Arizona republican., 1896-04-10
Entire Block Wiped Out of Existence.
 
The Loss Aggregates Several.
 Thousands.
Fire Originated in a Vacant Room of ehe Arlington Hotel
 Building.

ICmpo ytSuoINdy asu tUo uCS5L ut- structive cOnfagration in the history of the town, even srrpassing the great hotel fire of two years ago.
 r About 1 o'clock smoke was seen is- suing from the roof of the Arlington hotel which fronts on the Salt River Valley railroad track. An alarm was immediately given and soon the entire population of the city was at the scene of the blaze. The first to arrive as- sisted in removing the furniture from the hotel. Very little was saved, how ever, as the flames spread with great rapidity famed by high wind frDm the west. The hotel was a two story frame structure seasoned by many summer suns, and burned Nike so much paper. Seeing that it would be- use less to try and save the hotel, all hands directed attention to the Cottage sa- loon on the west of the hotel which they succeeded in saving. as the wind was in their favor. r,
 On the east of the hotel WGs long one story adobe building which was 1 used as the hotel restaurant. To this building the flames spread with light ening rapidity and despite the heroic efforts of the bucket brigade, and the adobe walls, the building was soon
 consumed. The fire them took "a
 southern course to a saloon adjoining
 and soon had that place leyeled to the
 ground, but the furniture and fixtures
 were saved. Adjoining '5he saloon was
 8 two story adobe building which was occupied as an armory ny the military
 company on the ground foog and by the Good Templars, a-ld Woodmen { lodges on the upper floor. This build ing WAS the next place to De devoured i byJ the hungry flames, slt most Of the furniture was saved as was the arms and accoUtermenss of the military com- l pany. Next to this sisI;&s.ft1g stood a ] frame one story srt.T'sil ctt',lT'5 and this 1 building was torn down .!y the volun- i teer department and moved away be-
 fore the fire reached, il. The latter i place was occupied by Caleb Perron, a shoemaker, who saved his stock. On the south of the frame torn down is
 an aLeyway and on the other side is i brick and stone building formerly pc- i cupied by Root, the druggist, but nov i empty. The tearing town of the
 frame structure Is w..st saved the i flames from leaping across the alley
 and consuming the brick building.
 The spectators worked with a will, l but were handicapped ty not having water or fire apparatus, and all they
 could do was to proven. the flames
 from spreading. The ccnfagration
 only lasted about an il1uI.. put during i that time an entire business block
 was reduced to smourdeT:lg ruins.
 The heaviest fosea. was John T. Den
 his of this city who owned the Arling-
 ton hotel building and .Aree. of the
 largest adobe buildings Ee carried ] insurance on the ho.el hTIildingi fin | the London & Lancashire. company to l the amount of $1,0oe n41. the other
 buildings were a total loss. The hotel and restaurant was occucied by An drew Nelson. His furnit,1~a. was fully insured up to within a few weeks ago, then he allowed the policy rte lapse and
 it is not known just what his fnsur- ance amounts to. ' Y.
 The two. story building occupied by
 the Good Tenplars and military com
 pany was owned by NeilFs Peterson, l Geo. Nichols and A. J. Peters. There was no insurance on the b9mlding.
 The origin of the fire. seems to be a
 mystery, but the flames were first seen issuing from a, vacant room In the see-
 ond story of the hotel which gives it i the color of incendiarism. The ma
 joriay who witnessed the. fire are Of
 the opinion that it was the work of in
 cendiaries. A few seconds before the
 flames were discovered a man was
 seen to leave the building with va lise and an overcoat and walk hastily
 towards the railroad bridge crossing
 the river. The man was stranger
 and the popular belief is that he stole the valise and overcoat, then set fire i to the hotel so that during the con- 1 fusion he could make his escape.