The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-27
Flames Destroy Several Blocks
at Cripple Greek.
The District Burned Includes
Dance Halls and Theaters.
DYNAMITE A FACTOR.
Buildings Blown Up to Check
the Blaze.
Several Hurt and Hundreds
Rendered Homeless.

Cripple Creek. April 27.-An angry
woman threw a lamp at her lover at j
/ O'Clock Saturday. and a million dollars
worth of property was destroyed In
three hours. The lamp hit the stove,
/ igniting the oil and setting fire to the
I furniture In a few minutes the build
ainss was in flames This was Coughs
/ dance hall. on Meyers avenue, near
I Third street In a very short time the
adjoining buildings had caught, de-
4 spite the efforts of the fire department
1t soon became evident that the eonha-
T grafton was to be a big one, but no one
/ thought it would reach such an area
When the FIRE broke out the danger
/ Of big conhagration was not perceiv-
ed. and it was thought that the fire
men, who were early on the scene,
would have the flames under control
in very few minutes. But in a short
time the fire had spread to adjoining
buildings and a brisk wind sprang up
Then it was conceded by all that at
least q half dozen buildings on the cor
ner 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 their goods.
Some barely escaped with their lives
Several women were dangerously
burned.
Every minute added fury to the
flames. and when the fire had spread
several doors on either side, the dan
ger to the city was observed, but no
one could realize how great the dam
age would be. The heat became SO in-
tense that buildings on the north side
of Meyers street took fire. Then it was
that occupants Of stores and offices
saw the true danger and began to
", as
sessions. Every wagon IN town was
pressed into service. and goods We're
he-u-ed away Not a tenth part OF the
goods were saved
By the time the postofice had caught
il became evident that the only way
TO stop the progress of the fire was to
blow UP the buildings with dynamite.
This was done under the supervision
of the fremen, and q number of dwell
ings had to be sacrificed before the fire
had reached them.
An accident occurred which lost a
fireman his leg. He was placing a bis
charge under the sisters hospital when
it exploded, blowing his leg off
The fire started about j O clOck and
by 4 it had demolished the blocks be-
tween Third and Fifth streets, on Aley-
ers; between Third and Fifth streets
on Bennett. stopping just this side Of
the new Midland depot and ware
house; between Third and Fifth on
Carr, with the exception Of a few
buildings ON the Third street side
Nearly all the buildings between Third
and Fifth on Eaton were destroyed.
Many people lost everything they had.
The property on Meyers street was
occupied in the most part 10y demf-
monde and saloons The two variety
theaters, Topic and Hollands. were
there and innUmerable dance halls.
Several accidents OF a minor charac-
ter occurred, but none was fatal. Grace
Clifton wss badly burned about the
face and hands j. Anderson White,
laying a charge of dynamite under the
sisters hospital, to blow it up. had
leg torn off by a premature explosion.
The DOStOfhce, on Bennett avenue, is
total wreck. only the vault standing.
Twenty thousand letters and thous-
ands of packages were destroyed. The
First National bank vault is standing.
All the books and papers were saved,
and the bank opened for business while
its building was burning. in q room ad-
joining the Bimetallic bank The
Episcopal and COngregat churches
We're destroyed The city jail. in which
were confined about 20 prisoners. has
only the iron cages left. The prisoners
were released. The sisters hospital
was blown UP after the patients had
been removed to the Pixies Peak hos
pital. Mayor Steele ordered eleven
saloons closed. which prevented law
lessness. A report was started that
thieves We're busy and 100 deputies
were at once sworn i'm and the militia
were committed Hundreds of people
were made homeless. but they were all
given shelter by the generous people Of
the town The fallen women wei e
made welcome to the best houses in
the city The burnt section is to be
The total insurance VIII reach about
$3.50 600