The herald., 1898-06-20
as 1t will be necessary in order to get 1t up
to displace other measures on the calendar.
TOWN OF TRACY BURNS
Disastrous Confagration Involving
the Entire Business Portion

TRACY, June 19-The entire business
portion of this place, which consisted OF
three blocks of closely connected build
ings, was destroyed by fire today. The
loss is over $S6, 900, 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 restaurant recently started by
Mrs. Mary Mann, in a frame building ad-
joining 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 perceptible 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
faced the main street in a sort of half circle,
the third block being built on a different
line. After devouring the buildings
where it started, the fire destroyed the
Commercial hotel, Maroon's saloon, q.
Buschke's building, occupied as a general
merchandise store; the Arlington hotel,
and Fabian & Co.'S. general merchandise
store in the order named.
The flames then jumped across the
street, leveling the Tracy hotel, the San
Joaquin hotel, Buddworth's merchandise
store, Ludwig's saloon and residence. the
new Odd Fellows brick building, Canale
Bros. store, two unoccupied buildings
and the residence of Mrs. Byrnes.
Again the flames leaped over street and
destroyed the residence of Mrs. Gaffery, a
bakery, the residences of c. o. Hill, John
Hess, E. Gieseke and the livery stable If
the last named. The horses were saved
before the fire reached the stable. Eight
windmills and tank houses in the three
blocks were also destroyed.
While fighting the fire, Charles Rosine
was compelled to jump from the second
story of the Odd Fellows building. and
both of his legs were broken.
The residence portion of the town, which
is north of the burned district, escaped
destruction, owing to the direction of the
wind.
The losses and insurance, as closely as
they can be estimated tonight, are as fol-
lows:
Simpson & Gray. $500, insurance not
known; Mrs. Fairchild. $4,000; insurance
Silvers. $4,000, insurance $1,000; Commercial
hotel, $4,000, fully insured; o. ]. Holland,
500. insurance $500; P. Holm, $1,000, insur-
ance $500; c. A. Douglass, $500, insurance
800: Mrs. j. Cox, $500, no insurance; G. A.
D. Buschke $4,000, no insurance; P. Fabian,
$40, 900, insurance 10000; Chris Ludwig, $40,
900, insurance $1,000; George Buddsworth,
$1,000, insurance $3.50; Henry Ludwig, $500,
insurance $500; G. o. Wilson, $4,000; insur-
ance $1,000; Odd Fellows hall, $4,000, in
surance $500; Fl. Stoteran, 800, no insur-
ance; c. Canale, $4,000, insurance, $4,000;
Mrs. M. J. Byrnes, $4,000, insured; Ernest
Gieseke, $S0O0 insurance s170O; J. Hess.
$4,000, insurance $500; Landsoff, $500. in
sured; c. Hansen. $500, no insurance; Mrs.
Mann, 5000; no insurance; c. o. Hill, s2S00,
insurance $1,000.
Although much personal property was
saved, many valuable articles which had
been removed to the streets were ruined
by fire and water.