The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-11-29
AN OLD MANS FEARFUL END
Andrew 0. Potter Burned to Death in a Furious and Destruc-
 tive Fire.
Death in Awful Form-Six Buildings Leveied by the Fire Fiend in an In- credibiy short Time-Cause of the Fire u Mystery.

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 The fire iicnd paid Flagstaff one of his periodical visits early this morning, and left in his wake the charred re- mains of victim and the blackened ruins of six buildings.
 At about half past two o'clock those who happened to be abroad were startled to see flames bursting from Il row of buildings on the south sile of the railroad track. Shots were fired, whistles blown and general alarm of fire turned III to arouse the impromptu fire fighters to action. A good part nf the p"ptllace responded, but the feeble efforts of the bucket brigade to stay the progress of Inc fire were unavail- ing. The flames had gained wonder ful hcadway and as they shot out in all directions, licking up the inflammable pine buildings in their path. it was seen that several buildings were doom- ed, and the residents in the vicinity hurriedly piled their goods into the street.
 As near as caa be learned the fire had it's origin in the rear of the black smith shop, which has recently been occupied as carpenter shop by J. H. Morse. Several people discovered it first. The blacksmith shop stood in the center of the burned district and i the destructive element once having got fOothOld, it served as an ex- cellent feeder for the other buildings.
 Andrew c. Potter lived in the build- ing adjoining the Morse establishment on the east He and his sister, who had lately arrived from California. were awakened by the cracking of the flames and the shouts of the multitude and both got out safely. MT. Potter, intent on saving as many of his be- longings as possible, returned to the burning building several times, and when it was practically a mass of flames he, despite the warnings of the bystanders and the entreaties of his sister, insisted upon again entering the tottering structure to save some valu able papers of which he bad suddenly bethought himself.
 "They're near the chimney" he said, "and l must get them" and he struggled loose from those who would hold him. He reached the spot where the papers were, but when he attempt cd to return the means of escape were cut off Those who endeavored to at tempt his rescue fell back from the heat of the flames, and one man said that the last he saw of poor Potter he was groping blindly about trying to smother the flames that had already caught his clothing. The searchers this morning found the remains near the chimney. They were scarcely rec ognizable and were removed to the undertaker's. MT. Potter was 63 years of age, native of New York, and had been an honored and respected resi- dent of Flagstaff for number of years. His untimely end is sincerely regretted by large circle of acquaintances, and Miss Potter has the sympathy of the community in her bereavement. She is at present domiciled with Mrs. Ash, urst.
 It didn't take long. to level the six buildings to the ground, but most of those who were burned out managed to save considerable property. The buildings destroyed embrace in the order named residence owned by T. J. Grace, unoccupied; the saloon ran by Tom Ortiz, who rented from George Margclitch, the owner of the building the blacksmith shop; Mir. Burchard's building, in which the unfortunate Mir. Potter lost his life; residence owned by c. w. Davis and occupied by H. k. Davis. O. K. Davis and Miss Lulu Da- wis; and on the lower corner the resi- dence of Mariquita de Ontegon.
 The brothers Ortiz, Tom and Felix, slept in the rear of the saloon and hadn't been asleep more than hall hour when they were awakened by the report of the pistol shots. Felix handed his trunk to someone at the rear door and he hasn't seen it since He saved considerable part of his stock
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