Historic Events - 1870 - 1900
March 18, 1871, Wichita had its first big fire when the W.R. Rouse Queensware Store, and the John Peyton Saddle and Harness Shop, burned to the ground.
September 1871, Rowdy Joe's Dance Hall, located west of the river, burned down and it was probably Wichita's first case of arson. It was set on fire by a group of soldiers one night after they had been involved in a fight with some local cowboys.
September 23, 1871 – Sedgwick County Deputy Sheriff Carlos B. King was shot and killed in modern-day Harvey County by a suspect he had disarmed and thrown out of town for disturbing the peace. The suspect left when ordered to leave, but returned to town after obtaining another gun. He located Deputy King and shot him to death.
Spring 1872 – After the calaboose was burned down by the prisoners, interest was again renewed in fire protection. A meeting was held on the second floor of the Eagle Hall, located on the southeast corner of Main and Douglas (where the old City Annex now stands), and the first Volunteer Fire Company was organized. The meeting was called to order and it was decided to name the first fire department the "Frontier Fire Company". funds to purchase the first fire truck were raised by popular subscription and the fire alarm bell was purchased and paid for by members of the company.
September 1872 – A fire apparatus arrived and a small frame building was built at 220 North Market and designated Fire House No. 1. The firemen were trained to use the ladders by climbing the high rises.
December 25, 1872 – Five inches of snow fell and the temperature dropped to 3 degrees below zero with the Big Arkansas freezing solid enough for fire teams to cross over the ice. Three-fourths of all the water pumps in town were frozen even though they were wrapped with piles of blankets. While the citizens were trying to thaw out the pumps by pouring hot water over them, the city had a big fire. It was a livery stable stored with a stock of tea and no horses. The whole city turned out to fight the fire unsuccessfully as the water and pumps were frozen solid.
1874 & 1876 – Grasshopper infestation destroyed numerous crops coupled with drought conditions.
February 17, 1875 – A north wind was blowing at night and a building on North Main took fire and soon the whole population was fighting it. A keg of powder in a grocery store exploded and spread the fire. The fire apparatus with only rubber buckets and city water pumps was inadequate, and a major loss occurred. Two citizens were injured, Mr. Goodrich by a jump and Mrs. Goodrich from burns. The losses were seventeen buildings either destroyed or badly damaged.
May 18, 1877 – According to National Weather Service records, the largest flood on the Arkansas River at Wichita occurred on May 18, 1877. Unprecedented high waters in the lower Arkansas River during May 1877 carried away or disabled all the bridges in Cowley County including the 6th Avenue Bridge in Arkansas City. The Arkansas River at Wichita (station 07144300) reached a stage of 21 feet; flood stage is 12 feet (river gage site and datum from reports of the U.S. Weather Bureau).
June 12, 1881 – An F2 Tornado moved NW of Mulvane to 3 miles NE of Douglas destroying two homes one mile north of Mulvane and injuring two people.
1882 – The Wichita City Council had arranged with a company capitalized at $100,000 to build the water plant and to construct a standpipe to provide adequate pressure (this plant was located at Riverview and the Arkansas River). The City Council gave a 40-year franchise to J.S. Jones to provide a municipal water system. The firm's best customer was the City, which agreed to pay $4,000 per year for the use of 60 double discharge fire hydrants. With fire hydrants available, the city could proceed with plans to reorganize the Wichita Fire Department.
October 22, 1882 – An earthquake was felt in Wichita around 10:15PM on the magnitude of five on the Modified Mercalli Scale. The epicenter was reported to be approximately 760 miles away.
January 1, 1886 – blizzard throughout Kansas
March 30, 1887 – Wichita Firefighter George Tompkins was killed responding to a fire when a hose cart turned over onto him.
November 13, 1887 – The City of Haysville was destroyed by a city-wide fire.
February 11, 1888 – A smallpox epidemic in Wichita totaled 47 cases with two deaths.
March 1, 1888 – An F3 tornado moved NE to within 7 miles south of Halstead resulting in two deaths and 15 injuries in western Sedgwick and Harvey counties.
June 7, 1889 – Severe rains and hailstones were reported at Hoxie, Luray, Wichita, Clay Center, and Minneapolis killing cattle and ruining crops.
July 29, 1889 – Fire at Wichita destroyed the three-story Cannon Trust Company building and the Wichita Wholesale grocery Company with damages estimated at $170,000.
June 13, 1891 - Pryor & Brown’s Livery Stable, Singmaster’s barn and Hufbauer’s Feed Store in Mulvane was destroyed by fire. Two fine stallions and a valuable jack belonging to H.C. Helbert were burned. Hufbauer’s Feed Store, which was occupied by S.A. Johnson, was burned with the entire stock of flour and feed. It was impossible to save the three buildings that were burned, for they were so close together they were practically one building as far as the spreading fire was concerned. Arson was thought to be the cause of this fire which started at midnight on a Saturday.
March 31, 1892 – Several tornadoes up to F4 moved NNE near South Haven and dissipating in extreme SE Sedgwick County resulted in 7 deaths and 40 injuries.
May 13, 1892 – An F3 tornado moved NE from south of Haysville, passing just north of Derby and continuing to south of Augusta. Prior to reaching Augusta, buildings were destroyed on about 20 farms, and at least 15 buildings and 10 homes were destroyed in Augusta. There were 5 reported injuries caused by the tornado.
April 12, 1893 – This was the second and probably the worst fire ever in Mulvane history. This conflagration burned down 16 buildings on Main Street and started shortly before 11a.m. on a Wednesday. Strong Northwest winds soon blew this fire across the street. The fire was thought to be started by a passing locomotive.
May 1, 1895 – An F5 tornado moved NE from NW Sedgwick County, passing west of Halstead and dissipating six miles NW of Newton. The storm devastated an area 25 miles long and 300 yards wide. At least 25 farms were destroyed along with numerous livestock, and causing eight deaths and 25 injuries.
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