The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1886-04-10
Fire!
AND DESTRUCTION.
A Whole Block Reduced
to Ashes.
Ketchum Once More Visited by
the DevOuring Element.

was seen coming from the openings
in Jacob Ottcnheimer's saloon and
the alarm Of fire was given. AT
) 80 the entire row of buildings on
the west side of Main street between
Third and Fourth, excepting the
store of Gillette & Evans, was in
ashes. The property destroyed was
as follows:
One building, owned by Gillette
& Evans, valued at 81 200 and
insured for $500, loss 500; occu-
pant, J. p. Lockman & Co., meat
market, loss $50.
One building, owned by VIM.
Mckay, value 1900, no insur-
ance, total loss; occupant, j. Often
heimer, saloon, loss 81 900; and II.
c. Mckenzie, confectionery, loss
$500.
One building, owned by James &
Gooding, value about $500, no insur-
ance, total loss; occupants, James
e. Gooding, meat market, loss $500.
One building, owned by A. Adams,
value 81 500, no insurance; no occu-
pant.
One building, owned by George
Metzler, value $500, no insurance ;
occupant, James Fitzsimmons, sa-
loon, loss, in fixtures, about ~ 900.
One building, owned by George
Metzler, stable, damaged by explo-
sion about 800.
The loss, in damage, of goods
removed from the store of Gillette IL
Evans will probably amount to
5000. They were insured.
The cause of the fire is attributed
to the accidental ignition of kero-
sene in the oil room of jacob
Ottenheimer where Frank Wells, a
boy, was in the act Of cleaning and
trimming lamps when the blaze
was discovered. 1t spread very
rapidly from a lamp in his hand
and it was only by the assistance
of others that he was not severly
burned. The direct cause is I'M
known but supposed to be the care
less use Of a match or lighted cigar
which might have been cast from
the adjoining room.
THE FIRE
Tiger Engine Co., and Hose Co
No. 1 answered the summons with
remarkable promptncss and before
the flames were barely visible
from the outside the little Gold
Hill" engine was a very active
enemy to them. Scores of citizen:
rushed to the pumps and fell IL
the ranks of duty or stood In i'm
patient readiness to relieve, ano
others played an efiectual par
in assisting the ladder company
with buckets, axes, hooks, ropes
etc. There was a slight breeze t.
the northward and after little exer
ton the devouring element wa'
under control on the south, sue
cecding only in consuming por
ton of the meat market next t.
Ottenheimcr's, and sparing the cor
ner store-Gillette & Evans. A
this point scarcely half an hou
had elapsed and the greatest activ
ity was visible on every hand. w
venture to say that every able
bodied citizen Of Ketchum was 70
once an active and eilectual fireman
and will add that some of the ladie
deserve the same honor. Atten
ton was now turned chcerfuly t
the property north of the mail
blaze, but, however helpful tn
water constantly pouring into tn
flames, it was useless to think o
saving any portion of the blocl
destroyed. James d Gooding'
meat market was now burning
rapidly and though the fire wa
quite successfully driven to tn
rear of the buildings it ragged ant
spread there and it was with tn
utmost determination that tn
fiyemen carried on their necessar.
work of destruction IN front
Lines of men on the ladder
and roofs passed buckets Q
water rapidly and did nue.
good work. When the water wae
ons gave out the slush was scoops
up from the street by men, wome
and children and kept passing u