Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-05-22
FOUR MILLIONS LOSS
0ccasioned by Fire, a Month Ago, at
Dawson City.

Dawson Ctty.
THE BUSINESS PORTION OF THE
CITY ENTIRELY DESTROYED.
THE FIRE CAUSED BY A
DRUNKEN WOMAN UPSETTING
A Tampa MILLION IN GOLD
DUST AND MONEY ALONE DE-
STROYED A SHORTAGE IN
MANY SORTS OF SUPPLIES.
Victoria. B. c.. May 21.-The main
portion of the city of Dawson was de-
stroyed by fire on April 26, causing a
loss of S4,000,000. In all one hundred
and eleven buildings, including the
Bank of British North America was
burned. The news was brought down
by l.. S. Hume, son of Mayor Hume,
of Seattle, ]. Toklas and a third party,
who left Dawson on April 9th, 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 part
of the city, near the opera house, on
the water front, and driven by a strong
wind, destroyed everything in its way
on that street, down to and including
Donahue & Smiths establishment.
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, covering the whole and
CONVERTING TO ASHES
the principal business portion of Daw-
son.
The fire destroyed everything from
Timmins' Royal Cafe down to opposite
the Fairview hotel. The flames spread
with such rapidity that the citizens ap-
peared panic-stricken and unable to
save anything in the way of furniture,
goods and clothing.
Among the most prominent firms
burned out were the Bank of British
North America, the Canadian Bank of
Commerce, Mcclellan & McNeely (of
Victoria, Vancouver and Dawson), the
Parsons Produce Company, of Winni-
peg; the Royal Cafe, Donahue & Smith,
the Aurora saloon, the Bodega, the
Madden House, the Victoria hotel, the
ManNno1d h1Only hn Golifnrn q
Exchange. The fire came at time
when the mills and dealers in building
materials had depleted their winter
supplies and were waiting the opening
of navigation to replenish their stock.
THE RESULT is A FAMINE
in all kinds of building material and
furniture, such as sashes, doors, locks,
hinges, etc. The few articles still re-
naming outside of the burnt district
have quadrupled in price.
The fire was caused by a drunken
woman upsetting lamp in a notorious
house. None of the big warehouses Of
the Alaska Commercial Company or the
North American Trading and Trans
portation Company was touched by
the fire, SO there will be no shortage
of provisions, even if the lakes should
not open before the middle of June,
which is now predicted. The heaviest
losers by the fire are Messrs. Mcclellan
and Feeley, of this city and Van
couver, who had an immense stock of
iron and tinware and miners supplies
taken in at heavy expense, and the
Bank of British North America, whose
rather fiimsy vault did not withstand
the heat, the papers in it being de-
stroyed.
The bank also lost
LARGE AMOUNT OF GOLD DUST.
A rough estimate places the loss in
gold and paper money alone at $1,000
600. Altogether the burned area COM
prises quite three-quarters of the area
OF Dawson. On their trip out the cour-
iers were forced to every expedient.
walking, running with the dogs, swim
ming for life on two occasions and
breaking through the ice repeatedly
They passed the river steamer Flora
cutting her way through the ice with
her steel PROV at Hootalinqua and
found the telegraph wire at Skagway
completed at Cahibbo Crossing, seven
ty-fye miles inland.
A letter which was brought out by
the messengers notes that before the
ashes oAEde bank had had time TO cool
men were working on the spot with
rockers, there being a good probability
that much of the lost gold would be re-
covered in this manner
MILITARY EQUIPMENTS.