The herald., 1898-05-09
THREE TIMES and OUT
LATER DETAILS OF THE BIG FIRE
AT RANDsBURo
The Losses Are Now Estimated at
$1OO,OO0-List of the Several
Losers

RANDSBURG, May 7.-"Three times
and out" came pretty near being the word
at this place Friday when the third and
most disastrous fire occurred. On De-
cember 23d several business houses were
burned, and on the night Of January 18th a
fire broke out in the thickly settled part of
town, which wiped out the principal busi-
ness houses. 1t was hoped that this would
be the last before the water system was
completed, which would give the town
ample protection.
On Friday afternoon at o'clock the fire
bell rang, and the population turned out
en- masse to fight the flames. There was a
light wind, but 1t was hoped the fire could
be controlled before it spread to the neigh
boring houses. The flames soon gained
such headway that 1t seemed as If the
whole town was doomed, and nearly
everyone began to move their belongings
to places of safety. Several times houses
in the path of the fire were blown up by
giant powder before a space sufficiently
wide was cleared to check the flames.
Whei( at last the danger was over 1t was
found that over eighty houses had gone
up in smoke, and at least one hundred
thousands dollars worth of damage had
been done. The heaviest loser was A. An
derson. He had just completed and moved
his goods into a large store, whose walls
were made of concrete and stone two feet
thick. He had not yet furnished 1t with
fire-proof roof and iron doors and shut
ters, and In consequence 1t was completely
gutted. The heaviest losers were: A..
Anderson, $4,000; Joseph Petrich, $10,000
w. H Hevrens, $1,000; Randsburg Lumber
company $4,000; N. N. Miller, s4O00 Pratt &
Pearson, $4,000; r. F. Hafford, $4,000; E. K.
Wood, $500; G. M. Bevan, $4,000; E. H.
Thomas, $4,000; John Tomicich, $4,000; J. G..
Endl, $25OO; E. G. Ord, $25OO; Clyde Kuffel,
$4,000; Mrs. James Roach, Fred Hinche,
George Clutter, E. M. Dineen, ]. w. Foren,
L. s. Varney, M. A. Lee, Griffin q Ber-
thold, Joseph Monaghan, D. T. Jones and
Fred Howland each lost in the neighbor-
hood Of $1,000. There are enough of small
losses ranging from a few dollars to sew
eral hundred to bring the damage well up
to $780, 900.
The fire was caused by the explosion of a
gasoline stove, and was due to careless
ness. There were several narrow escapes,
but only one serious accident. Miss Jo-
sephine Griffin was severely burned by a
tent falling on her. Yesterday morning
1t was reported that she was deadi but
later 1t was learned that she would prob
ably live, although her injuries were very
serious. Several miners working on the
night shifts were in bed asleep at the time
and they were awakened just in time TO
make their escape.
While the ashes were still hot. ground
was being cleared for the erection of new
buildings on many of the old sites. The
greater portion of the business houses will
be rebuilt at once, and many of the resi-
dences. 1t Is to be hoped that the latter
will scatter out little, both on account of
fire and the health Of the community.
One good thing will come out of the ca
lamity, and that is the health of the COM
munity will be much better through the
summer months. Already the odor about
some of the houses in the burnt district
had become almost unbearable, and IN
spite of the health officer, people would
dispose of their refuse close OF their doors.
Now that 1t has been purified by fire It
stands the citizens committee in hand to
deal sharply with future offenders of san
itary laws.