The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-22
VICTOR IN ASHES.
Business Portion Of the Colo
RADIO Mining City
Entirely Destroyed by Fire In
q Few Hours.
THE LOSS Is 100000.
Buildings Were Of Pine and
Burned Like Paper.
A Strong Wind Helped the
Flames Along.
THE LOSS Is 100000.

Cripple Creek, Col, g.22.-Fire has
utterly destroyed the business portion
of the city of Victor causing loss es-
timated at two million dollars. Begin
ming shortly after noon, the fire ragged
until evening, consuming everything in
it's 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 the fame
and in few minutes all the surround
ing houses We're afire.
Help was summoned from Cripple
Creek, but the town had been built in
the early days of the camp and was of
pine timber for the most part, and
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 roared with the explosions, but
the effort was in vain.
The fire claimed the Bank of Victor,
the postoffice on the corner opposite,
crossed Third street and followed the
row of blocks between Third and
Fourth streets to the north, taking the
Victor Banking company, the Western
Union Telegraph cOmpany'S Office and
the office of the Colorado Telephone
company the Hotel Victor on the op-
pOsite side of Fourth street and the
three great shaft houses of the Gold
Coin Mining company, and it's ore bins,
among the largest in the Cripple Creek
district.
From there the flames were swept
northward by the half hurricane which
was blowing, and never stopped until
they had taken the Florence and Grip
pie Creek depot and the line new depot
of the Midland Terminal road, at the
head of Fourth street. All the build
ings between these are a total loss, with
practically all their contents, for the
flames were SO rapid in their progress
that nothing could be saved.
The scenes of the great Cripple Creek
confagration were duplicated Hurry
ing before the roaring flames went
men, women and children carrying
what they could snatch from the flames
racing for their lives.
The crash of buildings as they were
rent asunder by dynamite and the
crackle of flames as they consumed the
dry buildings FASTENED their flight AMI
the pail of smoke added a terror to the
spectacle.
A special train was placed at the
command Of this city by the Florence
& Cripple Greek railway and three
companies of firemen, with apparatus
were rushed to the scene. They work
ed all afternoon in a vain endeavor to
stay the march of the flames.
The residence portion of the city has
suffered comparatively little, but the
business portion is paralyzed and SUI
fering is bound to follow. The burned
area may be roughly designated as the
space between the head of Fourth
street ana N1CLOE avenue GALG14Q1AAS
from the Gold Coin mine buildings on
the west to a point near Second street
and down Third street. almost to Dia-
mond avenue The loss is estimated at
81 1000, 900.
The first house was built in Victor in
October, 1898. In July of the following
year, the city was incorporated, and six
years later it contained 10000 people.
That is about the population now.
The haveist losses are:
Gold Coin mine, consisting OF smart,
ore house and machinery. 500, 900.
The Woods Investment company,
$1O0,O 900.
J. B. Cunningham, SIS 900.
AIorren Hardware company, $4,000.
Florence & Cripple Creek railway,
$25, 600.
Tomkins Hardware company, SIS, 900.
A. B. Bumstead, $4,000.
Mayor Rolert, $3.50
Ketten & Co., $780, 900.
I. A. NJ. Peter, clothing $4,000.
George E. Simton, drugs, $12, 900.
George BOckinger. 1000.
J. J. Trenchard, $4,000.
William Sexton, $40, 900.
Victor Banking company, $1,000.
Bank Of Victor, IS, 600.
Daily Record, $500.
Evening Times 5000.
Colorado Trading and Transfer COM
pany, $40, 900.
Victor Supply company, $4,000
Gardner Mercantile company, SIS, 900.
Midland Terminal railway, $500.
Jim Ducre, $4,000.
Arthur Reynolds, $50, 900.
Stebbins & Co., 49, 900.
Shilding Dry Goods company, SIS, 900.