The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-30
CRIPPLE CREEK IN ASHES
THREE MEN KILLED AND OTHERS
WE'RE BURNED OR INJURED.

Mayor Steel Has Telegraphed for Assist
ance From Neighboring Towns, in the
Way of Tents for the Homeless The Con-
migration Started From an Incendiary's
Work in the Portland Hotel.
Cripple Creek, Col, April ga sec
ond conflagration, accompanied by loss
of life and injuries to many persons
| swept the business part Of this city
into ashes to-day At least three men
lie dead and fifteen or twenty per-
sons were burned and otherwise in
jured. Two of the dead were killed in
an explosion of the Palace hotel boil
ers and the other was a thief, who
was shot by a policeman under orders.
| Griffith is the name Of the only iden-
titled dead man. One thousand persons
are without shelter tonight and the
business men and property owners, who
have lost all with little or no insur-
| ance are almost in despair. They are
in fever Of excitement and wrath
against the incendiaries who are charg-
ed with starting this and Saturdays
destruction.
| Mayor Steel has telegraphed for as
sistance from neighboring towns in the
way of tents for the homeless, but the
police department feels able to cope
with the situation. All that is left Of
the camp is "Old Town over to the
east, Capitol Hill, the residence Sec
tion northward and scattering places
about the Florence and Cripple Creek
yards. West Cripple Creek across the
Freeman placer, was also spared. The
loss will not fall short Of $4,000, 900,
which is more heavily insured than the
property burned Saturday. All the
substantial business houses Of brick
and wood, the leading hotels, office
buildings and better class Of retail
shops went UP in smoke or lie in ruins
as the result Of the use Of dynamite
exploded to stay the flames. The con-
| flagration ended only when the resi-
dence portion was reached and open
spaces were encountered, across which
the flames could not reach.
The fire, which was undoubtedly In
cendiary, started In the Portland Ilo-
tel, on Second street. shortly after
noon. A bright breeze was blowing and
the fire rapidly gained such headway
that the fire department was unable to
check its progress. The Portland was a.
rattle-trap and Offered the best of kind
A ling for the beginning Of confagra-
tion. There was much excitement, as
| the residents had not recovered from
their terrific experience of Saturday.
Everybody began to prepare to pack
up and get away, but so rapid was
the progress Of the flames that the poor
people soon became panic stricken and
| a wild scene ensued.
| Teams were lashed up and down the
streets by excited men, removing prop
erty. People with bundles were rum
ming pell nell to the northward. The
roaring of the flames, the crash Of
falling timbers following the explo-
sions of dynamite and shouts of men
and women made an awful spectacle.
/ Everybody on the hills hastened to
i lend assistance by rushing into town to
carry away valuables, much of which
will remain unidentified. At the first
hint of looting property the police, aid
ed by the citizens, gave prompt notice
that death would be the fate of all
thieves, and the story was afloat early
that several thieves had already been
shot and their bodies left to be cre-
| mated.
Rumors of many lives lost added to
the general CONSERVATION, and when
the boilers Of the Palace hotel explod-
ed, killing and injuring several people,
the panic-stricken and crazed people
rushed about without purpose or OBJ
ject.
The fire originated in the kitchen Of
i the Portland hotel, which stood on Sec
ond street, between Warren and Mey-
ers avenues, Back of it was a lumber
yard and several small buildings. In
an hours time the roof of the hotel had
fallen in and the flames were leaping
across the adjoining blocks. Booths
furniture store was blown up by dyna-
mite in an effort to check the fire, and
the Maloney office building, the Fair,
restaurant, and Palace drug store We're
also sacrificed
Across Second street the Masonic
Temple, a two-story brick, stayed the
progress of the flames eastward and
heroic efforts were made to prevent it
burning. BY this time everybody on
Meyers and Bennett avenues and on
six adjacent blocks began to move out.
East of Third street embers ignited the
temporary ScL ny oA tLC III ~
burned district. BY o'clock the whole
town was ablaze. and above Carr ave-
nue. people were moving their household
goods.
At Second and Bennett streets stood
the Bimetallic bank and next to it, in
the Cripple Creek Mining exchange,
was the temporary home of the First
National bank All the money was
locked up in the vaults and the place
was abandoned when the flames crowd
ed the clerks out. North of the banks
were the telegraph and telephone Off
ces, which had to be abandoned.
Late'in in the afternoon the wind veered
around to the east, driving the course
of the conf1agration to the most sparse
ly built up residence district and the
fire died out, leaving the high school
building the only one of any size re-
manning in the camp. The list of bus
mess houses destroyed includes every
firm of any importance in the city.
Many residences were also swept away.
Armory Notes.
Companies B, D. and e of the Second
battalion held a battalion drill at the
arnory last evening. Major Sucher
| oo,,,roanded The drill was well exc