The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1871-12-28
FIRE AT SALIVA!
Tscelce Buildings Destroyed !
Loss. abroad SCI, 600!

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were startled from the comforts Of the
xreside BY the cry of "the town is on
fre," noises that something unusual wa:
in progress and by the ringing OF bells
Il very soon became evident that the fire
was in the heart Of the business portion
Of Santa Fe avenue, and when we ar
rived 1t the place Of the fire we found
aIf excitement.
The fire originated in Pat Cunning
hams saloon, No. 92 Santa Fe avenue,
and making rapid heaaxsy took Ed Witt
MAINS restaurant on the north and A.
G. Couse's livery stable on the south.
Wittmann saved about one-third Of his
goods and Couse his horses and buggies
and most of his harness. The flames
from Wittmann's slowly ervclopcd Chas.
Goethal'sgun shop, enabling him to save
his household goods and the bulk OF his
tools and merchandise. The wind COM
ing from the north, by hard work John
Doyle's saloon, di ,tant shout sixty feet
from Geethal's, was saved, stopping fur.
thcr progress Of the fire on this side.
During the continuance of the burning
"fGoethal's building the popping ofguns
and cartridges was only excellcd in vol
ume Of noise by the firing AT some large
battle during the war. 1t reminded us
forcibly Of ono wing of the army at the
battle Of Prairie Grove, in Arkansas.
On the south the fire, goaded on by a
strong wind, sped more rapidly. The
livery stable was soon consumed, am
the flames leaped an intervening space
Of nifty feet and struck Dihle & Davis
harness shop. These gentlemen sue
cecded in saving only about forty dol
lars worth OF saddles. Maj. G.. c.
Probert's drug store adjoined the har-
ness shop and he saved his books, money,
bis large soda fountain and a few bottles
Of medicines and liquors. R. 7. Wat
son, whose grocery came next in order,
had sshort respite before the fire reached
his house. John Sherrin's grocery house,
nearly adjoining Watson's, and Beebe
l. Martins hardware store, adjoining
Sherrin's, were burned in quick success
sion. These three houses saved goods to
the amount Of about two thousand dol
lsrs each. Strenuous attempts were
made to pull down the oxprcss Office,
2. w. Morrow's meat market and Thach-
sr-& coppard's restaurant. but with tho
express Office the effort was unsuccess-
ful Better work Was dono with the
meat market and restaurant, the laat
building being leveled almost to the
ground before the FIRE came to it. Most
Of tho goods in the express Office and
Thacber& Coppard's were saved, though
most of those taken from the restaurant
were badly damaged and destroyed in
their removal; Morrow saved nothing
beyond bis books and papers. Then
some Ane work was accomplished in saw
ing John Gels & Co.. q new bank building.
In its salvation rested the security Of q
large proportion Of the remaining town.
The buildings burned were wooden
structures; the bank building was y
two-story, frc-proof brick, with tin root.
Notwithstanding this guard and the pre-
cautions that had been taken the build
ing stood in imminent danger for tull
twenty minutes, but hard work and a
very generous application ofwater saved
the building. Panes in the Windows in
front and rear had been broken and the
flames at one time rolled into the build
ing at great rate. Damage was done
to property in it's removal from VIM.
Dalton's saloon, from julius Myers gro.
cory house and from the City Hotel, the
lest on the corner Of Santa and Iron az
cnues.
The following list - statement Of
losses occurring to the individuals nam
Cd and others owning buildings destroy
cd. In addition, DR.. J. w. Jenny lost
in furniture, library and medicines $500,
John Foster in law library and Office fur
nituro $500 and Dr.. Robert kickles, den-
tist, in furniture sS00-all occupying the
second story Of Dihlc & Davis building.
p. A. Hut, employed with Dihlc & Da-
Wis, aud few other employees suffered
in amounts by loss Of clothing. Here is
the list, which can be depended upon as
being quite accurate Chas. Goethals,
stock and building s2 500. f. Whitman,
stock, $500. c. Hitler, building occu.
pied by wit,mann, 81, 200. A. G. Cou.e,
stable and stock, ei,4oo. p. Cunning
ben, building and saloon stock, 5000.
Dihls { Davis, building and stock, ST.
600, G. G. Prohert, halt ofbuilding and
stock, 5000. DIR. J. Crowley, half Of
came building. $500. r. T. Watson,
ssock, e5.oeo insyosnce Gn Andes), e..
600. Mr.. Pssrfk, building occupied by
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