How well I remember that event - the rumor was always kids smoking - but those of us who knew Greely (upon whose name a number of uncomplimentary parodies were made) Herrington, the likelihood of some sinister cause was far greater - The fire devastated Clark, but on a near to last visit when Clark and Carol stayed with me and the Novaks, it was the total obliteration made by the bull-dozer that was the worst - no sign of cabin, well-house, nothing to show that there had ever been habitation there - this was over-the-top and after one visit, Clark never went again.
Carol had me take her up there later, and she forlornly searched and though she found signs of plant life where the well-house had been - there was nothing really, but she so wanted something to lighten Clark's spirit - alas

Do you remember if the cabin was simply a pile of ashes, or if there was anything salvaged afterwards? I'm curious about the burned papers in the possession of Brown University and also among those Smith gave to Marilyn Novac; I always imagined these were damaged in the fire that destroyed the cabin. And I suppose the wreckage was bulldozed for reasons of safety, meaning that no one wanted the little vandals of the neighborhood playing around the burned out remains.
If it was indeed arson, it never did benefit Herrington--as the Skyridge development was built all around the remaining two acres of the Smith property, which the estate never sold till 2001.
Evidently the estate tried to interest the city of Auburn in buying the property, in hopes they would build a park there in honor of CAS. A fine idea, especially considering that there is now an elementary school directly adjacent to the cabin site as well as a church . . . but for whatever reason the city declined to purchase it and so all they ended up with was more houses. What a shame.
-Ron

No, "greasy" herrington did not benefit, but he wanted it so badly! There was some salvage of papers, Marilyn had some - you will recall there were no burnt documents among the Juvenilia Clark gave me - There were some in the dug-out basement in Pacific Grove, but I don't know what they were - the curious thing to me was that the building was burned as most cabins would burn - some of the foundation piers and base beams (large rocks, rough cut lodgepole) remained with lots of charring on the siding - part of the screen on the front porch remained and part of the frame of the roof - the main house was gutted, but -- the well house was burned also, and was far enough from the main house that I always though it had been set deliberately - it is possible that the wind may have carried an ember to it, but there seemed to be little charring on the grass, and the dry oak leaves had not ignited, and they were thick - you can well imagine how much political clout Clark had to see that a thorough investigation was done!
The fire department would have ordered the dozing as a safety matter - the well and the out=house both presented a hazard - the out-house and attached chicken yard and coop were already in a sad state from disuse - by the time I saw it, they were no standing and I don't recall remarking as to whether they were burned or not, but I assume so.
The Home Remedy book I gave you was a rescued item that did not get burned or even charred as I recall -

Thanks Dr. Farmer, for this info . . . it does paint a better picture of what may (or may not) have happened that day. It seems fairly amazing that so many of Smith's papers have survived at all; not just the fire, but also the fact that he saved so much for so many years. Obviously he knew they would be of great interest to someone, someday.
I agree that it's odd that the well-house burned, but apparently not the area in between . . . did the fire occur during the summer? I have a news clipping somewhere with the exact date (wasn't it in November?) but will have to search for it. If it was during the dry months, then the entire area would likely have burned and would have required much effort to keep it from spreading further. All for now, and thanks again!
-Ron

I don't remember the date either, but I think it happened while I was away at Syracuse so it could have been just before I came home for summer, or just before Christmas break - I must apologize for the short letter, I am ankle deep in bird droppings from the last 9 days, plus the cows and the maids from yesterday, and now 9 ladies dancing just showed up, and are causing trouble with the 10 Lords a-leaping - thank God I can boot them all out Friday after the pipers and drummers make their annual visit - then we can party - plan on reading Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" with a group of friends and some interesting comestibles - Fortunately the Kings don't hang around after thursday -