Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1896-12-24

adjacent ones we're consumed. This
building, two-story wooden struc-
ture, was discovered TO be aHre in the
portion occupied by the postofiice
about midnight and within a very
short time was reduced TO the level OF
the ground. To the east was a clean
to- occupied as gunsmlth shop and
In the rear two warehouses, all OF
which were burned, as we'll as loaded
car Of hay which stood on the track
adjoining. The postofiicc building
was the property Of Joseph Hunt, and
In the rear OF the west room he con-
Quoted an implement office and sales
room. In the front Of this room was
the candy factory, conducted by G. B.
MuropulUs. In the east room was the
pOstoflce, while the upper story was
tenanted by q. II. Lee as tailor shop
and dwelling; w. II. Tibbils, law Of
Gee; o. ID. Neville, law office; J. p.
Scott, insurance office; AL Coleman,
cigar factory. The entire contents Of
the postonice were saved, and most ev.
erything Of value In the candy factory
aud the gunshop. Beyond this the
loss was total, Mr.. and Mrs. Lee es-
Gaping only partly clad. Their loss
was Of course the greatest OF any,
proportiOnately, as they lost every
thing they had IN the world. o. ID.
Neville and w. II. Tlbbils each lost a
new hundred dollar typewriter and
several hundred dollars worth OF law
books each. The warerooms belonged
one TO Jos. Hunt, In which was stored
lot OF machinery and a quantity OF
grain belonging TO W. @. Chamberlln,
aud the other TO ID. Hill & Co., full OF
baled hay.
The origin Of the fire Is not clear but
seems to have come from the post
office. Mrs. Lee says that she was
awakened by smoke and got up,
lighted lamp and with her husband
made a careful survey Of their apart
ments. Reaching the back staircase
they saw the glare OF the fire through
the back window Of the postofilce.
Going back TO give the alarm they
found the fire coming through the
floor and were compelled to desert the
place at once-the lady in a calico
wrapper and Mr.. Lee without a coat.
Adjoining property was only saved
with the greatest difficulty and the
Henderson hotel and Hill's old store
building across the street to the west
show very plainly the temperature Il
which they were subjected as do the
plate glass windows In the Ratclif
Mercantile Co.'S. establishment across
the street, all but one OF which were
cracked. The wooden structures east
OF Ratclif's, including the Raymond
building, got pretty hot and 1t seemed
as though could not be saved until tn,
Hunt building fell.
FIRE NOTES.
The alarm was given short TIM
before midnight.
Mrs. Raymond feared they were I,
be again visited by fire.
The fire is generally ascribed to
bad flue in the postoffice.
-Four very large and several smalle
glass were broken in the Ratcliif front
all covered by insurance.
The engine from the NJ, X. & 4
midnight passenger was detached an,
pulled long string OF cars off the J
and out of danger.
DIR. Trott, Rolly Cook and Osca
Trott busted themselves In behalf O
Mr.. and Mrs. Lee aud succeeded Il
raising very good purse-s9O.
w. q. Chamberlin had several hun
dred bushels OF wheat In the Hun
warehouse, considerable Of which wa
saved, partially burned and smoked.
Prodting by past experience Nj
Hunt very promptly got posts an
wire around the fire, forestalling TN
railroad company II they had design
In that direction.
Good work was done at the pos
. ofiice, both as regards saving mail an
fixtures aud opening up for buslne:
next morning. The Office is now sitl
ated in the bookstore, in Raymon
building.
I, II. +. Thompson suggests that a
opportunity for Christmas charity an
liberality presents itself TO the peop
OF this town to open their hearts an
purses in behalf OF those who lost a
their stuff In Monday nights fire.
! Fred Kelley had a "streak OF luck
s in having billed out the car OF hi
Il which was burned, late Monday ev
v ming, thus leaving IL on the hands
0 the railroad company. The car wi
pushed up the track and burned at q
n switch just west Of the Wilson sire
e crossing.
n The close proximity OF the Water
e Pierce oil tanks and the fact that Il
Q woodwork around them was afr
J. made some OF the more stimld firem,
just little bit reluctant about wor
o ing on that side. Preston Davis "a
!, he did not believe he could save the
anyhow and gave up trying.
! The wisdom OF the insurance col
's panies In insisting on barrels Of wat
u being placed at convenient interval
u where they could be quickly rolled
e the place needed, was verified Mond
J. night. The same was the case at h
v last fire in the same vicinity; tn
time the postonice building was saw
e by this means.
s. The insurance, SO far as learned W
J. as follows. Joseph Hunt, on buIldlr
d. $1,000; machinery in wareroom, s2I