Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-02-01
GREAT FIRE IT VIRGINIA!
NEARLY ro4fY HOUSES DE.
s96oYED.
Two 3ers9Es Burned to DEATH

SNSSa
this morning, n fire broke out in q
building at the rear of the old Mer.
chants Exchange, latterly occupied as
a lodging house by Mrs. Sherman, on
c street, Virginia, just south Of the
postofice, and In q very few minutes,
owing to the combustible nature Of the
buildings, both that and those immedi,
ately adjoining, between Charley LIE,
gates chop house and the ~postof1ce,
were completely enyeloped In flames
So rapid was the progress Of the con.
Migration that the dodgers had but little
time for escaping, and indeed two OF
them, at least, are known to have per.
ished in the flames.
The Fire D~epartnent
turned out in full force very promptly,
as usual, and fought the fiery foe with
most desperate energy. Tho flames,
encouraged by a high wind, leaped
rapidly from house to house, rushing
in an easterly and southerly direction.
In all. about thirty-flve or forty house,
were burned, being, with the excep-
ton of Legate's chop house, all frame
buildings. The burnt district Is EN-
braced between Union street OIL the
south, Sutton avenue on the north, G
street on the west and f street OH the
,a frIa a,n,nk of loss Is hnrH RI
state, rs the buildings were not Of the
most valuable, neither was the amount
of insurance large. The rear iron
doors of the posto!fice building were so
warped by the intense heat that ut one
time the wooden doors inside were Oh
fire. and it was only by the utmost
vigilance and strenuous endeavors that
the building was saved Legate's
chop house was Of brick, but the fire
attacked it In the rear and Quilted 1t
out. 1t was, however, the means of
saving the wooden buildings adjoining
1t on the south, between there and the
corner of Union street. The buildings
destroyed at that point were Mrs.
Sherman's lodging house, Gregoire's
saloon. and L.egate's. The fire burned
to the brick building occupied rs the
National Guard Hall, on ID. street, but
below there it burned through to Union
street.
Brilliant Achievement
At one time the rushing flames leap
ing across Union street had the whole
north side of McKay's livery stable on
fire, and everybody gave up Piper's
Opera House-everybody except the
indomitable iiremen. Standing In the
street, with flames almost envelopinS
them. the brave boys stood untlinch-
ingly, and by well-directed streams OF
water they soon eXtinguished the burn
ing stable, and saved not only the
Opera House, but, without n doubt, all
that portion of the city, for there Is no
knowing where the contlagration would
have stopped had it fairly got across
Union street, rs the supply Of water In
the cisterns was fast giving out.
The BuiIdiuxs Destroyed
comprised three on G street, six on the
west side of D street, fifteen on the
east side. five OIL the west side Of E
street, besides several other buildings
between those points.
Dead Bsdies Fsund.
About daylight, amid the shoulder
ing embers of Mrs. Sherman's lodging
house, two charred and blackened
corpses were found, and taken to Will
son 4. Browns undertaking establish
ment, on B street. One was identified
as the body Of Patrick Lyons, a young
man about twenty-five years Of age,
brother to Daniel Lyons, formerly we'll
known rs Il dancing master At Vir-
cinia. The arms were folded peace.
fully across the breast, and the body
was charred completely black. Some
of his fellow dodgers tried to arouse
him when the fire started, but failed to
do so, and he apparently died an easy
death, as there VAS no ]contortion OF the
muscles apparent. The other corpse
was simply n charred body, without
either head, legs or arms. 1t was ut
first supposed to be that Of n boy boot
black known as "Snorkey," but Snor-
KEY proves to be alive rs usual to-day,
and up to noon the body was not ideR-
titled.
Honor to Whom Homer 10 Due.
When all the engine companies did
so well, it is difficult to indlvidualize,
but washoe Engine Company, No. 4,
claim. and VIC think Is fairly entitled
to, first water" as well as the prin-
cipal credit in saving Plper's Opera
House. Ex-Sherif Cummings, who Is
n member Of that company, performed
prodigies of true valor In fighting the
devonring flames, rushing with the
pipe into the thickest Of the fray.
At one time he was reported to
have persisted in a burning build
ing. but he escaped by the back
way, while the hose and pipe were
hauled back through the flames by
his fellow tiremen. Carter, Maho-
ney and others of that company did
splendidly, and Ryno, the foreman,
proved himself a thorough, effective
fireman.