Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-12-30

regretting the recent failure OF his
company, but the failure 1t appears
was inevitable The business men
concur in the statement of Assignee
Miller that the firm was under very
heavy expense in its location and with
its facility for buying to the limited
trade enjoyed. The Herald is
among the friends of Messrs. Brach-
vogel and Weightman who regret
their failure, and we trust that they
both will be more fortunate and sue
cessful in the future.
The large frame building which has
stood for years near the Animas riv-
er. Just north of Mercy hospital, was
destroyed by fire last night. 1t was
owned by S. w. Pingrey and was
used as an ice house. The confia-
grafton was not caused by sponta-
neous combustion, as there was no
ice in It, The building has been In
use almost every year for 20 years
as an ice house, and the Durango
Beer and Ice Co., the local brewery
people, were calculating on using it
during the coming year for the stor
ag of natural ice as a precautionary
measure. that in case accident should
occur at the ice plant at any time they
would be able to readily supply ma
turaI ice temporarily.
Mr.. Pingrey says his loss is from
81 900 to 81 1900, without cent of in
surance. He has no idea OF the or
igin of the fire, unless pure cussed-
ness suggested it, as he knows of no
enemy he has who might be suspect
ed of being capable of incendiar-
ism.
The ice house was not in sight OF
progressive people, as it had hidden
under the hill to keep out of sight of
such people, but, alas, it was discov-
cred, and in the night too.
From Saturdays Daily.
Passenger travel is light these cold
days.
Joe Martin, prominent citizen of
Largo, is in the city.
Joe Tabinitzo, a Navajo who speaks
English very well, found time to leave
the sheep he has been herding at Can
on Largo to visit Durango to see the
closing exercises of the white mans
Christmas.
So far as The Herald is concerned
the Mckinley monument fund will be
closed the last of this month and the
money collected turned over to the
proper authorities. Those who want
TO be in on the ground floor should
hand In their names without further
delay.
The mountain sctreams are all
frozen up and have been so for sew
eral weeks. 1t is said by an observ-
er that there being no snow and the
water of the creeks covered with ice,
accounts readily for the deer leaving
their mountain haunts several weeks
earlier than usual.
Telephone communication between
Durango and La Plata and the East
Mancos camp will be needed early
next spring, and an enterprise of this
character cannot be started too soon.
Winter weather is good enough for
getting out the poles. Who will in
augurate the enterprise?
The installation of Masonic officers
last evening brought together some
80 Masons who enjoyed the occasion,
there being several talks on Masonry
by good speakers. At 10 o'clock the
craft was called from labor to re-
freshments which were prepared by
Mrs. LaCount. An hour or SO was
passed in social enjoyment.
Arapahoe, Pueblo. Ell Paso and 9TH
er counties of the sta0 are following
the law in advertising for bids. The
commissioners of La Plata county
cannot afford to continue precedent
that tends to bankrupt the county.
If they wilfully and knowingly violate
the law In one manner, what ia to
prevent them doing so in others?
An excessive rate of three cents per
pound on all meats at Durango
whether produced here or in Nebras-
ka or Oklahoma, may be good thing
for somebody. but 1t is a bad thing
for the consumers. A home packing
house would at least keep the home
meats In the country and encourage
greater home production. The con-
sumers have become sorely tired Of
being robbed by the present system
carried on by outside packing houses.
And Durango will have packing es-
tablishment
In the Bobo divorce case yester-
day Attorneys Johnson and Sullivan
had to handle the more delicate NOR
seis OF evidence with tongs. II all
that was said was true, both of the
parties to the unhappy marriage had
been very disregardful of the propri-