Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1879-05-15

The work sraa neutrality-suspicious.
Down Three Buildings and she
Trojan Ore Dump.

Between II and IL o'clock last even
ing an alarm Of FIRE was sounded from
the Trojan hoisting works and taken up
oil along the lode. Tho aus was
ascertained to DO located in some build.
inss at the Baltic Switch which were for
the most part unoccupied.
The FIRE was undoubtedly the work OF
an incsndiary, since the places where the
flames were first seen were without ten.
ants. As to the place Of the origin OF
the fire there is some uncertainty. The
buildings burned were standing g. in q line'
tho first being q two-story lodging.houss
owned by Mike Martin. The boarding
house next north Of this building. also
owned by Martin. had N end burned
of. Next south OF the lodging.houss
was q butcher shop, with Q domicile over
il. Then still further south was the
Baltic Switch saloon, owned by James
McArdle.
A miner Just going of shift and who
was passing before the alarm was
sounded, says be saw flames on the
door of Martins lodging house and that
ths door was partly opened a. II to give
IL a good draft. Another man says he
saw the FIRE first Ia the same place and
started to the Trojan works to give the
alarm, but IL was sounded before he got
there. The people at the Trojan works
declare that they first saw the fire in the
rear end Of the Baltic Switch salosn,
where 1t was Just kindling but burning
fercely and spreading rapidly.
1t is not impossible but that the build
ings were fred in two places. There
was a strong smell Of kerosene disosrna-
bic when the flames first began to
spread, but one man says they came
from an exploded can Of oil in the lower
part Of the Martin lodging house, which
was used for q sort Of store room. II
will DO remembered that the upper por.
ton Of this house was damaged by fire
last year. II had not been occupied
since.
The whole property destroyed wa
unoccupied. except sometimes OF q Sat.
urday night OF late the Baltic Switch
saloon was opened. The three build.
ings mentioned were totally destroyed.
The fire spread toward the north, doing
considerable damage to the boarding
house there. aud to the south. consum-
ing the Trojan ore house, and q portion
Of the ~trestls work leading to II, and the
bulkhead along the bank. Some 20 or
80 tom OF ore came down with the
dump, but It il being shovsled into Ears
to-day.
That the fire was so disastrous was
because OF the locality and the blunder.
ing Of those at the scene before the fire.
men got there. Less than 200 feet
north Of the confiagrstion was . hose
house, hydrant and $50 or 800 feet Of
leather hose. Those who attempted to
use these appliances, however. knew
nothing Of their construction and conse-
qusntiy effected nothing. In the mean
time, the fierce wind blowing spread the
flames furiously and threatened the
whole neighborhood.
The first stream was got on by
Liberty No. /. The boys Of the com.
pany took another long run round by
Galiaghsr's stables, thence back OF the
Episcopal Church and climbed the hill
the other side Of Crown Point Ravine.
When they reached their objective point
they found the hydrant occupied II not
used, and then backed up and connected
with the hose from the Belcher works.
Yellow Jacket No. 2 connected below
and run hose up. but when they came
to turn on water it drew so from the
upper bydrant a. to render that useless,
and Chief Kennedy gave orders to shut
their water of.
No. 3 got their hose there in good
time, but the fire had to be fought from
the single hydrant mentioned above and
with the aid Of the Belcher's private
reservoir and hose.
The damages sustained are variously
estimated, owing to the recent decline
in property ut that point. The total
will NOT vary much from $4,000. The
property Of Martin is said to be insured
for 50, 600, and that Of McArdle for
81. 200.
Virginia is, under the new law, in.
auesting her hres. II is quite clear that
this was caused by an incendiary. and II
Judge Flanningham could ascertain who
the wretch is, il would be a good idea to
inquest this case. There are many
strongly suspicious circumstances con.
neeted with II. but prudence and Q sense
Of justice call for their suppression at
the present time. a. they lack confirma.
ton.