The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-22
TWO MILLION DOLLARS.
The Town Of Victor, Colo, Almost Wiped
Out BY Fire.
FLAMES TANNED BY a STRONG GALE
business Portion Nearly Total Loss,
While the Residence district
snncrcd Heavily.

Cripple Creek. Colo, August ci.--Fire
has utterly destroyed the business por-
ton OF the city of Victor. causing loss
estimated at $4,000. 600.
Beginning shortly after noon the nre
RACED until evening, consuming everything
In its way, 1t had its origin, it is thought,
in the Merchants cafe. adjoining the Bank
OF Victor. on the corner OF Third street
and Victor avenue, A strong wind from
the south famed tho flames, and in a
few minutes many frame houses were afrc,
The frc department was summoned from
Cripple Creek, but the houses being OF
pine for the most part, burned like paper
Efforts were made to stop the progress
of the flames by blowing up buildings in
their path by means OF dynamite, and all
afternoon the hills have reared with ex
plosions. but the effort was in vain. The
fire claimed the Bank OF Victor. the post
office on the corner crossed Third street
and followed row of buildings between
Third and Fourth, taking in the Western
Union telegraph office and the office of
the Colorado Telephone company, the VIC
tor banking house and the three great
shaft houses of the Gold Coin Mining com
pany and its ore bins. among the largest
in the Cripple Creek district From here
the flames swept northward by the half
hurricane. which was blowing, and did not
stop until they had destroyed the Flor
ence and Cripple Creep depot and the fine
new depot of the Midland Terminal road
at the head of Fourth street, All the
buildings between these are total losses.
with practically all their contents.
The scenes OF the great Cripple Greek
fire were duplicated. Hurrying before the
flames went men. women and children, car
rying whatever they could snatch from
the iiames, racing for their lives The
crash OF buildings torn asunder by dyna-
mite and the crackle of the flames as they
consumed the dry buildings, fastened their
fight aud the pall of smoke added terror
TO the spectacle. A -pecal tram was
placed at the command of the city ny the
Florence and Cripple Creek railroad ard
three companies Of Are men Wit. sppart-
tus were rushed to the scene. They
worked all afternoon in o vain endeavor TO
stay the flames. The residence portion OF
the city did not suffer so much as the bust
ness portion, which is practically wiped
out The loss is about 81, 900 600. The Aa,t
house was built in Victor y, October, 1898.
In July of the following year the city was
incorporated and six years later II con-
tanned 10000 people. That Is about the
population now
The heavist losers are; Gold Coin mine,
consisting of shaft. ore house and machin-
cry, 100000; the Woods Investment COM
pany. 100000 j. b. Cunningham. S75. 900;
Morel Hardware company, $4,000; Flor
encc and Cripple Creek railroad. $25,O00
Tompkins Hardware company, $2b, 600. A.
b. Bumpstead, $40, 900; Mayor Robert Don
nelly $4,000; Ampler Clothing company,
$780, 900; George T.. Simonton, drugs, Sl2,-
600: George Berckhnger. $4,000: ]. j.
Trenchard, $4,000. William Sexton, $lo,-
600; Victor Banking company, $4,000, Bank
of Victor $4,000; Daily Record, $500; Eve
ming Times, $4,000; Colorado Trading and
Transfer company. 100000 Victor Supply
company $4,000: Gardner Mercantile
company. s25, 600; Midland Terminal rail
road. $1,000; Jim Doucey, $4,000; Mr..
Thomas Reynold 100000; Stebbins COM
pany, $4,000; Shilling Dry Goods COM
pany 900