HISTORICAL TRIVIA 1936-1940 - Fulton County Public Library

Many of the residents of Rochester came down town to watch the
fire. They congregated in the courthouse yard, across the street from
the burning structures. Many of the onlookers assisted in every way
possible by helping to attach and straighten the fire hose and by
carrying buckets of water. Luckily the wind was blowing from the
northwest and carried the sparks toward the large open space around the
courthouse. At times the fire mounted high while at other times huge
clouds of smoke engulfed the buildings and public square.
Many of the firemen who made the trip to this city suffered
frozen hands and faces while riding on top of their unprotected
equipment. Other firemen suffered from the stinging cold. Firemen
were hampered in their efforts to fight the blaze by below zero weather
which prevailed last night. The damaged business houses are covered
with ice which formed almost as soon as the water was played onto the
blaze. It was at first feared that many valuable records had been burned.
Mr. Carter is the Rochester township trustee and the secretary of the
Rochester Odd Fellows Lodge. An examination today showed that the
lodge records, which also included the 3800 grave registry of the Odd
Fellows cemetery, were not damaged. Some of Mr. Carters township
records, especially those for the past 20 days, were destroyed. Police
are guarding against any possible outbreaks of the fire which was still
smoldering today. Police are also on duty to stop the stealing of goods
from the damaged places of business.
Adjusters from insurance companies which held policies on the
stores which were damaged by the fire last night, were in Rochester
today. It will be several days before they are able to determine the
exact amounts of losses incurred by the persons whose buildings and
places of business were damaged by the fire..
FIRE DISASTER OF 1875
Recalled by Wednesday Blaze
The News-Sentinel, Feb. 6, 1936
Rochester has just experienced its major conflagration of the
present century. The loss sustained in actual cash has not been
determined, but the loss to our business life is manifest. For most of us
have witnessed the gutting of landmarks which have been part and
parcel of Main street as far back as memory serves. But to older
citizens, it brings with certain significance the irony of an old axiom -
history repeats.
Sixty-one years ago, on January 12, 1875, Rochester citizens
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