Gilpin observer., 1899-08-24

Victor to the Rocky Mountain News
says:
At 1:15 o'clock yesterday afternoon
fire started in n small shack In Para
disc Alley. on South Third street. The
blaze was insignificant at first, but Il
high wind was prevailing and the
flames threatened the town.
The fire department responded
promptly, but the flames swept rapidly
and in short time had fiared across
Third street to the east, and caught
the buildings, which We're soon a mass
of roaring flames.
| The fire then spread through the
block east to Second street. 1t travel
ed very rapidly up Third street, on
both sides, north to Victor avenue.
On Second street the fire was soon
past control and also reached Victor
avenue. All of the buildings from the
corner of Second street and Victor ave-
nue. and east on Victor up to the cor
ner of Fourth street and Victor, We're
within an hour and a half from the
| time the fire began mass of roaring
flames, it each moment gaining addi-
tional force
The postoffice, on the corner of Third
and Victor avenue, caught fire, and the
flames then travelled up Third street,
burning all of the buildings on either
side as far as the Florence & Cripple
Creek railway tracks.
Great efforts were made to stop the
spread of the flames east from Victor
avenue and Fourth street, but it was
impossible to accomplish this. The
water in the hose. which was being
handled in different places by the fire
department became exhausted and left
the city at the mercy of the flames.
off n rNrnvnnf
the fire from reaching beyond Fourth
street, but the heat was so great that
it drove everybody away.
At o'clock the Hotel Victor caught
fire, and was soon enveloped in flHAres.
The employees at the Gold Coin mine
shaft house concentrated in force and
had a number of streams in operation
and 1t was thought that the big build
ing would be saved. The shaft house
is situated north of the Hotel Victor a
few hundred feet, but at 5 o'clock the
heat became so terrible that 1t drove
everybody away and a few moments
later the shaft house was also in
flames.
The new Gold Coin club house, on
Diamond avenue, just across the street
from the shaft house. next took fire
and was completely ruined.
The fire then worked its way up
North Fourth street, burning all the
buildings and finally reached the new
Midland Terminal railway depot,
which was completely destroyed. The
fire then caught the new Florence &
Cripple Creek depot and it soon melted
away.
On North Third street the conflagra-
tion Travelled across the track and took
the Florence & Cripple Creek depot.
The big warehouses east of the depot
also took fire and burned very rapidly.
At one time. about 6 o'clock. it was
thought that the splendid Strong mine
shaft house and machinery plant were
doomed.
The high trestle leading from the
shaft house over the Florence & Grip
pie Creek tracks took fire. but by al
most superhuman efforts on the part
of the Strong mine employees the fire
was held at that point where ii start
ed on the trestle work.
The total area covered by the con-
flagration will be confined to less than
fourteen blocks. which comprises the
entire business section of the city.
The total estimated loss at this hour
is S2.500,000, with 100000 to SSO0,0
insurance. Nine-tenths of all the
buildings destroyed were wooden, and
bhi heu WIFI
Most of the buildings We're erected five
or six years ago. and We're as dry as
tinder. Prompt measures for relief
have been taken. There are probably
1.5O0 people who are without places of
shelter. The mayor. w. J. Donnelly,
and members of the city council held n
meeting at G. A. r. hall. on West Vic
tor avenue, and messages We're receiv-
ed offering assistance from Colorado
Springs, Cripple Creek and many other
towns in the district.
The total number of buildings lost is
estimated at 500. The entire section
of the city contained within the follow
ing boundaries was destroyed: From
Portland avenue. on the south. to Fifth
street, on the west and First street on
the east; north to the Midland Termin-
nj railway. n distance of half n mile
The west side of Fifth street, which
contained residence houses. was saved
by heroic work by volunteers and the
fire department, which kept the flames
from spreading into that section of the
| town. All of the buildings on the
west side were badly scorched.