Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1898-06-24
PARK CITY LIES IN ASHES.
Great Camp Almost Wiped Out Of
Existence.
The Monetary Loss WIN Foot Up over
Half a Million Dollars, while the
Insurance was Little
over 100000.

proud and prosperous mining town o
Park City is desolate and in ruins
Seventy business buildings and q
hundred or more happy, coy homes
have gone up in smoke, despite the
desperate fight that was made TO con-
troll the fire demon. More than humid
red families, fully 500 souls, are home
less, penniless and dependant upon
charity for life's necessities, and with
out hope for the future. The money
loss Is appalling. IL will range up
wardc OF 5000. 600, whereas, in more
prosperous times the same property
was worth double that figure The in
surance Is insigni6cally small. The
aggregate Is but little more than $780,
600 Recently, as tire insurance risks
have been expiring, the companies
have declined 10 renew, saying that IL
was the intention TO retire from the
Park City field. All of the agencies
have continued 10 write risks, but at
sitter rates and on basis of shrinking
values.
When at AGO Sunday morning the
shrill whistle of the Marsac mill
sounded fourth the dread fire alarm,
everyone felt that the doom of Park
City was sealed. The fire started In
the Freeman house, large fran build
Ing, which was surrounded by smaller
buildings on all sides. stiff
breeae was blowing from up the can
yon, and soon the most sanguine of
the fire fighters could see that no hui
man hands could stop the prog ress Of
the flames
Down the east side Of Main street
the fire bore swiftly and furiously, la
king Judge, Iyers q Keith's livery sta
BILE, the Park Opera house and Shields
Bros. store. Every one hoped and be-
heyed that the towering brick walls of
the magnificent new Grand Opera
House would stay the progress of the
flames, but 1t was forlorn hope. Be
fore the terrorized people knew 1t the
fire had consumed the opera house and |
was rushing madly on down the street |
famed by the breeze that was now |
brisk gale The wind was not con
tent with keeping its course, but veer-
cd both ways, carrying sheets of flame
backward and 10 the West side of
Main street and eastward 10 China
town and the scores of fine cottages on
Rossie hill.
II one side OF Main street was not
burning more furiously than the other
10 was because the wind was moment
arily wreaking it's vengeance on the
east, only 10 return TO the west with
fury for It's apology for apparent neg
lect. The big Ascheim store building,
the Methodist, Congregational, Episco-
pal and Mormon church ediflces. the
Conner house, the Park Record Office,
the postoilice tbs First National bank
and the adjacent fire-proof
structures, the City hall, park City ho-
tel stores, saloons, butcher shops. of
ices, restaurants, residences-all went
up in the seeming twinkling of an eye, ]
70 short was the time Again and
again buildings were blown up by
yiant powder 10 create IA gap over
which the fire would not leap, but to !
10 avail. I
At last the wind had snent its force.
There was little left to burn. When 1t I
vas all over there were the blackened, /
moking, ruins, extending from the |
)udler building and the old Hirsch-
nan store, on both sides OF Main street,
o Kimbell Brothers livery barn and 1
he Union Pacific depot On the east
rom and including the Crescent con-
cntrator and Office mp TO and includ- (
AZ Chinatown and back to Rossie hill, n
othing remains but the Marsac mill, !
efning shops and office, the latter a
rame building fronting on Main street. c
lose TO II, but removed from other ex- e
osure, Is the frame office building Of b
}. 9. Mclaughlin. West OF Main street, !
rom the Crescent trRmway 70 within 4
couple OF hundred feet from the a
atholic church and extending back e
Park avenue, DOT a single building :
smuins- On the west side OF Park av-
nue, from the cross street extending
own alongside the old Hirschman
.ore building ard running northward !.
assed the Methodist church down to !,
nd including the splendid home Of a
red W. Hayt, there is now nothing q
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