El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-06-20
ALBUQUERQUE'S FIRE.
Over 100000 Loss in Yesterdays
CONFIRMATION.

Over 100000 Loss in Yesterdays
Conf1agration.
We condeuse the following from an
account in this Mornings Albuquerque
Democrat:
Albuquerque was the scene yester-
day of the largest fire of it's history,
and the monetary loss sincurred has
probably never been equaled by anoth-
err fire in New Mexico. except in the
case of the burning of the capital
at Santa Fee. The Grant opera
t sosss con esa1g gn,ss eeGaut
offices and one of the largest whole
sale and retail dry goods stores in the
southw west, that of Ilfeld Bros, is now
but little more than pile of shoulder
ing ruins. The value of building and
it's contents was considerably over
5000, 900, and the total amount OF In
surance carried was S127, 900. The en-
tire amount of salvage can not pos
sibly exceed $25, 600.
The alarm was first given at 9:1O 8.
m. Felipe Gutierrez, who acts as cook
for J. G. Albright, in the building on
Third street, just across the alley
north of the Grant building. was the
first to notice smoke issuing from the
windows in the rear of the opera
house just back of the stage. He gave
the alarm, and little Mexican boy,
new alarm system, made
run for the old bell and rang it
vigorously. Fire Chief Ruppe then
discovered the location from the blaze
and turned in an alarm from box NO.4.
on the corner of Second street and
Railroad avenue. AS IsOon as it was
found how serious the fire really was
the alarm was twice repeated. Every
fire company in the city responded
promptly and worked faithfully, but
the building was fated.
The chief and other firemen who
were early on the scene expressed the
opinion that the flames bad first start
ed under the stage and that they had
been smouldering for some little time
before they were discovered. All at
tempts to state exactly how the fire
was started were the merest CUES
work, as there was no evidence OF
any kind, and the fire was under good
Roadway when first discovered by peo-
pie outside of the building.
For some little time after the fire.
men got to work no flames appeared,
but thick clouds of smoke poured out
around the cornice on every side,
showing that the fire had worked in
between the ceiling and the roof. The
firemen worked bravely and soon had
seven streams going. For a long time
it was hoped that the flames might be
stopped before they worked down to
the store rooms below. but the hope
was futile, and by noon practically
everything was gone.
It VAS 5 O'Clock before the firemen
took off their last stream and called
the fire out. Portions of the brick
wall on the east side of the building
were considered dangerous and were
pulled down. The building, or what is
left of it, was left last night in charge
of the marshal aud four men, and two
lines of hose were left attached to the
hydrants in case the fire should again
break out.
Those who suffered losses by the
burning of the building were A. A.
Grant, the owner of the structure: IL
field Brothers, dry goods merchants:
Collier Marion, attorneys; E. "
Chaves, attorney: Donaciano Chaves.
and insurance; j. M. Moore, real estate
and Insurance. j. A. Henry. ply
stefan, and D. j.. Abel, Eugene KEN
penich, and C.. May, who roomed in
the building. Besides the regular &C.
cupants of the building G. L. Brooks.
the live stock agent, lost q number of
valuable papers and records, Which
A. Pinckey lost an abstract book of the
mining claims of the Cochiti distric.
which it will take a great deal of time
and labor to replace.
Taking into consideration the
amount of insurance. A. A. Grant, the
owner of the building. was the heaviest
loser. The building is practically en-
tirely destroyed, a great portion of the
walls now standing being worse than
useless. The building and improve
ments represented an original outlay
of over s65, 900 and the value just be-
fore the fire is roughly estimated by
Mr.. McRae at $4,000. The
total amount of Insurance
carried on the building was $2l 500.
Ilfeld Brothers valued their stock at
about Sl35, 900 and the fixtures at some
thing over $4,000 They carried $780,
900 insurance GU their stock and but
50, 900 on the fixtures. Ilfeid Brothers
had cancelled since the LIST OF June S1S :
600 of additional policies which they
had been carrying upon their stock.
No exact figuring can be done as to
Ilfeld Brothers. loss until the adjusters
go through the stock, but it is certain
nat only a small portion of their goods
escaped total destruction.
For the Fourth of July Fund.
The Mother Hubbard ball teams,
which are to play next Sunday. had a