The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-30

view. The trunk, mattress, some
family pictures, whatever was dearest
that could be saved had been carried
by the members of the family to the
open where the FIRE would not be ex-
pected to come, and by them stood
guard the homeless wife and children
while the stronger heads Of the families
We're down somewhere in that caldron
of fire trying to add TO the pile. Now
and then, some mattress that had
dropped too near to the coming flames
caught from the heat or a brand car
ried by the winds, and the little saw
ing of household treasures was wiped
out.
Wagons were everywhere. The price
for the service of that wagon ranged
from nothing to $500 cash, a load, ac-
cording to the exigencies of the mo-
ment or the hard heartedness of the
owner.
While the fire burned, over the terri
tory saved from Saturdays fire, car
penters were busily engaged getting up
many light frame structures in the
area then burned
The fire did not encroach upon the
territory of its predecessor For a time
it looked as though Che new building
at Third and Bennett streets would go
and with it the one being built in the
rear for the temporary postofdce, but
they were saved with wet blankets and
a stream Of water kept playing on
them.
BLOWING UP BUILDINGS
In fifteen minutes from the time the
fire alarm sounded, flames. were show
ing from the cornice -of. the Booth es-
tablishment, next to the Portland hO-
tel The fire had spread to the west
on Myers avenue, taking the Chicago
cafe restaurant adjOiIing the Portland
Cartridges in the Wright hardware
store in the Portland block We're firing
a fusilade and Myers avenue was a fur
mace. To fight the FIRE from that point
was beyond human power. To the west
of the Booth building the immense luTn-
Der stock in the El PasO yards was
catching and the fremen had the block
bounded by First and Second, Bennett
and Myers, for a field. Buildings in
advance of the fire were blown up in a
futile attempt to check its speed
About the burning blocks the streets
were jammed- Charges of fifty pounds
/ and more of. powder were put in The
| explosion threw debris high into the
air and its falling feiied men right and
When the smoke cleared away the
I streets were filed with men unable to
| rise. Others rushed to their assist
\ ance. Before the unfortunates could
/ be dragged back the second charge
+ went off and half a dozen other men
were added to the list. The crowd
surged forward and all were taken
away as the flames began to consume
/ the building DR.. Ldggett and DR.
/ Crane Of Pixies Peak hospital took
/ charge of the injured.
George Grifiths' head was blown
nearly off and he died in half an hour
/ A man named Fassett was killed and
two others who are unidentified
Those injured are
George Youngstron, Georgetown. head
| Hinkley, cut on foot; George Layton
I Georgetown, hands broken and lacer-
/ ated and head and face badly cut; =
E. Bradway, Nebraska City, head, face
and hands badly cut; c. Ragsdale
| Washington, Ind skull badly fractured
and left leg broken; H B. OrdWay
/ may die: Charles McCann actor, bag
/ fracture over left eye; J. w Creiger
Aspen, head and face badly cut, hands
injured: T. w. Geurber. Kansas City
head badly cut; j. W. Lynch, LOveland
/ Col. arm blown off; c. Staten, Aspen
seriously bruised. John IE. Rose. drug
gist. arm broken; Larry MarOney
slightly injured, =. ii. Smith, super
intendent water works, face injured
Willis Walker, mining engineer, seri
] ously injured; Dickinson, carpenter
! slightly injured. Lew Cochrane, arm
| broken: John Evan, cut on face AM
head; Chris Cofmer, fireman, severel
injured; Captain Tom Sewen, Denver
leg fractured.
Rumors spread fast and lost nothin
in the re-telling. 1t was reported. tina
the list Of dead and injured runs int
the scores, and this and that ONCE
were credited with having shot men
the act of setting FIRE to buildings.Law
lessness seemed in the air. Men los
their heads and We're ready for any
thing. City Marshal James Marsha
? sWOre in about $50 special policemen
and Company G., Second regiment, {
n. c.. has also been utilized Many c
the men are mounted and the burne
oh T01
! troled About 20 arrests have bee
made for theft and other causes, bl
, / the police now feel confident that the
viii be able to prevent any further DEF
stolen liquor was plentiful Many So
F looms We're looted for private drink an
I / a firm hand was necessary to restrai
the crowds. The Florence & CriDpi
| Creek railroad had fat cars at the di.
I pOsa1 of merchants and were kept bus
{ / hauling goods beyond the reach of tf
fire and to safe shelter. Cars filled {
! Cripple Creek were hauled to sic
: tracks at other points.
The Times. Journal and ProspectC
/ offices We're all burned down. leavin
Cripple Creek without newspape
The Times was burned cut in Satu
. days fire but saved some of its mate
ial and had started to rebuild in the O.
burnt district 1t lost everything
tOday's confagratiOn. Proprietor To
Howell issued his paper from the OfH'
Of the Victor Weekly News today.
A rumOr is in circulation that a ma
was seen in the act of setting fire to
dwelling on Capital Hill and was sh
}. by a resident just as the firebug w;
& shot and killed by Floyd Thompson ye
: terday afternoon
= Mayor Doyle of Victor has employ,
two fire wardens for every busine
: block in that city, as it has been r
q mored that frebugs are after tn
a town as well as Cripple Creek A ms
2, was caught late in the afternoon in Il
s very act Of firing the rear of the NeE
ell Hardware cOmpany's store. He
in Jail
e The total loss by yesterdays fire
q estimated at $1,500- GOO The insuran
Il viii probably foot up between $500. @
and $500 600. The heaviest losers are