The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-26

CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo, April 25.-
One million dollars is a conservative
estimate of the damage done by this
afternoons fire, though some estimates
are as high as two million. The amount
of insurance as nearly as can be ar
rived at will not exceed $250,OOo.
When the fire broke out in Carey's
secondhand store the danger of a big
confagration was not perceived and
It was thought that the firemen, who
were early on the scene, would have
the flames under control in a very
few minutes. But in a short time the
fire had spread to the adjoining build
ings and a brisk wind sprang up. Then
IT was conceded by all that at least
half dozen buildings near the corner
of Meyers and Third streets would go,
and the occupants began to move out.
But many had waited too long and
were unable 10 get to their goods.
Some
BARELY ESCAPED
with their lives, several women being
dangerously burned Every minute
added fury to the flames, and when the
fire had spread several doors on either
side the danger to the city was OBJ
served, but no one could realize how
great the damage would be. The heat
became so intense that buildings on
the north side of Meyers street took
fire. Then it was that the occupants
of stores and offices saw the true dam
ger and began to make preparations to
save their possessions. Every wagon
in town was pressed into service and
goods were hauled away.
NOT A TENTH PART
of the goods were saved BY the time
the postoffice had caught, it became
evident that the only way to stop the
progress of the fire was TO blow up
buildings with dynamite. This was
done, under the supervision OF the ire
men, and a number of buildings had
to be sacrificed before the fire had
reached them.
An accident occurred which cost
fireman his leg. He was placing big
charge under the Sisters hospital,
when it exploded, blowing his leg off.
THE FIRE STARTED
about / O'Clock. and by 4 it had de-
molished the blocks between Third and
Fifth on Meyers, between Third and
Fifth on Bennett, stopping just this
side of the new Midland depot and
warehouse, between Third and Fifth
on Carr, with the exception of few
buildings on the Third street side.
Nearly all the buildings between Third
and Fifth on Eaton were destroyed.
Many people lost everything they hao.
The people not affected have offered
shelter to the homeless, of which there
are several hundred.
The First National bank was doing
business in another part of town While
their building was burning. The
bul ned dlslr4c, is 10 be rebuilt at once
with brick and stone buildings.
The property on Myers avenue was oe-
cupied in the most part by demi-monde
and saloons. The two variety theatres,
Topic and Hollands, were there ana IN
Vulnerable dance halls
Several accidents of minor charac-
ter occurred, but none were fatal.
Grace Clifton was badly burned about
the face and hands. ]. Anderson, while
placing a charge of dynamite under the
Sisters hospital to blow 1t up, mad leg
torn off by
A PREMATURE EXPLOSION.
The postoffice on Bennett avenue is a to-
tai wreck. only the vault standing.
Twenty thousand letters and thousands
of packages were destroyed. The First
National banks vault is standing. Ali the
books and papers were saved ana me
bank opened for business while its
building was burning, in a room adJoin-
ing the Bimetallic bank The Episcopal
and Congregational churches were de-
stroved The city jail, in which were
confined about twenty prisoners, has
only the iron cages left. The prisoners
were released. The sisters hospital was
blown up after the patients had been
removed to the Pixies Peak hospital.
Navor Steele ordered all saloons closed,
which prevented lawleSsneSs. A report
was started that thieves were busy ana
hundred deputies were at once sworn ana
the militia was called out, but no depre-
dations were committed. Hundreds Of
people were made homeless but they
were all given shelter by the generous
people of the town.
THE FALLEN WOMEN
were made welcome in the best houses
in the city The burnt section is to be
built at once with brick and stone. The
total insurance will reach about $25O.OOO
The following is a partial list of the
heavier losses, the confusion making II
Impossible to give anything like full
list:
dry goods house SIG, 600; postoffice build
ing .. 900: Thoresen's dry goods, S25,00O;
weyna Bros, clothing store, $4,000; Can
dolfo fruit store, $1,000; Central theatre
dance hall, Sc 600; Holland theatre, Slo0OO;
colorado Liquor house. $4,000, Cripple
Creek Morning Times, $4,000; the Fam
iIv LIQUOR house. 200; Jardons bar,
s.. 200: John Volan's saloon, Sl5,OOO' Chau-
tauuua rooms. $4,000, Peerless saloon,
81 500: Boyanton Bros, $4,000; Levi
Strauss. S15,O0O Fairey Bros. furniture,
10000; Cross shoe store. 5000; Lawyer
Denny's office, $500; Mccoy block,
$4,000; Canton block, $4,000; First Ma
tional bank building. $4,000.
THE CAUSE OF 1T.
IT has been learned that the fire was
caused by an angry courtesan throwing a
1iohted lamp at her lover. The lamp hit
the stove. igniting the oil and setting
FIRE 10 the furniture. In a few minutes
the building was in flames This was
Coughs dance hall on Myers avenue near
Third In a very short time the adjoin-
ing buildings had caught, despite the
efforts of the fire department. 1t soon
became evident that the confiagration was
10 be big one, but no one thought it
would reach such an area.
GENTS NEGLIGfcE SHIRTS.
Unlaundried-in all qualfties-a fine
-cl,i,.t alacral Mt rietu Of