Rocky Ford enterprise., 1896-04-30
ONE MILLION LOSS.
CRIPPLE CREEKS GREAT FIRE
Eight Blocks In the Heart of tho City
Destroyed. - Hundred, of Families
Made Homelcss.-Fortunately no Lives
Were Lost.


fcred heavy loss yesterday by fire, the
greatest that the camp has ever known,
whereby six blocks In the central part Of
the city were swept clean. The property
loss amounts to $1,000,OOO. about one
fourth of which Is insured. while 1000
people are made homeless. The following
account is given by special dispatch to
the Republican of this city:
At l O'Clock yesterday afternoon an
alarm of fire sounded from the Central
thcatcr and dance hall at the southeast
corner of Myers avenue and Third street.
Before the hose companies could respond
the entire dance hall was enveloped In
1t the fire had spread to the Union dance
hall adjoining, and was taking hold Of
Casey's secondhand store.
y gentle breeze was blowing from the
southwest The woman and her lover had
knocked over the gasoline stove used by
Jones, the lunch counter man, in the rear
OF the dance hall. The gallon OF gasoline
In the stove spilled over the floor and gave
the flames an impetus that spread them
rapidly over the dry frame buildings Of
"tendei loin" district of Cripple Greek.
Within ten minutes from the time the
alarm sounded two streams were playing
from the gravity water works system Of
the town. But almost from the first 1t
was apparent that the fire would do much
damage before It could be controlled The
Argyle block, on the corner Of Myers and
Third. was protected by an lronclad wall.
II was thought 1t could be saved. To the
west was n row Of light frame shantics
occupied as saloons. dance halls and
houses of prostitution.
For these there was small hope. but
strong fight was made to prevent the
flames spreading to the west. across Third
and to the north. across Myers.
Within thirty minutes, in spite OF many
streams now bearing on the flames from
the immense water pressure. the front Of
the Topic theater. across the street from
the origin of the fire. broke out In flames
and made 1t apparent that It would be i'm
possible TO save anything In the line of
the wind
From the Topic. long. hollow frame
building. the spread TO the northeast,
across the alley in the solid row OF bust
ness houses lining the south side of Ben
nett avenue was almost as n flash. and
from that time on, for two hours from
the time the gasoline stove was over
turned. the solidly built business section
bounded on the south by the alley be-
tween Warren and Myers, and on the
north by that between Bennett and Carr.
with Third street for line OF partial
safety on the west, and the eastern line
on Fifth street. six large city blocks OF
buildings was a mass of flames. From
these boundaries of main destruction the
fire climbed Capitol hill on the south and
burned TO the Gold Hill road. To the
north 1t crossed Carr avenue with its lines
OF residences and churches and burned It.
school building on the north side of Eaton
avenue. BY hard work the firemen were
able TO prevent the fire crossing Third
street at any point and the four blocks of
business houses lying to the west of the
line were saved.
In the sweep OF the fire were many of
the important institutions of the city.
The postotiice with 25.OOO undelivered let
tcrs. the First National bank the Jail and
town hall. the Gold Mining Stock EN-
change and hundred stores. saloons and
offices and 800 dwellings Of all classes
We're wiped out of existence. with 90 per
cent of their aggregated contents. In less
than three hours time.
Along Myers avenue for two blocks Is
the "tcnderloin" portion Of the city. Not n
house remains standing. Bennett avenue
Is the business portion and was lined by
many substantial brick blocks sandwiched
in between onc-story frame structures re-
naming from the early boom days. All
went alike.
ing and ruoming houses and two
churches. the Congregational and Epis.
copal. and but three houses remain along
the fire sweI portion.
The three volunteoe hose companies
of Cripple Creek. aided by two from
Victor. fought rs hard as men could to
check the spread of the fire.
Fully twenty buildings were blown up
by giant powder and every available
Joint of hose was kept in action, but
had the men worked thrice as hard with
five time the equipments the efforts
would have been equally futile. The
fire burned until 1t burned itself out
and there was nothing more in reach to
burn.
Many merchants attempted to re-
move goods from buildings In advance
of the fire. but this was done to little
profit. In most cases the goods taken
ont had to he hauled through the streets
at Il mad rate. and dropped in all sorts
of places. The scene during the fire
was one that will never he forgotten by
the 10000 people who lined the boun-
,lnrics of 1t on hills and housctops,
povcrlcss TO aid in preventing the de-
s,ruction Wagons dartcd through the
crowds. women. men and children We're
running away from the reach of flames
with such of their household goods or
wearing apparel MS they dared burden
themselves with, all contributing to the
scene of despair.
Fortunately there were few serious ac-
clcdnts. The most dcplorablc was that
sustained by one Of the most energetic