Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1898-06-23
PARK CITY LIES IN ASHES.
Great Camp AlmOSt Wiped Out Of
Existence.
The Monetary Loss VIII Foot Up Over
Half ID Million Dollars, while the
Insurance Little
Over 100000.

Park City, Utah June 2o.-The once
proud and prosperous mining town of
Park City is desolate and in ruins.
Seventy-five business buildings and a
hundred or more happy, cozy homes
have gone up in smoke, despite the
desperate fight that was made to con-
troll the fire demon. More than hund-
red families, fully 500 souls, are home
less, penniless and dependant upon
charity for ife's necessities, and with
out hope for the future The money
loss is appalling. 1t viii range up
warde of 5000, 900, whereas, in more
prosperous times the same property
was worth double that figure. The in
surance is insignifically small. The
aggregate is but little more than $780,,
600. Recently, as fire insurance risks
have been expiring, the companies
have declined to renew, saying that 1t
was the intention to retire from the
Park City field. All of the agencies
have continued to write risks, but at
sitter rates and on basis of shrinking
values
When at APO Sunday morning the
shriIl whistle of the Mnrsac mill
sounded fourth the dread fire alarm,
everyone felt that the doom of Park
City was sealed. The fire started in
the Freeman house, a large fran build
ing, which was surrounded by smaller
ha1t1 n .ne
breeze 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 progress Of
the flames.
Down the east side of Main street
the fire bore swiftly and furiously, ta-
king Judge, Ivers & Keith's livery sta
BILE, the Park Opera house and Shields
Bros. store. Every one hoped and be-
Heved that the towering brick walls of
the magnificent new Grand Opera
House would stay the progress of the
flames, but it was forlorn hope. Be-
"a fore the terrorized people knew it the
tire had consumed the opera house and
famed by the breeze that was now a
brisk gale. The wind was not con
tent with keeping it's course, but veer-
ed both ways, carrying sheets of flame
backward and to the West side of
Main street and eastward to China
. town and the scores of fine cottages on
Rossie hill.
If one side of Main street was not
burning more furiously than the other
S IL was because the wind was moment
arily wreaking its vengeance on the
east, only to return to the west with
fury for its apology for apparent neg.
lect. The big Ascheim store building,
the Methodist, Gongreg Episco-
pal and Mormon church edifices. the
Connor house, the Park Record office
the postotfce, this First National bank
building and the adjacent fre-prooi
strnctures, the City hall park City no.
tel stores, saloons, butcher shops, OF.
mcess restaurants, residences-all went
up In the seeming twinkling of an eve
80 short was the time. Again and
again buildings were blown up by
giant powder to create a gap over
which the fire would not leap, but te
no avail
At last the wind had spent its force
There was little left to burn When II
was ali over there were the blackened
smoking, ruins, extending from the
Dndler building and the old Hirsch
man store, on both sides of Main street
10 kimball Brothers livery barn ane
the Union Pacific depot. On the easi
from and including the Crescent con
centrator and office up to and includ
lag Chinatown and back to Rossie hill
! nothing remains but the Marsae mill
refining shops and office, the latter {
frame building fronting on Main street
Close to it, but removed from other ex
posnre, is tire frame office building o
d. G. Mclaughlin. West of Main street
from the Crescent tramway to within
couple of hundred feet from til,
catholic church and extending bacl
to Park avenue, not a single building
remains. On. the west side of Park ay
enue, from the cross street extendin.
down alongside the old Hirsehmar
store building and running northwarC
passed the Methodist church down I,
and including the splendid home o
Fred w Hayt, there is now nothin,
but blank, black space,
The fire stopped at the residence o
David Keith, but from that point dow
northWard To the Crescent tramway
On the West.side of Park avenue, th
houses. .are seorched and discolore,
from the heat At least half the house
STATE RENDEZVOUS.