The record-union., 1898-06-20
Fire Wipes Out the Entire Business
Portion Of the Town.
Started by the Explosion Of a Gasoline
Steve in a Restaurant.
Three Blocks of Closely Connected
Buildings Destroyed, Resulting
in a Loss of Over E;ghty-six
Thousand Dollars, With Insur-
ance of Less Than Half That
Amount.

TRACY (Cal), June 19.-The entire
business portion of this place, which
consisted of three blocks of loosely con-
nected buildings, was destroyed by fire
to-day. The loss is over $4,000, and
the Insurance Is less than half that
amount.
The confiagration was started just be-
fore noon by the explosion Of a gasoline
stove in a restaurant recently started
by Mrs. Mary Mann. in a frame build
ing adjoining the Postoffice and the
wind, which was blowing a heavy gale
from the northwest, drove the flames
toward the business portion of the
town.
So fierce was the blaze that two
Southern Pacific engines which were
put to work on the fire made no percep-
tible headway.
The town is entirely without fire.
fighting facilities. but the citizens
turned out en- masse and fought the
flames as best they could.
The first two blocks which were
burned from the main street were in a
sort of half-circle, the third block be-
ing built on a different line.
After devouring the buildings where
it started, the fire destroyed the Com
mercial Hotel, Maroon's saloon, G..
Buschke's building. occupied as gen.
eral merchandise store. the Arlington
Hotel and Fabian 4 Co. s general mer-
chandise store, in the order named.
The flames then jumped across the
street leveling the Tracy Hotel, the
San Joaquin Hotel, Buddworth's mer-
chandise store, Ludwig'S saloon and
residence, the new Odd Fellows brick
building, Canale Bros store, two un-
occupied buildings and the residence OF
Mrs. Byrnes.
Again the flames leaped over street
and destroyed the residence of Mrs.
Gaffery, bakery, the residences of c.
.. Hill, e. Gieseke, John Hess and the
livery stable of the last named The
horses We're saved. before the fire
reached the stable.
Eight windmills and tankhouses in
the three blocks We're also consumed.
While lighting the fire Charles Rosine
was compelled to jump from the second
story of the Odd Fellows building. and
both of his legs We're broken.
The residence portion of the town,
which is north of the burned district.
escaped destruction, owing to the direc-
tion of the wind
The losses and insurance as closely as
they can be estimated tonight are as
follows: Simpson & Gray $500, insur-
ance not known; Mrs. Fairchild $1,000.
insurance $1,000; Mrs. Kohler $500, in
surance $500; D. Silverstein $4,000. in
surance $1,000; Commercial Hotel So
QUO, insured; o. J. Holland S70O insur-
ance $500; P. Holm $1,000, insurance
5000; G. A. Douglass 50, 500, insurance
$1,000; Mrs. j. Cox $500, no Insurance.:
G. A d. Buschke $1,000, no insurance;
P. Fabian $4,000, insurance $4,000;
Chris Ludwig $4,000, insurance 5000;
George Buddsworth $1,000. insurance
S45O; Henry Ludwig $1,000, insurance
5000; Odd Fellows Hall $4,000, insur-
ance $1,000; @. O. Wilson $1,000, insur-
ance $1,000; H. S. Toteran 800. no in
surance; G. Canale $4,000. insurance
So,UOO; Mrs. NJ. ]. Byrnes $1,000, in
sured; Ernest Gieseke $4,000, insurance
81, 700; j. Hess $1,000, insurance 81. 300:
- Landsdorf $500, insured: C. Han
sen 5000. no insurance; Mrs Mann 5000
no insurance; G. O. Hill 81, 500, insur-
ance 81 200
Although much personal property was
saved, many valuable articles which
had been removed to the street were
ruined by fire and water