Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-09-28
FIRE Is KING.
RICHMOND FURNACES BURNED
A Red-hot Blaze, and Still Burning
$50. 900 will Not Cover the
IxOsses-Ful1 PartieuIars-Etc.

l<OSSes-f uhl
The dull routine of daily existence-as
it has been since the days Of the conven-
tions-was broken in upon yesterday,
about 11:25 O'Clock A. NJ, by the shrill
whistle that warned us, but a short time
ago, Of descending floods. 1t was too early
for the whistle to sound the lunch-hour,
and SO the people Of Eureka looked to-
wards the old Richmond furnaces-thc
point from whence came the shrill echoes
Of alarm-and there was cause enough. At
the first note of alarm the fire was burst
ing out OF two or three different places in
the roof Of the buildings covering the
Richmond Mining Company's furnaces.
In less than three minutes, the streets
leading toward the Richmond were
thronged with the inhabitants of Eureka;
men, women and children, foreigners, ma
tivc-born sons OF toll, Indians, mokcs,
white trash, Cinnamon, hoodlums and
stifs-all rushing at a headlong pace to-
wards the blazing pile. An old dray horse
was snatching a hose-cart and a load of
firemen up the grade Of Main street at a
fearful rate; Lockwood's grey was singing
another hose-cart through the fiume dust,
at the rear end Of his blackboard, so fast
that it looked like an old-fashioned gig in
a whirlwind; an express wagon was jerk
ing the Hooks truck around from Buel to
Bateman street so rapidly, that the guide
at the pole behind lost his footing, and in
swinging around the corner failed to
make a good curve with the latter end of
that vehicle, and pop went an axel. Moth
ing dauntcd, the members Of the Hook
and Ladder Company grabbed their inn
plements. and went with the flying masses
toward the nov raging fire. Teams Of
oxen, of ten and a dozen yoke, with two or
three trail wagons, were dashed into a
stampede gait, to get their loads Of live
freight upon the ground in rs short order
as possible; buggics, mud-wagons and
wood and lumber carts were snatchcd
along, amid yells Of ''look out!' "Clcar
the wayr' etc., at a jog that would shame
Mollie McCarty in her palmiest day.
AT THE FIRE.
At the works everyone OF the employees
on the ground at the time Of the fires
start, were laboring with a will and with
good effect. The pumps we're doing re-
markable work, and the streams were
brought to bear to save the boiler and en-
CINE houses, which Joined the main furnace
building on the south. The blacksmith
shop-from whence originated the fire
has been on fire two or three times before
during the past season, bnt the very dry
condition OF the woodwork, at this time,
made the fire as rapid in its progress as
though everything we're saturated in coal
oil. Another drawback TO nipping the
fire in its incipiency, was the torn-up con-
dition OF the feed planks. 1t is said that
il Titus could have got up through this
portion Of the building with his men and
hose, at the first sign Of the fire. it might
have been checked, but owing to the in
fiamable character Of the material about,
it was too rapid for the men on hand. The
fire originated in the northwest corner Of
the blacksmith shop, and the shop was
close mp against the west side OF the main
furnace building. The fire was purely ac-
cidental. and If the breeze had been in an
other quarter would have been much more
easily handled.
SYSTEMATIC WORN.
Mr.. Titus bent his whole energy TO saw
ing the boiler md engine houses, for on
those depended the water supply, and, al
though the very roof was burned about
the chief engineers, and his aids ears,
they stayed at their posts. and kept the en-
gines running, through the entire con
Migration. This was risky business, as
were tumbling about their
heads like trees in a forest fire.
The companies of the Eureka Fire De-
partment were not slow in getting upon
the grounds and at once proceeded to sec
ond the operations already begun. A por-
ton turned their water to effect upon the
houses south OF the furnaces; another force
were aiding Mr.. J. d. Power, the coal re-
ceiver at the Richmond, in his efforts to
protect the
coAL BINS,
But their united efforts proved fruitless,
rs the wind was against them, and driving
them away from the very points where
they wanted to work. Mr.. Power had
seen, from its start, what he had to expect
and battle with, but a lack OF water was
his main drawback. The large force about
him raked away and showed off tons, but
the main body caught fire in spite Of all
The railroad tramway, for run
ming i'll coal and ore, proved a conductor,
even il it had been possible to nave coun-
the heat from the burning build
ing. The charcoal was a big item to think
about saving, and there was no lack of
help or good management to accomplish
this End. Several carloads were run to a
safe distance, and all night men have been
employed getting what they could out of
the fires reach. Undoubtedly, one-third
of the coal, or perhaps more, will be saved.
Amid the darkness OF the past night the
mountain of coal on fire shed a bright light
for half a mile around, and the jets of
darting upward, with a sharp, crack
ling sound, at intervals, reminded one Of
graphic descriptions Of VOLCANOES in active
operation. The tramway which extended
up into the bin helped to ignite the coal
effectually.
II GENERAL DESTRUCTION.
During the hottest Of the fire the din
was terrible. The Hooks were tearing
down walls and the heavy timbers of the
elevated railroad track, which was burning
briskly for a distance Of 400 feet; the iron
sides Of q portion Of the largest building
were coming down in sections; smoke
stacks were falling like dead stalks in a
high wind; rods n shafting were twisting
like copper wire; heavy timbers we're fall
ing from the burning roof, q distance OF
80 or 40 feet, and the orders and shouting
were given in tones to be heard above all
this noise and excitement.
THE
1t is no use to attempt to particularize
any company or set Of men who displayed
zeal in their endeavors to aid
in e~xtinguishing the flames. We never
saw citizens work half as well as they did
at the fire yesterday; we never saw fremen,
under any leadership, do better, and the
employees Of the old Richmond could not
have worked more faithfully for the saliva
ton Of their individual effects than they
did to save what wal possible to secure for
the Richmond Company. 1t was a motley
vo.xk,ra ~ fcr,aoa ap.plcvoo nittyaua and