T h e d ir e c t io n o f t h e w in d h e lp e d
s a v e s o m e o f t h e m o s t v a lu a b le
p r o p e r t y in C u llm a n , in c lu d in g t h e
c o u r t h o u s e .
received in the blast. Grace, daughter of Rev.
George W. Lee, was near a window about a half
block from the explosion when it occurred. The
sash was torn out by the shock of the explosion
and struck the child on the head. She was lacerated
about the face and neck by flying glass and died
later as a result of the blow and blood loss.
Dr. Carl Henckell, dentist and circuit court clerk,
had his face badly burned. Druggist P.M. Allison
and Alvin Ahlrichs both sustained broken legs.
Ahlrichs had to have one of his legs amputated
three months after the fire. Captain Kelly was
wounded when he was hit in the face by a flying
rock.
The direction of the wind helped save some of the
most valuable property in Cullman, including the
court house. It was said the fire would have been
much worse had it not been for the heroic efforts of
some of the citizens.
Cleburne T. Mitchell belonged to the Methodist
Church. Since it was reduced to ashes, the Baptist
Church offered their facilities for Mitchell’s funeral
service. A large procession in which it was said
were citizens of all classes and religious creeds
attended. Town father, John G. Cullman attended.
Business in Cullman was temporarily suspended.
Mitchell was buried in the City Cemetery.
Georg O. Dinckelberg, J.P., died the following
Wednesday from injuries received at Monday
night’s fire, Dinckelberg was born in Prussia
about 1841 and was a machinist and came from
a prominent and well-known family in Germany.
At the time his mother was living in Berlin. His
brother Hugo was a prominent German and held
the honorable life title as Hofrath of Government
Advisor. When the Franco-Prussian War broke
out, Georg returned to Germany and served as a
soldier in the Prussian army. Dinckelberg came
from Buffalo, New York to Cullman around 1878.
Dinckelberg was the founder of the Cullman
Building & Loan Company which later became the
Cullman Savings Bank.
The burnt district was cleared immediately under
the direction of Mayor George H. Parker. Total
losses were estimated at close to between $40,000
and $50,000. Little insurance was carried on the
wooden buildings. Soon, new structures arose from
the ashes.
The fire generated a fair share of litigation. P.M.
Allison sued the city for $10,000 for injuries he
received in the fire. Lawsuits amounting to $12,000
were brought against Koopman & Gerdes for
damages to adjoining properties resulting from the
dynamite explosion.
Among those bringing suit against Koopman &
Gerdes were P.H. Kinney and Josephine Rudder.
These cases were tried separately. The Kinney
case was tried, appealed, and retried three times.
Dozens of witnesses were called in every trial.
CULLMAN COUNTY SENIOR MAGAZINE FALL 2020 | 45