The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-05-02
THE LOSS IS A MILLION
FIRE ATE OUT THE HEART OF
CRIPPLE CREEK.
Frame buildings Went Down Like
Cards and Only Dynamite
stopped Ii.

Cripple Creek, April 25.-An angry corr
tesan threw a lamp at her lover at IL
o'clock today and a million dollars worth
of property was destroyed IN three hours.
The lamp hit the stove. igniting the oil
and setting fire 70 the furniture. In a
few minutes the building was in flames.
This was Coughs dance hall, on Meyers
avenue, near Third street. In a very
short time the adjoining buildings had
caught, despite the efforts of the fire de-
partment.
The fire quickly spread to the adjoining
frame buildings and then jumped across
Meyers avenue. Half a dozen buildings
were soon in the embrace of the flames.
The fire then attacked the rear of the
buildings fronting Bennett avenue. The
postotiice burned A high wind thwarted
the efforts of the fremen 10 stop the
spread of the fire.
one million dollars is a conservative es-
innate of the damage done at this after
Moons fire, though some estimates are as
high as two million. The amount of in
surance will not exceed $3.50, 900.
When the fire broke out in Carey's sec
ond-hand store the danger of a big con
hagration was not perceptble, and 1T
was thought that the firemen would have
the flames under control in few min
utes. But in a short time the fire had
spread to the adjoining buildings and
brisk wind sprang up. Then 1t was con-
coded by all that at least a half-dozen
buildings near the corner OF Meyers and
Third streets would go and the occupants
began to move out. But many had waited
too long and were unable to get to their
goods. Some barely escaped with their
! lives, several women being dangerously
burned. Every minute added -lry to the
| flames, and when the fire had spread sew
| eral doors on either side the danger to
the city was observed, but no one could
realize how great the damage would be-
The heat became so intense that build
ings on the north side of Meyers street
took fire Then it was that the occu-
pants of the stores and offices saw the
true danger and began to make prepara-
tons to save their possessions. Every
wagon in town was pressed into service
and goods were hauled away. Not a tenth
part of the goods were saved. BY the time
the postoffice had caught it became evil
dent that the only way to stop the prog
rcss of the fire was to blow up buildings
with dynamite. This was done under she
supervision of the firemen and a number
of buildings had to be sacrificed before
the fire had reached them.
An accident occurred which lost a fire
man his leg. He was placing big charge
under the Sisters hospital when it ex
poded. blowing his leg off.
The fire started about 1 o'clock and by
4 p. m. it had demolished the blocks be
tween Third and Fifth or Meyers, be
tween Third and Fifth on Bennett. stop
ping just this side of the new Midland de
pot and warehouse, between Third an,
Fifth on Carr with the exception of
few buildings on the Third street side
Nearly all the buildings between Thir'
and Fifth on Eaton were destroyed. Man.
people lost everything they had.
The people not affected have offere'
shelter to the homeless. of which Their
are several hundred.
The first National bank was doing bust
ness in another part of town while thei
, building was burning. The burnt distric
, is to be rebuilt at once with brick an
stone.
All the theaters, dance houses an
q sporting places We're burned. Among tn
buildings destroyed are the postofhc'
First National bank, Johnson dry good
house and Farley Bros furniture stor,