The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-08-22
WORK OF
SCORCHING
FLAMES
business Portion Of Victor, Col.
orado, Entirely Destroyed.
Loss Over So, 100000,
BUILDINGS WERE BLOWN UP
With Dynamite to Stay the Pro.
gress of the Fire..BuIldlngs
Burned Like Paper.

CRIPPLE CREEK. Col, August 21.-
Fire has entirely destroyed the business
portion of the city of Victor, causing a
loss estimated at 100000. Beginning
shortly after noon, the fire ragged until
night, 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 the flames
and in a few minutes, all the surround
ing houses were 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 have roarea with the explo-
sIons, but the effort was In vain.
The fire burned the Bank Of Victor,
the postofice. on the corner opposite
crossed Third street and followed the
row Of blocks between Third and
Fourth streets to the north, taking in
the Victor Banking Company,the West
ern Union Telegraph company's office
and the office of the Colorado Tele-
phone Company. the Hotel Victor on
the opposite side Of Fourth, and the
three great shaft houses OF the Gold
Coin Mining Company, and its ore bins
among the largest in the Cripple Greek
district.
From there the flames were swept
northward by the gale which was
blowing and never stopped until they
had taken the Florence and Cripple
Creek depot and the fine new depot Of
the Midland Terminal road ut the head
Of Fourth street. All the buildings be-
tween these are total loss, with prac-
tlcally all their contents.
The scenes of the great Cripple Greek
are were duplicated. Hurrying before
the roaring flames went men, women
and children. carrying what they could
snatch from the flames, racing fol
their lives. The crash Of buildings torn
asunder by dynamite and the cracklG
OF the flames as they consumed the dry
buildings hastened their flight, and the
pail Of smoke added terror to the
spectacle. A special train was placed
at the command Of this city by the
Florence & Cripple Creek railroad. and
three companies Of flremen with appar'
atus were rushed to the scene. They
worked all afternoon In n vain endea'
vor to stay the march of the flames.
The residence portions of the city
have suffered comparatively little, but
the business portion is paralyEed and
suffering is bound to follow.
The burned Rrea may be described as
the space between the head Of North
street and Victor avenue, extending
from the Gold Coin Mine buildings or
the west to point near Second street
and down Third street almost to Dla'
mond avenue. 1t is thought nt this
hour e p. M that the fire can be pre-
vented from spreading any further The
loss has now reached Sp,OOO.OOO.
The first house was built in Victor In
October, 1893. In July Of the following
year the city was incorporated. and sl1
years later It contained 10000 people
That is about the population now.