The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-27
Cripple Creek Buildings Go Up at
Rapid Rate.
A DANCE HALL FIRST
SECOND BUILDING ERECTED WAS
A SALOON.
Lodging Houses Are Also in Great
Demand, and Several Are Being
Put Up-ReIief Committee Looks
After the Destitute and 1t Does
Not Ask ANY Questions Save,
"Are You in Need"

CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo, April 30
Already the work Of rebuilding the
burned district has begun, and tonight
by the light of the full moon nails are
being driven in many houses.
At meeting of the city council last
night resolutions was passed allowing
the erection of temporary buildings
within the fire limits with the pro-
vision that all must be removed within
sixty days to give place to buildings of
stone and brick. This morning as soon
as the debris had cooled sufficiently
the work of clearing was commenced
and before nightfall fully twenty-five
buildings were under way and quite
number were occupied. The first to
open it's doors for business was dance
hall, and the second a saloon, but other
branches of business were soon repre-
scented. With 5000 people rendered
homeless in a day, of course. lodging
houses are in greatest demand, and
many of these are rapidly progressing.
Fortunately, the weather is remark
ably fine, so that sleeping in the open
air does not entail suffering, and few
have been compelled to do this.
The best of order prevails. Hundreds
of special policemen are on duty guard
ing the thousands of dollars worth of
property from stores and private
houses from the raids of pilferers.
One of the first steps taken this
morning by the business men of the
place was the organization of a relief
committee 70 look after the destitute.
At an early hour kilograms began
coming to the mayor from cities and
towns in the state, offering financial
add These were turned over to the
committee, who replied with thanks,
but declining the kindly offers. Grip
pie Creek will take care of her own.
Ut is not believed that this will be
difficult for there is today work for
every man able to WELD a shovel or
hammer.
Mayor Steele prepared the following
proclamation for the Associated Press
this afternoon:
ITO the General Public:
Committees have been appointed
composed of our most energetic bust
ness men in Cripple Creek, and reso-
buttons have been adopted whereby the
entire burned district of eight blocks
will be rebuilt as fast as money and
labor can do So. We believe we can
take care of our homeless people with
out outside assistance. Everything is
quiet and the citizens are seeing that
order prevails. HUGH r. STEELE,
Mayor"
Today the work of opening safes and
vaults began and in most cases the con-
tents were found to be intact. The steel
lined vault of the postoffice had to be
blown open with dynamite but the
VALUABLE GOVERNMENT PROP
ERTY
was safe. vast amount of mail mat
ter estimated at from 5000 to $1,000
pieces was all destroyed as well as all
the furniture of the office. No estimate
can be put upon the value of the mail.
In six days more Cripple Creek would
have had a new postof1ce, the hnest IN
America for a town OF its size, but this
too was devoured by the flames and the
question of handling the tons OF mail
matter that come here, which has been
such a constant perplexity since the
office was established now presents itself
in a new and more formidable shape.
None of the losses are as large as
would appear from the burning of so
large an area in more substantially built
cities, but the losers are numbered by
hundreds, so that the aggregate Will not
fall short of 100000.
THE LOSERS.
Among the heavier losses are: Straus
Clothing company, $4,000; Boynton Bros
clothing S2O0O0 Weyand Bros, clothing,
S15, coo: p L. Thorson & Co, SS5,no0;
Fairly Bros. & Lampman, furniture, $40
BOO; Topic theatre, $4,000; Sunday Her
aid, $1,000: ]. A. Connell, brick block,
sS,Ooo Morning Times, 5000 , Boston
ST., 5000; Watts Mercantile company,
grocers. $21, goo; Congregational church.
S. 600; John Nolan, building, $4,000; John
Conlan, Chicago, building, $4,000
Insurance was light, in many cases
there being none on account of the high
rate charged, the greater number OF
buildings being of wood.