Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1879-03-05
A BIC BLAZE IN THIS CITY.
TWENTY-FIVE HOUSES AND
THEIR CONTENTS BURNED.

The Town Saved by Juvenile Gold
Understandable Acts of the
Citizens-Several Families Des-
titute Of Food and Clothes-Or.
ganfzatiOn Of a Relief Commit.
tee-Liberal Contributions From
Storey COunty-The Fire Prob.
ably Due to Incendiarlsm-Etc.
About 4 o'clock yesterday morn
ing a prolonged footing" of the
steam whistle of the Trench mill
awoke the residents of Silver from
their slumber. On looking out a
lurid glare was seen in the sky, every
object was as plain as daylight, and
cries Of fire!'' were heard. The
streets were soon filled with an ex.
cited crowd of men, women and
children hurrying to the scene of the
confagration. Arrived there an
alarming sight met their gaze. The
Chinatown washbouses, the city Jail,
and Mrs. Drysdalc's two lodging
houses were wrapped in flames, the
dodgers fleeing from the burning
building in a semi-nude condition,
barely escaping with their lives.
Some of the dodgers were unable to
find their way unassisted, and had to
be carried out. Mrs. aud Miss Drys-
dale were nearly suffocated and sense
less. They would undoubtedly have
persisted if John Cauble and others
had not run 20 their rooms and
dragged them out. The hose COM
pany soon had two streams at work,
but the fire had gained such head
way that they made no impression
worth mentioning. A perfect gale
was blowing from the direction of
American Flat, which seemed to
circle about the flames, driving them
about in all directions. The wind
did not come in steady current. but
blew in gusts. One of these picked
up compact mass of cinders and
fame aud carried it across the street
to the butcher shop Of Strouse &
Goetz, on the corner Of Fifth and
Main streets, which was soon ablaze
on all sides. A small unoccupied
house adjoining the butcher shop
on the north shared the same fate.
Suddenly, the wind veered to the
southeast, carrying the flames across
Fifth street to the dwelling-houses
south of it. All this was done in
less time than is required to write it,
the flames leaping so rapidly from
building to building that the occu-
pants had not time to dress, and all
present now became discouraged, as
the town seemed doomed. lust at
this time fire bell was heard In the
direction Of the DEVILS Gate. 1t
was Gold Hill fire company
the Liberty Butt Understanding
with their hose, and headed by Chief
Engineer Kennedy. All hands now
turned to work with renewed hope,
and, the Gold Hill boys having at
tackled the fire in front, while the
Silver fremen continued to play upon
it on either side and the wind still
drove il from the rear, the fire was
soon mastered and all whose property
had escaped felt comparatively Sc.
cure. A short time afterward the
fire had been confined on all sides,
and by half.past 9 all danger was
over.
WHERE THE FIRE ORIGINATED.
The fire originated in the Chi
nese washhouses south of the Jail.
The inhabitants did not give any
alarm, however, but made up bun
dies of portable goods and scamp
cred of over Table Mountain. and
up American Rsvine. The origin
of the fire is unknown, bu. it is
generally believed to be due to in
cendiarism. Prominent citizens Of
this city even say that they know
the author of the crime, but have
no positive proof against him. There
10 considerable excitement in town,
and audible threats are made to
lynch the guilty party, If found.
THE LOSERS AND THEIR LOSS.
The losses by the fire are estimated
at between $4,000 and $4,000.
This aggregate is not very large, but
it falls principally upon persons lily