Arizona weekly miner., 1875-11-05
BY TELEGRA RAPH.
Especial tO the Miner ty United States and W. U. Lines

TIE following IS the Virginia City dis
 patch to which we alluded last week, and
 which we failed to get in type in time for
 that issue. It written by practiced hand,
 and we give it at this late day, in order that
 our readers may have a better idea of the
 appalling circumstances under which the
 doomed City surrendered to the flames.
 Virginia City, New, Oct. 27-The fate
 long feared has befallen us. Yesterday morn
 ing at five o'clock the fire bell gave out the
 news of an attack from the destroying mon-
 ster. The fire began in a small house of i'll
 repute. This house was located near the cen
 ter Of the City, half way between Union and
 Taylor sts. It is believed that the flames
 caught from a candle which had been left
 burning. The house in a few minutes was
 all blaze. Engine No. 4, and a Babcock
 wheeled extinguisher were soon on hand but
 were of no avail, as furious wind was blow
 ing down Mount Davidson from the south
 west The flames spread with fearful rapid
 ity light sidings warped, flew off and scat
 tered their cinders broad cast In fifteen
 minutes more than score of buildings in
 the vicinity were on tire. As the wind in-
 creased the fire spread in all directions until space equal to one block was on fire, and
 roaring with ferocity indescribable. Their hungry tongues seized on brick, iron and stone structures and lapped them up as if straw. The firmest walls melting like wax
 before the intense heat. Now the wind blew gale, setting in more steadily from the south driving the flames northward. enabling the firemen to check their further progress southerly. To this fact the safety of the south part of the town and on the divide is due. It was now seen that attempts to stay the advancing flames would be useless. Peo- pie began to remove goods with all haste. Fire swept on and soon ragged along B street encircling the County buildings from which the most valuable papers were saved. The prisoners in jail were removed to an old tun- mel and were shut ic 10 it. The fire rushed on ap 10 A street and swept one side of it and part of the other for four blocks and whirled nor,herly, down hill, encircing the 1 Bank of Cal, and it began its, march along 1 and c streets, about the same time it 1 crossed the street and swept down hill to the Opera House and Railroad Depot Gi- | ant powder was now placed in the interior | of the Catholic Church and it was blown up | hundred feet into the air, leaving the bare | walls standing. This was done to stop the | scattering of great cinders which were flying 1 -,--., its rAAf in- all directions Flames rose | so intense thaf sfft sasmtat a mta aHd the heat was like tissue paper. Goods removed to the street instantly caught and were consumed. Merchants now threw open their doors and told the people to help themselves to cloth ing and groceries as nothing could be saved. 1t was now eight o'clock and the scene beg gared description. The streets were filled with people, tesmsters were struggling through the fire endeavoring to haul off goods the Bremen were fighting the flames at every presentablc point; women were shrieking and the cries of despair and curses Of enraged men, the incessant roar of the flames, the dull reports of the explosions as building after building took fire, the thud and crash of falling walls, the snappinr of bursting iron bars and doors and the howl of the gale; ali went to create most internal chaos to eye and ear. Marching down Tay- Tor street on the south the fire passed across D street and on to c street swallowing m the churches and residences and aiming di- , rectly for the mining works just beyond By half past nine 1t was seen that the works sould not be saved. The men were ordered a rom the shafts cages were pulled up and filed with earth and the buildings were abandoned. By ten o'clock the Con Va com any s hoisting works mill and buildings cos ing million and a half dollars, were wrap ,ed in flames and socn fell The California \ tamp mill next fell a prey to the maddcninc dement,. The Ophir hoisting works soon eliin and the shafts took fire and burned lown to the tiers of timbers, when streams f water were got on and the shafts saved. Tater Is still kept on the shaft. Some of