MILL CREEK HISTORY

Union County Illinois Genealogy Trails

Big Fire at Mill Creek

Sweeps Business Section and Loss $30,000

 Transcribed and submitted by Darrel Dexter

Fire broke out in the Swain store building at Mill Creek at 2 o'clock Monday morning and caused a total damage estimated at $30,000, partially covered by insurance.

Among the buildings destroyed were J. R. McCrite's store, A. S. Dillow's store, Scott Jordan's store, Clarence Dillow's blacksmith shop, the post office, Ellen Chester's residence and several other houses and barns.  The contents of most of the buildings were an entire loss.  A string of box cars on the wide track caught fire but an engine came up from Tamms and pulled them away. 

Owing to the hour at which the fire broke out it gained such head way that little or nothing would be done to stay the flames.

It is generally believed at Mill Creek that the fire was of incendiary origin.

(Jonesboro Gazette, Jonesboro, Illinois, Friday, 14 Jul 1916)