Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-10-06
BIG CONFEDERATION.
Colorado Springs, Co.., Has an Ex-
citing Time With a Fire. i
mlEE BLOCKS OF PROPERTY BURNED
4 Carload Of Black Blasting Powder Ex.
plodsd and the Town Was Threatened
-Outside Cities Appealed To for
Firemsu and Apparatus

Colorado Springs, COL, Oct "a fire
ct off q carload OF black blasting
powder here Saturday afternoon and
the explosion that followed set fire to
section of the town. Over s., 200, 900
worth Of property was destroyed and
the whole city was threatened. Dem
yer, Pueblo and Cripple Creek were
asked for aid and each of these cities
sent fremen and fire apparatus The
greatest excitement prevailed after
the fire began to gain Roadway and
soon the streets were crowded with
people fleeing for places Of safety.
Houses were stripped OF their furnl-
ture and the goods were loaded on
wagons and conveyed to streets far
away. With the aid furnished by the
outside fire departments the flames
were under control about seven o'clock,
but three blocks Of property had been
destroyed, including the handsome
Antlers hotel half dozen lumber
yards, two freight depots and numer.
ous shacks and shanties The estima-
ted insurance on the property is about
800, 900. A few people were slightly
burned, but no one was seriously hurt
The fire started shortly before three
o'clock at the foot OF Cucharas street,
probably from the sparks from an en-
gine. There was carload OF powder
Standing next to the platform OF the
depot Attached to the carload OF
powder was a carload Of dynamite.
The flames burst through the plat
form and spread SO rapidly that the
clerks had barely time to escape. The
alarm was quickly given and the car
load Of dynamite was removed to
place Of safety. A few moments later
the flames enveloped the powder car.
A dull explosion followed, the car flew
70 pieces and cans Of powder were
hurled through the air distance OF
9X blocks. Some Of them fell into the
lumber yard OF Crissy & Davis, N
blocks away, and set fire to the dry
timbers
A wind that was blowing at the rate
Of 40 miles an hour carried the flames
across Huerfano street TO the lumber
yards Of Sperry & Tuckerman and the
I'll Paso Lumber company and the
Newton Lumber company. These
yards adjoin each other and were soon
in . blaze. The Antlers hotel, behind
the Newton lumber yard, caught fire.
The employees endeavored to wet the
buildings with garden hose and with
pals OF water, but the flames burst
through the windows until the entire
rear was In q blaze. In the meantime
the guests hurried out through the
front entrances. Trunks and other
belongings we're dragged into the
street and there was the greatest con.
fusion.
by this time the local fire depart.
ment discovered that the pressure was
low and 1t could not cope with the fire,
70 the call for assistance was sent out.
Tho people In the buildings In the
neighborhood Of the fire moved out as
fast as they could. Truckmen charged
from $40 to ss5 for taking away load
Of goods. At dusk the town was in
darkness. The electric light wires
had been thrown down and people
were compelled to use candles for
light The wind died out at seven
o'clock and then the fremen made
good progress
The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific
and the Denver & Rio Grande freight
and the Gulf passenger depots were
burned. Among other buildings
burned were Seldomridge & lnger-
soils big flour and grain warehouses,
Hassell Talcott's foundry and machine
offices and yards, Tuckerman &
Sperry's paint and builders supply
house, dozen restaurants, 20 black
smith and carriage shops, six or eight
clothing stores a broom factory, sew
eral grocery stores and Is or 80 houses.
Between 1850 and 200 buildings hurnod