Photo courtesy of the Warren County Historical Society This undated image shows the damage left behind by the Great Clarendon Fire of July 4, 1887.

The governor of Pennsylvania sent 100 tents ordinarily used by the state’s militia for “use as temporary homes,” per Miller.

“The total loss was never estimated with accuracy but probably was over one million dollars,’ he continued, “a figure that may seem low today but was certainly substantial in 1887.”

Adjusted for inflation, $1,000,000 in 1887 currency equates to over $27 million in 2020 purchasing power.

Before we get to theories about what caused the fire, I want to share the various sources I found that discuss the fire.

Photo from the Digital Library of Georgia One of the first reports of the fire was filed on July 5 and published here in The Weekly Constitution in Atlanta, Ga.

“The Oil-Well Driller,” a history of the enterprise, notes that the “great Clarendon fire” started at 8:30 p.m. (a third suggested start) and “in three hours had completely burned over the whole town.”

The Annual Statistician & Economist in 1888 noted that 20 acres were destroyed at an estimated value of $500,000” and includes this chilling note: “Only 16 houses left standing.”

A county source specifically identifies Railroad, Exchange and Anchor streets as streets that were “all burned.”

A website dedicated to railroad history — west2k.com — notes the Clarendon station appears on an 1878 map and was split into two separate towns – Clarendon and North Clarendon. That source indicates that the first station was build in the mid-1860s with the station damaged in the fire having been built in 1881.

“Although the station did catch fire, it was the only structure of consequence to be saved,” the website states, citing a July 8, 1887 newspaper report out of Wilkes-Barre, and detailing its location as on the north side of Railroad St, near the current intersection with Benson St. (As a side-note, west2k.com notes that the station was moved 25 feet north in 1926 for traffic purposes.”

A history of the churches in the Western Pa. Conference of the United Methodist Church notes that the church on the corner of US 6 and Benson Ave. was built in 1853, destroyed in the fire and rebuilt.

That source indicates the Methodist Episcopal church on N. Main St. was built in 1884-1886 and rebuilt two years after the fire.

“People from surrounding towns sent gifts such as lumber, building materials and money. Many people donated their time and labor skills to rebuild homes and churches.”

So what about the cause of the fire?

There’s no consensus.

The initial report from the scene indicates that the fire “originated from the careless use of fireworks and reached oil tanks, and the destruction of the town was speedily wrought.”

But that report also includes details on a “public rumor” that is much more nefarious.

“Public rumor at Clarendon says that two weeks ago, when liquor licenses were refused to all applicants in Warren County, Mahoney, proprietor of the Weaver hotel, threatened to fire the town if the decision of the court was not reversed in two weeks.

“This morning, after the fire burned out, the citizens looked about for Mahoney, for one of the fires started in his room in the hotel, but he was not to be found. A warrant charging him with arson was sworn out, and searching parties scoured the surrounding country to apprehend him. He was found hiding in the woods six miles from Clarendon, and, because lynching was feared, he was taken to Warren jail.”

Miller included some additional details on the outcome of this “rumor” the on-the-scene report detailed.

“Thomas Mahoney, at times a mettlesome man, was arrested in Sheffield following the fire and it was claimed that while drunk he made threats. He was released on $2,000 bail and in September, after a trial, Judge Brown released him for lack of evidence.”

A list of petroleum accidents published by the British House of Common’s Select Committee on Petroleum also alludes to this as a cause.

“Some petroleum tanks exploded and several people burnt to death. The entire valley was filled with the burning oil, and the people fled to the hills. The loss is estimated at $500,000. The conflagration was caused by fireworks at Clarendon.”

The Grass Valley (Ca.) Daily Morning Union reported on July 8 that a firecracker caused the fire. It was also covered in the Greencastle (Ind.) Banner on July 14 but without any information other than what previously discussed.

Suffice it to say I was surprised where mention of this blaze could be found. There are enough sources that seem to find the incident noteworthy that I’m led to the conclusion that these kinds of fires must have been somewhat rare. That’s surprising given all of the oil boom towns that would have been constructed in a similar manner across the country.