500 Block of N Main Fire Destroys Entire Block!

Fire on Main, Aug 4, 1914

On the morning of August 4, 1914, Harvey County residents woke to devastating news that a massive fire was burning "the most populous block" in Newton. By the time the fire was put out the entire east side of the 500 block of Main was in ruins. This disaster changed the face of Newton's Main Street.

The most devastating fire in Newton’s history started at 2:00 a.m., August 4, 1914 in the City Auditorium at 124-126 E 5th.

An alert Santa Fe switchman, Patrick Hays, was working "at the Sand Creek switch yard early Tuesday morning, when he noticed flames in town." Thinking the Santa Fe roundhouse was on fire, he ran to get help only to discover flames coming from the Auditorium Hotel on East 5th. Hayes was one of the first ones on the scene and he immediately started helping the firemen. He was even able to hold "the hose direct from the engine for an hour without relief. . . work that usually took four men or at least two." Hayes fought the fire until he collapsed from fatigue and was taken to Axtell Hospital. It was noted that Hayes had been renting "a room at the Auditorium hotel and had lost all in the fire."

From the Auditorium, the fire quickly spread to the north and west. Even though the fire fighters were able to get there in minutes, after an hour of trying to gain control, they were unable to stop the inferno. They decided to call the Wichita Fire Dept., which arrived on the train at about 5:00 a.m.. A fortunate shift in the wind kept the fire from spreading even further.

This was the first test of the new motorized fire engine purchased in May. The pumper ran continuously for 16 hours, breaking the old record of 8 hours of continuous pumping. At times the heat from the fire was so intense that the paint on the engine blistered.

The Newton Fire Dept. consisted of Chief O.N. Eberle, driver Ed. C. Warhurst, fireman Israel Richardson and seven volunteers. In addition to the Wichita Fire Dept, members of the Santa Fe Railroad Fire Dept and many volunteers. also helped fight the fire that day.

Remarkably, no lives were lost in the fire and very few injuries.

In addition to Hayes, fireman Aster Early, was "overcome by the heat" and suffered from smoke inhalation. He was taken home and soon recovered. W.C. Moore also received minor injuries.

The fire destroyed the east side of the 500 block of Main and several businesses located in the 100 block of E. 5th and 6th. Buildings on the west side of Main were damaged, mainly with broken windows and smoke damage. Volunteers set up a brigade and "worked so persistently on the tops of buildings on the west side of Main street." They were credited with saving the buildings.

Businesses identified in the 1930 photo (#5): 500-502 Railroad Building Loan; 504 Electric Power and Light; 506 Star Theater; 508 Palace of Sweets Lunch Room; 510 Strickler' s Variety Store; 512-514 Rorabaugh Kennell Dry Goods Co.; 516 Duggin Grocery, Halligan Market; 518 Regent Theater and Regent Barber Shop; 520 Western Union; 522 Anderson Book Store; 524 May Shoe Store; 526 First National Bank.

Kristine Schmucker, Curator, Harvey County Historical Museum & Archives, published 08/01/2014, Voices of Harvey County.