The record-union., 1899-05-22

the Town Are in Ashes and
There is No Lumber at Present
to Rebuild Them-None of the
Big Warehouses Injured and
Provisions Will be Plenty, How
ever.
VICTORIA B. O., May 21.-A great
fire in Dawson on April 18th destroyed
nearly the entire business portion of the
city and caused a loss estimated as
high as S4,OGO,OO0 No less than III
buildings, including the Bank of British
North America, were left in ruins, but
no loss OF life is reported. The news was
brought out from the ice-bound Klon-
dixie by l.. S. Hume,a son of Major
Hume of Seattle, J. Taklas and Govern
ment Messenger T. R Rely, who left
Dawson the day after the confagration
and had a most perilous trip over the
frozen lakes
Inc messenger reports that the fire
occurred in the very heart of the busi-
ness center of the city, commencing
near the opera-house, on the water
front, and spreading with unusual ra-
pidity. 1t was driven by a strong north
wind, destroying 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 principal business
portion of Dawson, leaving it all in
ashes with the firemen helpless and
poWerless to do anything.
The citizens Wer panic-stricken, and
did little to save their household goods.
Everything from Timmins' Cafe to the
Fairview Hotel was laid in ashes, the
buildings being dry as tinder.
Among the most prominent of the
firms burned out were the Bank of
British North America, the Canadian
Bank of Commerce, Mcclellan & Nc
Feeley of Victoria, Vancouver and
Dawson, the Parsons Produce Company
of Winnipeg. the Royal Cafe. Donahue
& Smith, the Aurora Saloon, the Bo-
dega, the Madden House, the Victoria
Hotel the Mcdonald Block and the
California Exchange.
The fire came at a time when the
mills and dealers in building materials
had expended their winter supplies, and
Wera waiting the opening of navigation
to replenish their stocks The result is
a famine in all kinds of building mate
rial and furniture, such as sashes.
doors, locks, hinges, etc. The few arti-
cles still remaining outside of the
burnt district have quadrupled in prices
Doors are selling for S35 each; door
locks IS each, and everything else in
proportion.
Nothing in the way of rebuilding can
be done until the opening of naviga-
ton, several weeks from now, as there
are not over 5000 feet of lumber in the
place.
The fire was caused by a drunken
woman upsetting a lamp in notorious
house
None of the big warehouses of the
Alaska Commercial Company nor the
North American Trading and Transpor-
tation Company We're 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
AiC hCct 4Nct iOSSIS Dy JIlG lire are
Messrs. Mcclellan & McFeely of Vic
toria and Vancouver, who had an i'm
mense stock of iron and tinware and
miners supplies taken in at heavy ex-
pense, and the Bank of British North
America, whose vault did not withstand
the fire, papers in it being destroyed.
The bank also lost a large amount OF
gold dust.
A rough estimate places the loss in
gold and paper money alone at 81, 800,
GOO
Altogether the burned area comprises
quite three quarters os the area of
Dawson.
In their trip out the three couriers
were forced to every expedient-walk-
ing, running with the dI~zs. swimming
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 to Skaguay completed
at Cariboo Crossing 10 miles inland.
From here Hume and Riley go to OF
tawa, their companion having been
dropped at Bennett. A letter which
was brought out by the courageous
messengers notes that before the ashes
of the bank had had time to cool. men
were working on the spot with rock
ers, there being good probability that
much of the lost gold will be recov-
cred in this manner.
The fire occurred at o'clock in the
morning. Owing to the fact that logs
and canvas We're the two principal ma
terials of which the buildings were con-
structed, it spread rapidly An abor-
tive attempt was made to eXtinguish the
blaze before an alarm was sounded and
in this way a delay was caused that
gave the fire such headway that when
the fire brigade did turn out. they found
a confagration beyond their power to
subdue
Within half an hour from the time it
started, the fire had crossed the street
twice, burned through and spread to
Second street. The firemen. after their
first half hours work, accepted the in
evitable, abandoned their endeayor to
extinguish the flames and devoted
themselves to the salvage of property in
buildings as yet removed from the
sweep of the fire.
Not a single building was left as a
landmark from the immense ROYAL
Cafe and opposite the Fairview Hotel.
In this district were all structures
erected in '9I and '9S: indeed not a
pioneer building is left to the town.
Provisions have not advanced in
prices, nor clothing, the companies