, 1885-01-07
FIRE IN A GALE.
Volumes of Thick Smoke Pouring
Down Ferguson Street.
Alarmed SIeepers Hastily Turned
Out of Warm Beds.
The Little Restaurant Of Mrs. DON
nelly Completely Quilted.

rate Of fifty miles an hour early this morn
ing was a fearful time for a fire. 1t is no
wonder then that'at 3 o'clock this morn
ing many people awakened from a star
tied sleep when they heard the harsh
clangor of the fire bells, and found the
gentle zephyr still whooping it up.
1t was precisely 3 o'clock when the first
shouts of fire were heard on Seventeenth
street, and several minutes subsequently
whensthe fire bells began to ring. Soon
afterward there was an ~outpouring Of
people into the streets. Huge masses Of
heavy black smoke were being driven
down Ferguson street before the wind and
there everybody drifted. The smoke was
sitting, and it was almost an impossi-
bility to make Roadway up the street
against it. Many started along Ferguson
street holding their breath until they
reached the Baptist church corner, when
they were enabled to locate the blaze.
When a reporter OF The LEADER ar
rived on the scene the flames were burst
ing out of a window on the north side Of
Mrs. Donnelly-H H ffschmidt's restaurant.
not over four feet from Keefe's carpenter
shop. Together with two others the re-
porter broke in two doors and all
called fire at the top Of their voices. In
a rear room MI. Huffschmidt was found
partially dressed and SO utterly bewilder-
ed that he was unable to do anything to-
ward the saving of the contents Of the
building, had that been possible. BE
ran about waving his arms and excitedly
calling for his wife. Several
gentleman soon arrived and a
very hasty and quite an
unsatisfactory search was made of the
rear rooms. The middle room was a
mass Of flames and the smoke soon be-
come so dense that everyone was forced
to abandon the building. A large trunk
anda valise were dragged out. These be-
longing to Miss Ida Donnelly, daughter Of
Mrs. Huffschmidt, who had packed her
effects with the intention of going to Den
yer to-day, and these were the only things
saved.
The wind was blowing a hurricane, and
the frail wooden structure was a mass of
flames within five minutes after the alarm
was given. The various fire companies
responded promptly, but it was just
five minutes after the fire bell rang
before water was turned on
the building. A very strong
pressure was given, but the fremen were
somewhat handicapped by the situation of
the surrounding buildings. A stream
from the 7ear was doing good work when
the coupling parted. 1t then seemed tor
a few moments that the fire would be a
disastrous one. The Hooks tore out the
front Of the building and another stream
was turned on from the rear, and soon
the flames were subdued. The heavy
wind famed every spark into a blaze, but
the fire was conquered in just
one hour. Adjoining the build
ing on the south is the brick
building occupied by r. B. Horrie and
the Gas Company for offices. The brick
wall of this building prevented the wind
from blowing through the burning one.
and Keefe's shop on the north par
TALLY protected it. The latter
building caught on fire several
times but was readily extinguished.
The destruction of the building and the
loss of its contents are complete. The
house was owned by Mr.. A. G. McGregor
and was not worth much-perhaps
$500. The contents were insured
in the City Of London Insurance Com
pany for 81. 500. half of that amount be-
ing on a piano. The risk was placed by
Riner & johnson. 1t is supposed that the
fire caught from the chimney.