The Lamar register., 1891-08-15
FIRE SWEPT
A Solid Block Burns Like
a Sacrifice.
THE HISTORY OF AN HOUR.

buildings, facing Main street, from the
Commercial hotel to the John Hess sa-
loon were devoured by the flames In
lust one hours time dozen frame build
ings were in ashes, and black and
charred mass marked the spot where
some OF the principal business houses oil
Lamar stood The fortunate direction
of the wind, and the heroic efforts OF the
people saved the block on the west side
of the street, the Alamo hotel ana
the Sparks office. This fire was the most
disastrous that has visited Lamar.
One theory of it's origin is that the
fire pot on the roof of the Commercial
hotel upset while the workmen who were
putting on a new roof, were at dinner,
but this is only supposition as there
are dozen different ways in which 1T
could have caught.
While the fire was discovered almost as
soon as it broke out in flames the delay
of about ten minutes in getting pressure
enough to force the water through the
hose and onto the buildings, was fatal
The buildings being of frame and quite
a strong breeze blowing from the South,
burned like tinder. The estimated
losses are about as follows:
The Commercial hotel building and
principal furniture, owned bv William
Atkinson, Denver, $1,000; no insurance.
The hotel furniture and bar fixtures rent
ed by Fred Schmidt, 81 500; no insurance
A. Deeter, furniture, fixtures, clothing,
| jewelry, etc, 1000; no insurance. Loss
to guests of the hotel about 800. The
Diamond Front building, owned by j.
n. Wallingford, Greensburg, Indiana,
loss 5000; no insurance. Grocery stock
of Ferguson and Silver, loss Sl,JoO; in
surance, $500. Union Club room, owned
by First National Bank ank Mr.. Bald
win, loss 1880; no insurance. One story
building owned by l.. Writ Markham,
$500; no insurance. Chas. ID. Baldwin.
harness. etc, all saved. One story build
ing owned by Col. II. A. Billow, and oc-
pied as an office, 1900; no insurance
Huddleston and Welsh building, $1,000;
no insurance. Implement stock OF C. G.
Huddlestou. $500; no insurance James
T. Church building occupied as dwell
} ling, $500: no insurance. Vanorsdale and
Everett meat market. furniture and tiI-
! lures. $500; insurance 300. Wilcox build
ing, $500; no insurance. City bakery
building, owned by Mr.J. W Miles, Garden
City, kas., $500; no insurance. c. K.
Durant, bakery, 600; no insurance.
, Building owned by j. j. Tunniclif, of
} Gnlesburg, Ill. 5000; insurance $500.
Coleburn's shoe shop, loss $50; no insur-
ance. Two story building on corner
owned by J. S. Campbell, of Wichita.
5000; no insurance. John Hess saloon,
stock and fixtures, and bottling works,
81 500 insurance 1900 Stables and out
buildings, $500. Loss to Alamo hotel
and Sparks office by removal $500. Store
fronts and cornices damaged across the
street $500.
According to the above figures the to-
tai loss is 1850; insurance 81 800.
NOTES
A. Deeter and Fred Schmidt were
both burned out in last years fire on the
north side.
Two men carried Mrs. Irwins piano
out Of the building during the fire, and
it took six men to move it back after the
fire.
John Hess has moved his saloon or
rather opened up anew, in the room ad-
joining the Merchants Bank room on
the south.
c. c. Huddleston had large stock of
wagons, farm machinery and implements
in his building. A great many of them
were saved.
G. ID. Baldwin saved nearly all of his
stock of harness, etc. He has moved to
the room one door south OF Judge Blod-
gett's building.
Sheriff McCurry lost all OF his extra
marches around now dressed in the toga
OF his COW camp.
The Sparks Office, being apparently in
the road OF the fire, WAS moved to tho
ly their loss aside from some pi, will
amount to very little.
Mrs. S. NJ Irwin & Co, ID. C. Marker,
Joe Conwell and the U. S. land office
people moved their property to places OF
safety, but fortunately had the pleasure
of moving them back again.
A dozen large plate glass windows
across the street, became so hot, that
when the water touched them, they
cracked into many odd and fantastic
shapes, and nearly every pane of glass
on that side was broken.
Vanorsdale and Everett saved consid-
cradle Of their stock of meat, and with
commendable enterprise opened up a
new meat market just across the street
from their old stand, next door to Fred
Lees, that same afternoon,
The water works were all right this
time. The only trouble was that the
CITY council were saving coal aud did not
have the water hot, but it took them less
than six minutes after they got there to