The record-union., 1894-04-16
snecial TO the REcoRp-uNrox.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
SANTA CRUZ, April 15.-The great con-
flagration of last night and this morning
reduced to ashes twenty-four buildings
in the heart OF this city, and caused a loss
of over $500, 900, with less than $4,000 in
surance. One block reduced to ashes is
bounded by Pacific avenue, Cooper AMI
Front streets, and contained some of tn,
finest buildings in the city, which were
occupied by lawyers, banEcrs and mer-
chants. The burned distric. is across the
street from the Pacific Ocean House.
The fire was of incendiary origin and
was first discovered at 1910 O'Clock sat
urday night, when an alarm of fire was
rung in, but the fremen could not obtain
a supply of water from the hydrants as
the city's mains had broken Saturday
afternoon, and the water had been shut
off at the reservoir three miles from
town. Private hydrants were soon tapped.
bat the force was not sufficient to do any
work, aad it was not until II o'clock
when the city's mains were once more
opened. The water supply was then suf-
UcloQG, Dul dS Sd1Id OIQZ HAS HOI d Liz
engine to force the water through the hose
the streams were weak and Ineffective.
The fire started in the rear OF Henry
Rice's one-story frame building at the
corner OF Cooper and Front streets. A
northwest wind was blowing, and this
helped to madden the flames, which had
by this time fastened hold of George
Staffiers building, and was slowly eating
it's way towards Pacific avenue. The
building burned with great rapidity, and
the flames from the wooden buildings on
Cooper street threw shower OF sparks
on the scorched dome of the County
Courthouse, which soon ignited the
Court houses interior and burnedsit out,
leaving nothing but the four walls to
mark the place where the structure once
stood.
Chinatown, which consisted of fifty
frame shanties, was threatened at every
moment The firemen worked hard to
save the buildings, but the wind famed
the flames into the town, and, being of
very infiammable matter, they caught
and burned like tinder. The Cinnamon
saved some Of their effects but nearly all
OF their belongings were consumed.
Mayor Jeter, fearing that the whole
business portion of the town would be re-
duced to ashes, telegraphed to San Jose
for assistance. a steamer came on train
seventy miles in a little over an hour and
lent valuable assistance in checking the
flames Watsonville sent steamer, and
it was largely due to this fact that the fire
did not spread over more territory.
While the fire was raging at its highest,
one of the great three-story brick walls
fell in, causing panic among the people
of the street, who barely escaped without
being injured.
At 4:30 the fire was under control, and
the Santa Cruz people breathed more
easy.
The burned district to-day presents
picture of devastation, and the smolder-
| ing ruins are being watched by guards
to prevent any other outbreak that may
occur. The county officials made good
use of the time when the Courthouse
cupola was burning, and carried all of
their books and assessments rolls to
| places of safety.
The important buildings consumed
were as follows: Shaffter's furniture
store, FinkelS grocery, Hotfman's real
estate office, Mckinney & Sons real
estate office, Louvre saloon, Justice Court,
| Leonard's block lsaloon), City Bank and
law offices. Pilot Hose Company, Hotal-
ing block three stOries), Werner build
| ing, Simpson building.
Crossing Cooper street, the Courthouse
was entirely consumed. Chinatown was
! likewise destroyed. The fire was stopped
at the Pease block, which was badly
damaged.
Total loss (estimated), 100000; insur-
ance (estimated), $4,000.
The vaults of the City Bank and Peo.
pies Bank stood the flames, and were not
impaired. One vault contained S50,0U0 in
gold.
The citizens of Santa Cruz have learned
by last nights experience that they must
have an efficient fire department, and the
matter will be taken up at the next coun-
ell meeting to place her department. on
proper footing.
The losses are as follows on Pacific
avenue: G.. b. Pease, three-story brick
building, $4,000; insurance, $1,000; ten
anted by A. Crocker, furniture dealer,
loss, $1,000; no insurance; Ii. Myrick,
real estate office, loss, 81 900; insurance,
$500; j. f. Simpson, two-story building,
loss, $4,000: insurance, $1,000; tenanted
by Theodore Beck, saloon, loss, $500; no
insurance, and by p. Anderson, tailor,
loss, $500; no insurance; John Warner,
two-story brick building, loss, 1900; in
surance $4,000; tenanted by a. &. Sni-
der, dry goods, loss, $4,000; insurance,
s., 600: John Werner, harness maker,
loss, $1,000; insurance, $500; second story
occupied by Mrs. G. Hobson as lodging
house, loss, 81 900; insurance, $500; A. z.
Hotaling, three-story brick building,
loss, $4,000; insurance, $4,000; tenanted
by A. Jonas IL Bros, loss, S40, 5000; insGr-
ance, ST., 600; George Reading, barber,
loss, 500; no insurance; J. o. Tanner,
druggist, loss, $1,000; insurance, $1,000:
Peoples Bank, loss, $500; insurance,
81 600; lodging-house in the second story
of Mrs. II. d. Amin, loss, 500; no insur-
ance; Gerge Staffler. two-story building
and two one-story buildings, including
stock of furniture and undertaking
goods, loss, 5000; insurance, 5000:
Mrs. ". Vahlberg, one-story building,
| loss, s, 900; no insurance; tenanted by
William Walker, saloon, loss to stock,
$500: no insurance: Pilot Hose Company,
| two-story frame building, loss. with con-
tents, 500; no insurance: NJ. Leonard.
two-story brick building. loss, so, 900; in
surance, s, 900; occupied by City Bank,
loss. 81, 800: no insurance.
The losses on Cooper street were as fol-
! lows: Jackson Silva, two,story brick
| building loss 81, 900, insurance 81 900; ten
anted by Louvre Saloon, loss $500, no in
surance; second story occupied by II. $.
/ Mckinney, searcher of records, loss 81,
| 500. and by Mayor w. y. Jeter, loss
| 81 800 no insurance, mostly in law books.
valuable papers and furniture: Henry
Rice, one-story frame building, loss 5000.
no insurance; tenanted by e. Il. Wllllams.
real estate, loss $500; ". /. FInkeldey,
grocer, loss 81 ,000 no insurance; c. Hotf-
man, one-story frame building, structure
and contents, $500, no insurance; County
Courthouse, loss $50. 900. insurance 5000.
On Front street the losses were as fol-
lows: Dan Worth, lodging-hou and
contents. $1,000, no insurance.; tenanted
| by Joseph Frey, saloon. loss, $500; Carl
baldi House, owned by Costello Il Co.,
loss $1,000. no insurance: Chinatown,
consisting of many small shanties and
| two brick buildings, with their contents,