The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-22
DAWSON CITY SWEPT BY FIRE.
BUSINESS PORTION OF THE ALAS
KAN TOWN WIPED OUT.

Loss Will Aggregate $4,000, 900 with
out Dollars Insurance-BuiId-
inss Were Dry and Burned with
Great Rapidity-PeOpIe Were Una
BILE Even to Save Their Furniture.
Firemen Were POwerIess-BuiId-
ing Supplies Exhausted.
Victoria, B. c., May 2l.-The main por-
ton of the city of Dawson was destroyed
by fire on April 26, causing loss of $4,-
100000
In all Ill buildings, including the Bank
of British North America, were burned.
The news was brought down by L. s.
Hume, son of Mayor Hume of Seattle;
]. Toklas and third party who left Daw-
son on April 27, and made their way OUT
by canoe to Lake Lebarge and then over
the ice, having a most perilous trip.
Toklas reports that the fire occurred in
the very heart of the business center of
the city, near the opera house on the
water front, and driven by strong north
wind destroyed everything in it's way
on that street down to and including the
Donahue & Smith establishment.
Made Clean Sweep.
The fire then took in all of the water
front buildings abreast of the same
blocks. 1t crossed the street, burned
through and spread over to Second street,
converting to ashes the principal business
portion of Dawson.
The fire consumed everything from
Simmons Royal Cafe down to opposite the
Fairview Hotel
The flames spread with such rapidity
that the citizens appeared paDic-stricken
and unable to save anything in the way of
furniture, goods and clothing.
The fire was caused by a drunken wo-
man upsetting a lamp in a notorious
house.
None of the big warehouses of the Alas
ka Commercial Company or the North
American Trading and Transportation
Company was touched by the fire, so there
will be nc shortage of provisions, even il
the lakes should not open before the mid
die of June.
Skagway Papers Report.
An extra edition of the Skag-
way AldShdis EScGlNGQ Dy IHe
steamer Lees at midnight, contains
the following report, wired from Bennett
to skagway just previous to the sailing
of the steamer:
Another disastrous fire has visited
Dawson City, this time fairly wiping OUT
the entire business center of the town,
creating losses that will aggregate ST.
100000, with not a dollars worth of in |
surance.
'The news was telegraphed from Ben
nett this afternoon by the special cor
respondent of the Daily Alaskan, who re-
eeived 1t from a man named Toklas, who |
had just reached Bennett from a long and |
perilous trip out from Dawson over broken |
trails, open rivers and dangerous lakes.
Mr.. Toklas reports that the fire occur
red on April 81 in the very heart of the |
business center of the city, commencing |
near the opera house on the water front |
and spreading with unusual rapidity, driv-
en- by a strong wind, destroying every |
thing in its way on that street down to
and including Donahue & Smiths estap-
lishment, and taking in all of the water
front buildings abreast of the same
blocks.
Almost the Whole Town.
The fire crossed the street, burned
through and spread over to Second street,
covering the principal business portion of
Dawson, leaving il all in ashes with the
firemen helpless and powerless to do any
thing.
The fire consumed everything from the
Simmons Royal Cafe down TO and oppo-
site the Fairview Hotef All the buildings
burned like tinder, owing to the fact that
they had been standing for nearly two
years, and the logs were as dry as pow
der.
The fire spread with such rapidity that
the people We're unable to save anything
in the way of furniture, goods and cloth
ing, so that the losses when footed up
promise to be even greater than at first es-
timated.
Among the prominent firms burned out
were: The Royal Cafe, Donahue &
Smith, Mcclellan & McFeeley, Parsons
Produce Company, Aurora saloon Bodega
saloon, Madden House, Hotel Victoria, Nc
Donald block, Bank of British North
and scores of smaller firms and
business houses
No building Supplies.
This fire came at time when the mills
and dealers in building materials had ex-
lausted their winter supply, and were
waiting the opening of navigation to re-
olenish their stocks. The result Is that
here Is a famine in all kinds of building
material and furniture, such as sash,
loors, locks, hinges, etc. The few arti-
lies still remaining outside of the burned
district have qaudrupled in value.