The record-union., 1896-05-01
Seventeen Blocks Laid In Ruins by the
Con1agration on Wednesday.
The Cause Of the Fire Still a Matter of
Speculation.

the Devasted City Determined to
Rid the Place of All Tramps and
Crooks.
CRIPPLE CREEK (Col.), April 30
The cause of yesterdays fire is a matter
of speculation. A waitress in the Port
land Hotel was in the kitchen when the
blaze first broke through the partition
wall, and she states that the fire origi-
mated in the Chicago restaurant, ad-
joining the hotel.
But the fire burst out simultaneously
from SO many places as to still leave the
impression that arson was committed.
Coal Oil fumes were detected about the
schoolhouse to-day, and some women
created a sensation this afternoon by
telling of seeing two men trying to set
fire to residence near the reservoir.
One unknown man was killed yeSter-
day, one shot and a number Of suspects
were arrested during the night and
locked up in box cars in lieu of any bet
ter place to confine criminals.
The burned district Of yesterday COW
cred seventeen blocks. The Masonic
Temple building was but partially de-
stroyed, and there a mass meeting Of
citizens was held to-day to consider the
grave situation. Committees were
named to take charge of the relief work,
and headquarters were opened at the
Midland Terminal depot and the two
schoolhouses.
Men, women and children, cold,
hungry and worn out with their hard
nf hn ierht oIo -
depot when the relief from Denver and
Colorado Springs arrived at o'clock
this morning. Their wants were soon
satisfied, the tents were rapidly set up,
and by noon something like order pre-
vailed. What provisions were saved
from the fire commanded fancy prices,
beef selling at 81 pound and bread %
cents a loaf
The First National Bank opened be-
fore y o'clock In a warehouse, and
money was issued upon demand The
Bimetallic Bank will open tomorrow
morning.
In the burned district of Saturdays
FIRE the work Of erecting temporary
buildings was resumed, and the piles Of
salvage from yesterdays fire which had
been carried there were put in some
thing like order to-day.
Trains Of supplies of all kinds came in
late to-day, and more are announced.
The generous response of the entire
State is greatly appreciated, and while
there will be many cases of suffering
during the coming two or three days,
the people will soon be able to take care
of themselves
There is determination plainly
shown to rid the camp of undesirable
crooks and tramps. At noon fifty
hobos were lined up and drummed out
OF town. All arrested suspects were later
on sent to Colorado Springs A vigi-
lance committee has been formed. and
no mercy will be shown to violators of
good order This committee will work
quietly, and Will not give out anything
TO the public. The result Of this policy
mas been wholesome. and few COM
plants of thieving have been made.
1t is impossible to state tonight how
many were burned in the fire yesterday.
All kinds of rumors are afioat. and
many persons are missing. Some have
gone out of town. and some are off on
the hills with friends. At the impro-
vlsed morgue there are three dead
n.
miner, the unknown incendiary killed
oy Floyd Thompson, and an unidenti-
fed miner.
The revised list of the injured is as
follows: John Rose, broken leg; Claude
stanton, badly bruised; E.W Lewis, cut
and bruised; Tom Sewall, leg injured
George L. Ryden, burned and bruised !:
}. w. Criger, head and face cut: e. E.
Bradway. face badly cut; E. K. Hinck-
ley, cut on head and legs; John Young
strum, slight cuts; Charles Ragodale.
Skull injured; Charles Mccain. sku1
fractured, face cut; T. w. Gerbeck.
head and neck badly cut; Larry Marc
ney, blown off ladder, seriously injured:
r. II. Smith, Superintendent of Water
Works, injury to head and face caused
by flying glass; Ed Osbey, fireman Dayy
Hose Company, badly injured; Lee Cor
coran, fireman Whitney Hose Company.
badly injured; w. S. Fisher, injured 4:
Grant Lewis, foreman fire company.
badly injured; Herb Winkler Davy
Hose Company, arm crushed; George
Laydon, Georgetown, hands broken
and lacerated, head injured; j. w.
Lynch, arm blown off; William Walker.
mining engineer, seriously injured:
John Evans, cut on face and head:
chris koffmer, fireman, seriously in
1ured. DR.. Crane broke his leg to-day
while assisting to lift an injured man
out of wagon.
A corps of twenty-five insurance ad-
1usters are trying to figure out their
losses. They roughly estimate the prop
erty loss at $1,250,OOO, not more than
70 per cent of which is covered by in
surance. The loss by the two fires will
reach S2,OOO,OO0. and the total insur-
ance loss about 100000
There will be little trouble experi-
enced by the officers Of the city in pre-
serving the best Of order tonight. The
people need only rest, food and shelter.
all OF which has been fairly we'll sup
piled tonight
RELIEF FOR THE SUFFERERS.
DENVER, April 3O-A second relief
train supplied with everything neces-
sary to the comfort Of the sufferers at
Cripple Greek left the Union Depot at A
O'Clock to-day. All the morning loads
OF contributions were dumped out upon
the depot platform, and many tele-
grams offering cash were sent to the
proper committee in the camp. The
clearinghouse made a cash contribu-
tion Of 81 600, and the fund was run up
to $4,000 before the night. Benefit
concerts have been planned, and local