James McIntyre

The Great Fire of Ingersoll

Written at the time of the disaster.

'Twas on a pleasant eve in May.
Just as the sun shed its last ray,
The bell it rang, citizens to warn,
For lo ! a fire appears in barn.

An ancient barn near hotel stood,
The joining buildings all were wood ;
This barn a relic of the past,
There farmers' horses were made fast.

Our once fair town is now in woe,
And we have had our Chicago ;
But soon a nobler town will rise,
For Ingersoll's all enterprise.

For water far town need not seek,
As there is river and the creek
Just find the means it to apply
And then all fires must quickly die.