Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1886-08-17
a aana.oo0 nIAzE.

Oestr0yeu by fire SundRy Morn
tng-Am Account of the COmHagra
ton from one whU Saw It.
At about ha!f-past 10 O'Clock Sunday
morning q huge cloud of smoke was seer
arising south of town some eight or ter
miles. From the manner in which it CON
tinued it was evident that the flames were
Of no small pretensions. Opinions as tc
It's exact location wore freely offered by
many until about 1 o'clock. when the news
reached town that the Geddes & Bertrand
mill in Secret Canyon was a MACS Of ruins,
How the fire originated is not definitely
known. Several miners are ssid to have
used the blacksmith shop close by o shori
time previous to sharpen their drills and
| picks, and IL is believed the fire they left
communicated with the structure. The
blaze was not discovered until 1t had
| gained considerable headway. The cost
of constructing and e~quipping the mill
some five years ago is said to have been
$500, 900. J. T. Gilmer is the principal
loser. Hon. James G. Blaine and ex-Gov-
ernor Ewing, of Ohio, are also interested
to a considerable extent. From q tele-
| gram received from an interested party in
Salt Lake City last evening 1t Is believed
the structure was insured for q nominal
amount.
Last night the SENTINEL received the
following account of the c~onflagration
from one b was an eye witness Of it:
SECRET CANTON. New, Aug. 1G. 1886.
EDITOR SENTINEL: Closely upon the
scar~ce-vanished track of pleasure and
hilarity stalk the giant forms of deyasta-
ton and woe. Int mill of the Geddes
Mining Company at this place, the pride ,
the glory and hope Of all, lies Iowa
smoulderinR ruin; and upon every coun.
tenance sorrow like q spectre sits in we
some state. For while profound and
spontaneous sympathy abound for the
great loss Of all shareholders, especially
the indefatigable Mr.. Gilmer. through
whose herculean efforts a large company,
1t is understood, was being formed and
active operations soon to be commenced,
it is felt to be what it really is. a personal
calamity. The devastation which presents
itself ia desolating in the extreme, and I
force my fascinating gaze from the con-
temptation of the general wreckage to
communicate facts concerning the catas-
trophe, of which / SIN individually cog
infant.
The Geddes mill was o mammoth struct-
ure, capable of reducing l40 tons OF ore q
day. Southeast about 80 feet stood the
blacksmith shop; west of ii about 40 feet
the assay Office, and west OF it again about
40 feet the carpenter shop, with the oil
house about so feet south. North of the
mill about 60 feet stood the smoke-stsck
OF the furnace.
The morning Of yesterday broke fair
and calm, but rs usual the wind rose 81 10
O'Clock. coming from the southeast.
The lessces Of the various mines owned
by the company, having permission to
sharpen tools in the blacksmith shop, have
continuously availed themselves of the
privilege. At about Z o'clock A.. NJ. Doc "
Hamilton ito whom the key of the shop
was given by Mr. Gilmer. / am told) and
Charles Turner went there for that pur-
pose. and were joined soon after by John
A. Steele, who. after sharpening drills.
ETC., returned home at 9:l0 A. NJ, leaving
Mr.. Turner at the forge. ! am informed
by this last named gentleman that he left
about Is or 20 minutes after Mr.. Steele,
after having, with the extreme caution for
which he is eminent. carefully ex~tinguished
the fire and locked the door. taking the
key with him. In what particular spot
the fire originated ia a mere suppositious
matter. The belief, however, Is general
that the bellows. although protected by a
tuyere, had sucked fire. igniting slowly.
Andy Anderson, having business at The
carpenter shop some time subsequently,
observed nothing unusual, although the
fire must have been III dor way, though
hidden. Your correspondent is supposed
A. - L. A-oA A. IN protnr IN
the door at about o quarter to IL o'clock /
saw a despairing sight-smoke and flame
issuing from the smokestack OF the shop
and bursting through the side. and
screamed an alarm. Mr.. Steele, divesting
himself OF his coat. hastily bounded up
the hill, getting the hose in position with
out loss OF time, assisted by Doc" and
others who had heard the alarm. Then the
fatal fact became spparent-both water
tanks we're dryi The southeast corner OF
the mill, which till nov had smoked only,
suddenly burst into flames. which rapidly
enveloped the whole structure. The guys
of the furnace smokestack melted. and ii
fell with a fearful crash. The cry was,
- Stand back; there is powder in the mill"
II had hastily been removed at first by
Messrs. Anderson M Nelson, but that was
not known. There was not anything
saved, no one daring to go near any OF the
buildings. There must have been oil in
large quantities in the mill, as there were
two fearful explosions. And so persisted in
less than an hour not less than $500, 900
worth Of property. However. the mason
work remains intact. The engine, too. is
safe-the boiler also, and a large amount of
machinery can be utilized with a little re-
pairing il another mill Is built. In the
meantime men are almost without hope OF
such a contamination. AS / close fires are
still burning. which caught from the mill.
and homes may need to be protected for
DAYS TO come. Trusting this calamity may
not end in tragedy, l remain very truly
yours, MRS. j.. A. STEELE.
A ChInaman Accidentally Killed.
ESPECIAL TO THE SENTINEL
RENO, Aug. 16.--A Chinaman left in
charge of the boarding cars on the Ne
vada and California road started for Reno
with q hand-csr some time during Satur-
la., ,ioht nr Sunday morning. On the