the engine belonging to the works, Chief B. F. Mauderback, of the Akron Fire Department, was appealed to for aid, and in the briefest time possible was at the scene of the fire with steamer No. 1 and its hose cart, fully manned. But by cutting away the supports and letting the foundry roof fall in, the danger to the main works was averted and the services of the Akron laddies were not needed but their promptness in responding to the call for aid was duly appreciated all the same by the owners of the works as well as by the citizens.

1889 

March 24th the banks of the river caught on fire, burned nearly a mile.

1890

Empire Paper Mill burned to the ground