Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-07-23
wAsnlSGroN TERREroRY.


Co1FAx. July 22i.-At 2.20 o'clock this
morning fire was discovered in an empty
building 90 Asin street, in the northern end
of the town, formerly used as an agricultural
implement warehouse, and owned by Q. and
NJ. G. Moore, of Almok. When frstseen it
had gained such Roadway that il could not be
checked and soon communicated with the adj
joining blacksmith shop and livery stable
thence spreading until the whole block was
enveloped in one solid mass of FIRE. >.
Hoover's brick bank Just completed, con-
stituted barrier on the northeast corner OF
Main and Wall streets, and stopped its
further progress up the street. being the only
house now standing on that block. About
an hour from the time the first alarm
was sounded fire was discovered on the roof
of the Ewart House, directly across the street
from the originating point. Strenuous efforts
were made to extinguish it. bnt the intense
heat coon rendered sll efforts useless, and
those engaged in the attempt were compelled
to desist, and the pride of COlfax was aban-
doned to its fate. From this point the FIRE
spread rapidly in either direction, flying
sparks igniting the roofs OF the adjacent dry,
wooden buildings, until two blocks on that
side Of the street were ablaze, sending their
lurid tongues heavenward, and not a yessige
OF house now remains to tell the
tale. Twenty.six buildings in all
we're destroyed, involving loss of
$4,000. The fire burned so rapidly that
but few effects could be saved. The insur-
ance on the burned district amounts to over
S35, 900, represented by the following CON-
panies: Home Mutual of New York,
50, COO; New Zealand, of Auckland, n. H.,
$500; State Investment Of California,
81, 200; Connecticut of Hartford, $1,000;
California of California, 81 5O0 Liverpool,
London and Globe of Liverpool, $500; Com
mercial Union of London, $3.50; Manchester
of Manchester, 81 600. The above are
represented by @. G. Livington & Co., and
L. NJ. Talbot & Co. represent the following
companies and amounts Star of New York,
500; Commercial of California, 81, 700;
American Central of st. Louis, 81, 600. JAS.
a. Perkins represents the Phoenix of Hart
ford and Home of New York, for SO, 500,
and the North British Mercantile of London
and Edinburg, for 81, 700. The heaviest loss
is in the Ewart House, the oriSiaal cost of
which was SIS, COO: $500 of this is covered
by insurance. For the first hour the wind
came from the north, jsopardizing the whole
town, when it suddenly veered. and brisk
breeze sprang up from the south, which is
claimed to be the only thing that saved the
town from utter annihilstion. Had the wind
continued from the north the adjacent blocks,
composed of wooden structures, and as dry
as finder, would have isnited and made a
clean sweep up the canyon. Our much
commented. upon ere engine was much
out of repair, and could not
be used, whereupon bucket brigades were
formed, and did efficient service in staying
the devouring element Had the hand-en--
CINE been in working order the two blocks on
the west side of the street could have been
saved. The contents of al the safes opened
thus far are intact. No lives were lost. The
fire is supposed to be the work Of an incen-
diary. One report says it was discovered
simultaneously in two different places on
either side of the blacksmith shop.