The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1896-11-14
AN AWFUL CALAMITY
kstehsm Visited b I conaaeratlsn
which Destroyed 0vsr $2o; 600
Worth Of Property.
4 BLOCK or Bp4lNEse HOUSES ON MAIN
STREET LAID IN ASHnk
TN WORK OF An uCIuDlARY.

About 80 yesterday morning
the cry of fire broke upon the still
ness Of tho hour and aroused the
citizsns from their peaceful slum-
bers. It was shortly discovered that
the alarm was sounded from the
front porch of the Palace Hotel
which Was snveloped in flames before
the citizens and firemen could reach
the spot. The adjoining buildings
soon caught fire and despite the
heroic efforts Of the firemen and
citizens who turned out to fight the
flames, in less than two hours near
~ the entire block was laid in ashes.
The buildings destroyed besides
the Palace Hotel and Restaurant,
were Frank Quereau's old furniture
store, the Cornucopia Restaurant,
Wilson's barber shop. E. B. Will
liams' store and Horace Lewis big
barn formerly occupied by E. J.
Cowley as q livery stable.
WHERE THE FIRE ORIGINATED.
The fire broke out in a small store
room in the Palace Hotel on the
first floor in the rear Of the saloon
and directly under the bedroom
which Charlie Judge occupied Oil
the top floor. There was ten gal
Ions Of coal oil stored in the room
which soon caught on fire, the
flames spreading so rapidly that
there was no chance to save the
building by the time that the fire
was discovered.
Charlie Judge was the first occu-
pant of the hotel to be awakened BY
the roaring Of the flames below.
He says it sounded to him at frs,
like the popping of tirecrackers.
He jumped out of bed and ran
down stairs when he found tht
lower floor in y blaze.
Rushing back he aroused his
fsther and mother who were sleep
ing soundly and oblivious of the
flames which we're surrounding
them. There was not moments
time for anyone in the burning
building to dress themselves. Mr..
and Mrs. Judge, as we'll as Charlie.
in order to escape being burnt t.
death, were forced to run out in thu
street clad in their night clothes.
Mrs. Judge did not even have
time to put on her slippers and was
obliged to walk through foot o
snow to Mrs. Perkins lodging
house in her bare feet.
The entire contents of the hotel
and restaurant burnt up, as we'll At
all wearing apparel of the occu-
pants, except few articles Of cloth
ing belonging to Mrs. Judge, which
we're in q small trunk that some
one carried out of the burning build
ing. Mr.. Judge safe, which was in
the billiard room, was opened after
the FIRE and the contents were found
to be intact. A email stock OF
liquors. which Mr.. Judge had stored
in \ cellar back VI the hotel, Wal
also saved.
The loss is estimated at abou!
$4,000. The Palace Hotel ana
furniture originally cost $4,000
There was no insurance on the hO
| tel nor any of the other buildings
which were destroyed, except OIL
E. B. Williams building which was
insured for $500, and Horace Lewis
barn for $500.
THE WORK OF AN INCEND1ARY.
II is generally supposed that the
fire was the work Of an incendiary
All indications point to the hotei
having been set on fire by some
one who Was acquainted with the
house and vas aware that coal oil
was stored in the room where they
started the fire.
Walter Clark's brick store, on thu
corner above the Palace Hotel, had
a narrow escape from destruction
as we'll as Metropolitan Hall and
Pat McMahon's store on the oppo-
site side of the street. The windows
in the latter buildings were broken
from the intense heat Of the fire.
Mr.. Williams stock of goods
we're carried out of the store before
it caught on FIRE and conveyed t.
J. H. Miley's saloon building where
be will probably open up his store.
Some Of the goods were slight,
damaged, but the loss in that re-
spect will not amount to more than
500.
Mr.. and Mrs. Judge have sus-
tanned heavy loss BY the destruc-
ton of the hotel and all their
personal effects. There 10 much
sympathy felt for them in their
great misfortune. There 10 no
probability, under present existing
conditions, that the block will be
rebuilt. If the business outlook
brightens with the coming of Spring.
however, new buildings may 60
up to take the place of those that
have been laid in ruins.
How to Prevent Group.
i