New York Times, Rusk Co, TX

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Submitted by: Don R Brownlee <dbrownlee@csun.edu>
        Date: 19 Dec 2004
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.shtml
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27 August 1860  New York Times, p. 8

The details of the recent fire in Henderson, Texas, are
given in the News of the 16th. That paper says:

"The principal hotel and all but one of the business houses
were destroyed. The loss is estimated at from $175,000 to
$250,000; $50,000 worth of goods were burned in the street,
after removal from the stores. All the supplies of
groceries, &c., for the town and neighborhood were burned,
leaving many families reduced to want.  A negro woman
belonging to a man named Herndon, a small tavern-keeper,
confessed to having started the fire. The amster and his
brother are under arrest as being concerned in the affair.
Herndon was already accused of having dealt with slaves for
stolen goods. The Committee were investigating the affair,
and many negroes confessed to a knowledge of a general plot
for incendiarism and murder.

The following are the names of the principal losers: B. F.
McDonough, loss $25,000; K. Meyer, $9,000; Turner & Harper,
$30,000; Felton, Wiggins & Hogg, $3,000; Martin Casey,
$5,000; John E. Jones, $15,000; A. M. Murphy, $3,000; L. &
A. Mayer, $11,000, insured for $1,000; Rosamburg & New,
$600; J. W. Shelton, $10,000; Dr. J. A. Jordan, $2,000;
Charles Fox, $16,000; G. M. Nichols, $5,000; H. D. E.
Redwine, $5,000; T. M. Yates, $6,000, insured for $4,500; W.
B. Ector, $5,000; Duncan Preston, $3,000; Bromley & Yates,
$2,600; J. L. Miller, $1,300; Webster Flanegan, $15,000;
Estill & Likens, $5,000; William Stedman, $10,000; S. L.
Earl, $500; Lewis Hannock, $100; John Dyke, $2,500; Latham &
Webster, $3,000; T. M. Likens, $12,000; S. G. Swan, $2,500;
James McBride, $1,000; W. A. McClanaham, $300; Wiley Harris,
$6,000; M. D. Ector, $1,000; Cobb & March, $300; Dansby &
Dodson, $280; J. W. Harris, $1,000; M. D. Graham, $500; C.
L. McDonough, $1,500; D. Le Rosen, $400; R. B. Tutt, $2,000;
estate of J. T. Likens, $2,000; R. H. Cumby, $25; J. B.
Likens, $2,500; Ben Smither, $300. Total Loss, $220,000.
Insured, $8,500. Clear loss, $211,500."