Cochise review., 1900-06-04
j YESIERDAYS
 BIG BLAZE NORTON COTTAGE DESTROYED Blsbec Saycd by the Heroic Work Ot Flrcmcn and Other Citizens.

Yesterday Bisbee came within f hair;s breadth of being wiped out E fire the fourth time in its histfS
 Thp Merton House annex and the 6d- frsX, reAdence were destroyed, and tliat th hS6frohhding buildings were Ssaved is ie short pi the miraculoy The trsAeI4 4ous forts made by EHss fire brigade and nta4y other citizAsswere u1ioubsedly hesslvstion of tFe ehtirs b,Ainess strest, if not of theao&h. x
 At about five o'clock Mrs, Nemeck, who lives. directly across the street from the.scene of the blaze, saw thin ribbon of smoke issuing from the hall way of the annex, and gave the alarm. Several men were in the vicinity, but so tiny was the wreath of smoke that they evidently did not notice it, and paid no immediate attention to, Mrs. Nemeck's cries of fire" But the fire spread with fierce rapidity, and within few moments from the first alarm the entire building was wrapped in pillows of smoke'an crackling flames. The fire department were on the scene immedi- ately, but although three streams of water were turned on the flaming structure it was at once realized that 1t could not be saved, and all devoted their energies to limiting the spread of the conAagration. By keeping the Norton house soaked with water it was saved from any damage. The houses to westward of the fire were less fortu- nate. The residence of Charles God frey was partially burned, but all of his effects including carpets and screen deors were saved. The Herald build ing for time seemed doomed. All of the presses and other machinery and furniture was carried into the street, but the building escaped with nothing worse than severe scorching.
 Gus Herman was severely burned about the face and feet. He was first awakened by the smoke and heat. and after reaching the door, which was locked, he had to spring through the window, with nothing on but his shirt and trousers. Miss Ida Norton had a close call. She was in the bathtub when the fire occurred and was rescued, wrapped in blanket, by her father just as he had almost lost conscious ness from suffocation. Alvan w. Howe, who worked like . Trojan to stay the fire, received severe blow on the head from falling scantling.
 Henry Brizzee and his family, who had charge of the Norton Cottage, lost everything they possessed, as did many of those lodging in the building. E. c. Norton, who owned the building, lost heavily as the insurance on the property. expired two weeks ago and was not renewed. He lost piano val ued at e40O, but succeeded in saving a purse containing S1l0. Among the lodgers who lost everything are Gus Herman, William Thom, MT. Boyle and Mir. Hill. I. K. Wilson and c. Grandsubert, proprietors of the Photo Wigwsm, lost s20O by breaksge of cameras. Mir. Hill had his arm se- verely burned while trying to save his belongings. Charles Overlook and many others were more or less scOrched.
 Lack of space precludes the possibil fly of mentioning individually those who did splendid work in fighting the flames. The Bisbee fire department worked necessarily and risked their lives repeatedly during the fire. Tim Maloney, who was up from Naco on a visit, joined the fire brigade and did as much as any one to save the town.
 The cause of the fire Is not known. It started in the room in the northwest cOrner Of inc huildinD