The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-22
WIPED OUT A TOWN
FIRE CARRIES PANIC TO THE RES
IDENTS OF VICTOR, IN GRIP
PIE CREEK DISTRICT
BUSINESS PORTION DESTROYED

Two Million Dollars VIII Not More
Than Cover Losses Sustained by
the Owners of Property Burned
Dynamite Used to Check Advance
of Flames, but Failed, Owing to
InfIammabIe Material.
CRIPPLE CREEK, Col, Aug. ga
fire has utterly destroyed the business
portion of the city of Victor, causing a
loss estimated at 100000. Beginning
shortly after noon the fire ragged until
evening, consuming everything in it's
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 few minutes all the surrounding
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 burn,
ed like paper. Efforts were made to
stop the progress of the flames by blow
ing up buildings in their path by means
of dynamite, and all afternoon the hills
have roared with the explosions, but the
effort was in vain.
MADE A CLEAN SWEEP
The fire claimed the Bank of Victor,
the postoffice on the conner opposite,
crossed Third street and followed the
row of blocks between Third and Four; h
streets to the north, taking the Victor
Banking company, the Western Union
Telegraph company's office and the Of
flee of the Colorado Telephone company.
the Hotel Victor on the opposite side Of
Fourth and the three shaft houses of the
Gold Coin Mining company and it's ore
bins among the largest in Cripple Greek
district
From there the flames were swept
northward by the half hurricane which
was blowing and never stopped until they
had taken the Florence and Cripple
Creek depots and the fine new depot of
the Midland Terminal road at the head
of Fourth street. All the buildings be-
tween those are a total loss, with prac-
tically their contents. for the flames were
so rapid in their progress that nothing
could be saved.
PEOPLE IN A PANIC.
The scenes of the great Cripple Creek
fire were duplicated. Hurrying before
the roaring flames went men, women end
children, carrying what they could snatch
from the flames. The crash of buildings
torn asunder by dynamite and the
crackle of the flames as they consumed
the dry buildings, FASTENED their flight,
and the pail of smoke added a terror to
the spectacle.
A special train was placed at the COM
mand of this city by the Florence &
Cripple Creek railroad and three COM
panies of f1remen, with apparatus, were
rushed to the scene. They worked all
afternoon in a vain endeavor to stay
the march Of the flames. The residence
portion of the city has suffered COM
paratively little, but the business por-
ton is paralyzed and suffering is bound
to follow. The burned area may be
thoroughly designated as the space be-
tween the head of North street and Vic
tor avenue, extending from the Gold
Coin mine buildings on the west to a
point near Second street, and down Third
street almost to Diamond avenue It Is
thought at this hour e p. NJ that the
fire can be prevented from spreading any
further. The loss has now reached
81, O00 600.
The first house was built in Victor
ing year the city was Incorporated and
six years later it contained 10000 people
That is about the population now.