The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-10
CRIPPLE CREEKS FIRES.
wiz rHE MINEve cAsr nncoTE"
FROM.IUOVBIG DIsAsTERSS

SnI0ons nnd Dnnce hhnus FFp
bvtId Food supplies seat from oih"r
To-ns-uusuing Foiks Get There"
CstpptE CREEK, MAY AT the Midlahd
terminal station to-day ono OF the crowd OF
sufferers by the big fires was u woman VINO hha
saved only the clothes she wore ana n green
parrot In a cage. The parrot looked as dinconso-
late as the woman. and. ON awakening from
occasional maps, the bird would look mourntuIIy
over the crowd and squawk this one lamehtt
Crip-p pie Greek all burned M; Cripple creek
a hoodoo."
IL Is the opinion OF some persons that It's
parrot was right From the time the mrs.
round. up OF cowboys was held near the preeene
site OF this mining camp. ut which time the dis.
trict was named Cripple Creek" because II
the accidents that then befell that party, up 10
the present time. the name has been most sD-
propriate. for no town III the West ever had 20
much to discourage Its growth. II Is now 4
serious question whether Cripple Greek will re-
cover from the last fire. That IL has made .
brave start TO rise from its ashes no "ne can
gainsay. for tonight there are over one hundred
new buildings ready. while as many more are
in various stages of advancement.
The first places to recover have been the
gambling houses and dance halls One place m
Third and Bennett avenue. n structure COM
posed OF pine floor and sides and canvas roof. ID
crowded to sufocation with grimy men stand-
ing about SO as to keep comfortable until 1t ID
time TO retlfe 10 their uncOnsenlal CaDins Ou
crowded odping houses, while in the rear Of
ths long room the gambling tables are sur-
rounded with groups of men interested In the
fall OF the cards OF the rolling of the roulette
wheel A long bar has been improvised, with q
great mirror set up against the canvas back
wall, and held in place by cleats OF wood nailed
to the upright supports This mirror hns no
frame, and Just what utility IL has at such .
time is a mystery. Several barkeepers are kept
buEy and tba mir rpaka wish tDharcO smOkp IA
is a place that does not attract the visitor, and
Is tolerated only by the rough men who have No
better place to stand.
Dozens OF little frame shncks have been i'm.
provised as saloons where the bar is a rorgh
board supported by slender uprights Of roush
lumber, and the stock consists of a beer kes see
up on one end OF the, counter, a few boxe, OF
the bar occupies but a corner OF the structure,
while the carpenters c%ontiBae TO hammer and
saw away far into the night under the glare Il
into the Street which. is never more than psr-
recent fires, and new stocks Of merchandise.
To-day there was a circus in town. 1t had
been billed for weeks and had to make the trip
In site Of the reports Of the fire. The tents
were pitched down near the Florence and Grip.
In tho burned district The band sent forth ito
most enticinr music and the steam call!ops
OF sweet Marie" but only the chronic illers
watched the parade. and not a hammer stopped
But miners from the hills. who had lost notht
ing II the fire, came down to the city a'd
bought tickets to the show, SO that the MANAGE
ment did not lose by the venture,
AT the two schoolhouses and In the Masonic
Temple the relief committees continued all day
long to supply the long lines of men and women
with food; clothing. tents, and bedding. Families
the hro than they had been previously for years.
were caught by the fire so unexpectedly that o9
not have n cent or n bite to eat One young man
called at the hs Office Of the Col0rad" Packing
mother and sister. A ham was given him, and
later T r. tine day a call was made : n de. upon pc bis ; fan;
tents and had enjoyed two meals off the ham.
w fSa s=ssiismens o lh Med Stll Of fare afternoon. and
the fears r. OF the people that they we're at the
% of ~ 1 DsonI eah no o. l1aee ndnrI sf fa Vys MAN.
night watching what little stuff they had
n sfsfa With Ana a sigh, Mssp =s %Sxqfanf t asw snfferi nSeS OF tns
people was keen. On the outskirts of the city,
Tharsd s@o men. ' Women Sl and ade children hiiai az we're aHs hu On
died together, wrapped in blankets or buried
their homes. In every house that escaped the
nre on w ednesday night people were clustered
as timex as they could be crowded. leaving no
As every grocery house and meat shop had
supply was a serious one. The good people OF
victor: five miles below. that evening cook ed up
that town has since daily contributed tons q
et"nnsa 1000 to the sufferers; and today they
and ordered that the consignment should be
baked into loares.
oh U HlpIulNk u Ttlitl from
Denver arrived with more supplies, and what
was then most needed. tents and blankets from
pany OF militia came in after dark from Pueblo
residents caught a little rest and sleep. On
Friday morning = committee from Denver came
today more goods have come in. so that the
people will be cared for until they can shift for
themselves. y camp was set up near one Of
the sehSolhouses, and there warm meals were
hDnY That IpllFRd N Rnf = GrS nrnA
and children stood along the long tables and
the Se" relief e e comm ste ,f haa begun ssGne to- out out shsir
work moving; the women disappeared and the
There has been a difefSenee of opinion as to
the hScs origin Of the two fires. During the night
.inchesisrs stood guard over the goods saved,
a ,Gnpt suspicious m5r characters were treated with
first night never to return.
The day succeeding the second fire some lead
OF. any size remaining. md organized
inter in tSs ,naS a stronG committee OF ,afety:
he cars readlEg as follows:
wARNISG.!
as' ssy m e@m m lie t S1 the hap PT ~ PEI fg- S~Ge rs, s ND
rGsection OF NE, property. and The prevention q
THIS committee is determined to suppress lawle.s-
When the town authorities began to run sus-
oeEed up 10 reserved box cars carr fia IN iieu q Of ls e letter wsss
and IN doing this an incident occurred,
wenty five men were locked up In a refrigerator
ar and were nearly sufocaied. some had To
Q sent to the hospital. The presence OF he
oilitia, the killing Of a few men. and the how
I determination to preserve order suppressed
a time all ,outwarl evidences OF ontlawry.
M the camp has been to-day remarkably quiet,
some merchants who handled a large am0uni
{ cash U business hours, have Kept a Winches-
sr standlng By their desks ready for work.
the corner Of Bennett avenue and Third
rect stood a little hroncho pony harnes..d to
ick board. Leaning against the wheels v.ra
haired boards taken from smouldcrInv cans
nj upon these boards were annuuncements of
IT'S and MERCHANDISE for sale and business on
The proprietor Of this real eStnts
vas rushing about seeking bargains and
alike, while the patient little an1
ept the ofice. sleeping steadily, with an exn a..
"a most dlsconsolate and woebegOne,
one enterprisinR. merchant had A sien mn