The New York herald., 1879-03-03
A TOWN IN FLAMES.
THE CREATES PART OF Tue TOWN or RENO
NEVADA, DESTROYED BY TIRE-Loss, oSI
MILLION LoLLAEs.

THE GEEATEs PART OF TUE TOWN OF RENO,
NEVADA, DESTROYED By E1RE-Loss, oSE
MILLION LoLLAIs.
SAN FnAScIsco. CAL. March 2. 1919.
despatch from Reno. New. announces that at
about quarter before six o'clock this morning
fire broke out in wooden buildings ut
the west end of thu BUSINESS streets. back
OF the Masonic Block. strong gale was
blowing from the west. and before water could
be thrown the fire 1t was beyond control.
The flames leaped from house to house and bleck
to block with the rapidity of lightning. and
the panic stricken people leaped from their beds.
seized handfuls Of their most valuable property and
escaped. leaving all else to the devouring flames
Tie hremen were helpless. the strength of tho
gale and intensity of the heat rendered close approach
to the flames impossible In three hours tho
whole business portion Of the town in
ashes. with the exception OF the Masonic Building.
with Hascrnan Schoolings grocery. store on
its first floor and John Larcomb's Among the build
ings destroyed the freight depots. Benders bank
the Post Office. ShQemaker's drug store the Pollard
International ard Arcade hotels. the depot. David
sons and Frederick's jewelry stores. Penninaer Il
Osburn's drug store. both telegraph Offices. Wells
Fargo 4 Co.'S Office the railroad and baggage rooms
the Baptist and Catholic churches, Hammond &
Wilson's stable. the Academy of Music. Barnetts.
Prescotts and Grey 4 Issats' dry goods stores
Abraham's and NathAn's clothing stores. and Man.
ming and Ducks Farmers Cooperative Association
grocery store.
Two or three Central Pacific trains. including the
lightning train. were also destroyed. Tho condition
of the track made 1t necessary to transfer passengers
to the Virginia and Truckee train the river
for Virginia City.
The loss, nearly can be calculated at present.
is about S1O00,O0O. and tho insurance only about
Sl50.OC0. Only five lives are known to have been
lost-those of Mrs. John Beck. John Riley and
three tramps. A number Of persons in
jurcd. but ut this writing 1t is impossible
to obtain correct information regarding them.
The gallo blowing was the fercest known for many
day. and it carried blazing pieces of timber miles
away and several farm houses two miles down tho
meadows burned by this means. After working
until exhausted tho whites forced the Chinese to
work on tho engines. Already several persons are
having lumber hauled on their still smoking
ground. Homes are in great demand and the citi-
zens are throwing open their doors to tho home
less and doing all they to relieve the dis
tressed.
The buildings on Plaza street. including the Acad-
emy Of Music. all destroyed. and the fire only
ceased it's ravages when there nothing left for
destruction Even the residences of w. II. Getchell
aad W. II. Treadway and others were not far enough
away to be saved. Tho Central Pacific Yard Engine,
No. AZ, fought the fire bravely until her cab caught
fire. when the engineer had to abandon her to her
fate. water train arrived from Truckee, but it
was too late to do any good. Reno is now u suburb
without town. and great fear is entertained to
its ability to survive the shock.