Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-05-22
|s1,000,00o IN GOLD MISSING
THE CONFEDERATION OCCURRED on
APRIL 26.

VICTORIA. B. c., May A-The main
portion of the city of Dawson was de-
| stroyed by fire on April 2S. causing a loss
of 100000. In all Ill buildings. including
the Bank Of British North America. were
burned. The news Is brought by L. S.
Hume, a of Mayor Hume, of Seattle.
]. Toklas and third party who left Daw-
son on April q and made their way out
by canoe to Lake Lebarge and then over
| the ice. having most perilous trip.
Toklas reports that the fire occurred on
April 26. in the very heart of the bus
iness center of the city, commencing near
the opera house on the water front and
spreading with unusual rapidity 1t was
driven by a strong north wind. destroying
everything in its way on that street down
to and including Donahue & Smiths es-
tabishment.
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, leav-
ing it all in ashes with the firemen help
less and powerless to do anything.
The fire consumed everything from Tim
Minis Royal cafe down to and opposite
the Fairview hotel. The flames spread
with such rapidity that the citizens ap-
anything in the way of furniture, goods
and clothing.
Among the most prominent Of the firms
burned out were the Bank of British North
America, the Canadian Bank of Commerce,
Mcclellan & McFeeley (of Victoria, VAN
couver and Dawson), the Parsons Produce
Company, of Winnipeg, the ROYAL cafe.
Donahue & Smith, the Aurora saloon, the
Bodega. the Madden house, the Victoria
hotel, the Mcdonald block and the Cali
when the mills and dealers in building
materials had depleted their winter sup
plies and were waiting the opening of
navigation to replenish their stock. The
result IS famine in all kinds OF build
ing material and furniture such as sashes,
doors, locks, hinges, etc. The few articles
trict have quadrupled in price. Doors are
selling for s35 each, door locks IS each
and everything in proportion. Nothing in
the way Of rebuilding can be done until
the opening of navigation, several weeks
from now, there is not over 5000 feet
of lumber in the place.
The fire was caused by a drunken woman
ppsetting lamp in notorious house.
None of the big warehouses of the Alaska
Commercial Company nor the North Amer
lean Trading and Transportation Company
were touched by the fire, so there will be
no shortage of provisions, even If the lakes
should not open before the middle of June.
losers by the fire are Messrs. Mcclellan and
McFeeley, of this city and of Vancouver.
who had an immense stock of iron and tin
ware and miners supplies. taken in at
heavy expense, and the Bank of British
North America whose rather fiinlsy vault
did not Withstand the heat. the 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 Sl.0oo,0O1.
Altogether the burned area comprises
quite three-QuarterS of the area of Daw-
SON In their trip out the three couriers
were forced to every eXpedient-walking.
running with the dogs, swimming for life
on two occasions and breaking through the
ice repeatedly. They passed the river
steamer, FloIa, cutting her way through
the ice with her steel Prov at Hootalin-
quina and found the telegraph wire To
Skaguay completed at Cariboo Crossing,
seventy-five miles inland.
A letter which was brought out by the
courageous messengers notes that before
ashes of the bank had had time to cool,
men were working on the spot with rock
ers there being a good probability that
much of the lost gold will be recovered in
this manner.
The fire occurred at 3 o'clock in the morn
ing Owing to the fact that logs and can
vas were the principal materials from
which the buildings were constructed. 1t
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 IL found a confa grafton beyond
its power TO suodue
VANCOUVER. E. G., May e1-Manager
Godfrey, Of the Bank of British North
America, estimates Dawson's loss at s. .o00,-
600. and the banks less at 5000.