Fires in Clinton, Maine

The Clinton and Benton Register
1904
Compiled by Mitchell & Daggett
Kents Hill Maine: Published by the H. E. Mitchell Publishing Company 1904.
pg. 17-18

FIRES IN CLINTON.


On the morning of April 28, 1880, the most disastrous fire that had ever visited Clinton occurred.  The croquet factory, operated by Z. Hunter & Company was completely destroyed, thus throwing out of employment 32 hands and destroying the best business in the village.  Two thousand eighty two sets of croquet ready to ship were burned.  At the time of the fire 150 sets of croquet were being turned out daily.  The factory was established in 1872 by Henry Hanson, and was valued at $15,000.  The owners at the time of the fire were Dodge & Jaquith, G.A. Spearin & Co., Decker, E.G. Hodgdon and others.  The second disastrous fire to visit this hamlet was on December 22, 1894.  About noon Sunday, fire started in the shoe factory, which was burned to the ground with all its contents.  William Lamb's saw mill, a shingle mill with all its machinery, two long sheds and considerable lumber and Hodgdon & Smith grist mill, a dwelling house owned by Manly Morrison and occupied by John Waldron, all were destroyed.  The fire caught in the office of the shoe shop by the overturning of a kerosene lamp.  The shoe shop was built 2 years previous by the Clinton Village Mfg. Association, Manly Morrison, principal owner.  Over 100 people were thrown out of employment by this disastrous blaze.  A third fire visited Clinton, Wednesday , September 28, 1898, starting in the hay barn owned by Geo. H. McKenney near the railroad.  Many buildings caught fire but prompt action and aid from Waterville the village was saved. 
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