Clay County AlArchives News.....Lineville's Disastrous Fire January 28, 1916
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Linda Ayres http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00031.html#0007674 February 17, 2023, 6:50 pm

Lineville Headlight January 28, 1916
Shortly after 2 o'clock Saturday morning pistol shots were heard, whistles began 
to blow, and telephones began to ring in the homes of Lineville people with the 
message that "Barfield-Green Mercantile Company's store is burning."  These fire 
alarms had the effect of arousing almost every man, woman and child in 
Lineville, and within a few minutes they were running at full speed to the scene 
of the fire. After Possibly ten or twelve people had arrived, a terrific 
explosion of dynamite occurred in the burning building which had the effect of 
hurling people to the ground and there were several narrow escapes from death.  
It is said that there was a quantity of dynamite in the building and some caps 
nearby which were exploded by the flame.  The dynamite demolished the burning 
building, threw fire brands and debris out of sight into the sky which came down 
like a shower of rain.  For a short time the skies veritably rained fire.  
The fire brands fell on house half a-mile away and had to be removed to keep 
them from burning.  Large firebrands were sent hurtling through the air for a 
distance of a mile.  It was very spectacular. 
A few people were in the street and across the street only a short distance 
away, and they suffered no injuries other than a terrific shaking up and a bump 
on the ground.  Fifteen seconds would have put the writer, who was hurrying to 
the fire, in the path of the flying brick bats in line with the place where they 
dynamite exploded, and 30 seconds more would have put him on the sidewalk in 
front of the building.  Some of those who had arrived and who had broken into 
the building only to be driven out by the smoke and flames were barely missed by 
missiles which would surely have caused their death.  It is regarded as 
miraculous providence that no one was killed, not even injured.  
Before the explosion occurred, the destruction of the entire block from 
Barfield-Green Mercantile Company's store to the Methodist Church and possibly 
the destruction of the entire town, seemed certain.  Even after the explosion, 
it looked doubtful for an hour as to whether or not the town could be saved.  
But Lineville has the best bucket brigade in the entire country and the heroic 
work of the bucket brigade, aided by a merciful rain, one of the hardest short 
rains that has fallen in Lineville, which poured from the heavens just as the 
bucket brigade was getting the flames under control, together with the 
explosion, save Lineville from destruction by flames.  But for the fact that the 
dynamite razed the burning building to the ground and brought the iron roof to 
the ground which in a measure smothered the flames, good luck would not have 
been with Lineville, and the entire town would have doubtless going up in smoke 
and flames and come down in ashes.
As it was W.B. Smith & Son's building and stock of goods caught fire time after 
time and only the hardest and most heroic fighting saved this building and goods 
from complete destruction.  Those who fought the flames from the interior of 
this building fought the fire with salt and water which proved effective.  The 
explosion had the effect of breaking all the expensive plate glass fronts in the 
town, with one or two exceptions.  They were crushed like eggshells, hardly a 
window in town was left.  The shock had the effect of breaking out windows half 
a mile away.  The damage to plate glass fronts and to windows alone will 
probably reach $7,500.00. 
But few business and professional men in town escaped damages.  Goods and 
libraries were in many cases moved from the buildings into the streets only to 
be damaged by rain and mud.  Those who threw open their doors to receive these 
goods and libraries have the thanks of the owners.  For the most part those who 
came of the fire acted heroically.  They showed the spirit of helpfulness in a 
marked degree.  Fires and misfortunes often show what's in the heart.  
It is said that under excitement goods were taken away by people who had no 
right, title or interest therein.  But let us hope that these goods were not 
feloniously taken but carried to a place of safe keeping and will soon be 
returned to the true and lawful owners.
It was the most disastrous fire Lineville has ever had.  Good luck, the 
dynamite, the bucket brigade and the rain may not prove so effective, if the 
town should again be visited by fire.  The loss is estimated at from $60,000- 
$75,000 and is only partially covered by insurance.

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