The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1896-04-30
THE LOSS is A MILLION
Y
FIRE ATE OUT THE HEART OF
CRIPPLE CREEK.
Frame buildings Went Down Like
Cards and Only Dynamite
stopped II.

Cripple Creek, April 25.-An angry corr
O'Clock today and million dollars worth
of property was destroyed in three hours.
The lamp hit the stove. igniting the oil
and setting fire 10 une furniture. In a
few minutes the building was in flames.
This was Coughs dance hail. on Meyers
avenue, near Third street. In a very
short time the adjoining buildings had
caught, despite the efforts of the fire de-
partment.
The fire quickly spread to the adjoining
frame buildings and then jumped across
Meyers avenue. Half a dozen buildings
were soon in the embrace of the flames.
The fire then attacked the rear of the
buildings fronting Bennett avenue. rhe
postofiice burned. A high wind thwarsed
the efforts of the firemen to stop the
spread of the fire.
One million dollars is a conservative es-
innate of the damage done at this after
Moons fire, though some estimates are as
high as two million. The amount of in
surance will not exceed S250,00
When the fire broke out in Careys sec
ond-hand store the danger of "a big CON
Migration was not perceptible, and it
was thought that the iiremen would have
the flames under control in a few min
utes. But in n short time the fire had
spread to the adjoining buildings and a
brisk wind sprang up. Then it was con
ceded by all that at least a 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 to 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 sew
eral doors on either side the danger tc
the city was observed, but no one couo
realize how great the damage would be
The heat became so intense that build
ings on the north side of Meyers street
took fire. Then it was that the occli-
pants of the stores and offices saw the
true danger and began to make prepara-
tions 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 postoffce had caught 1t became evi-
dent that the only way to stop the prog
ress of the fire was to blow up buildings
supervision of tine fremen and a number
of buildings had to be sacrificed before
the fire had reached them.
An accident occurred which lost fire
man his leg. He was placing a big charge
under the Sisters hospital when it ex-
ploded blowing his leg off
The fire started about 1 o'clock and by
p. m. it had demolished the blocks be-
tween Third and Fifth on Meyers, be-
tween Third and Fifth on Bennett, stop
ping just this side of the new Midland de-
pot and warehouse, between Third and
Fifth on Carr, with the exception of a
few buildings on the Third street side
Nearly all the buildings between Third
and Fifth on Eaton were destroyed Many
| people lost everything they had.
The people not affected have offered
| shelter to the homeless, of which there
| are several hundred.
The first National bank was doing bust
| ness in another part of town while theiI
| building was burning. The burnt district
| is to be rebuilt at once with brick ans
| stone
All the theaters. dance houses and
| sporting places were burned. Among the
| buildings destroyed are the postonice
| First National bank, Johnson dry goodi
house and Farley Bros furniture store