El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-14

| Fire almost totally destroyed the
main portion of the Pierson hotel at
an early hour last evening. entailine
a loss variously estimated at from s15,-
900 to $4,000.
The fire originated about 6:3 30 on
the roof at the northwest cupola of the
building. (some say, however, in clos
ct inside) and ate it's way downward
gradually spreading southwark until
the upper part of the entire main struc-
ture was a mass of roaring flames.
The firemen did heroic work to check
the confia grafton, but owing to lack
of pressure and trouble with the plugs
the water was insufficient and
they were poweriess to stay the prog
ress of the destroyer.
| Although when first discovered the
blaze was no larger than bucket top,
it spread so that by the time the large
streams of water had been brought to
bear on the roof, almost the entire top
of the structure was a mass OF seeth-
ing flame. emitting a roar like that of
furnace.
The fire was really a slow burning
one. due. it is said to the redwood used
| in its construction.
The engine, TOO, was slow to unlim-
ber and get down to work. and its
..chug, chugi' was not heard until
thirty or forty minutes after the fire
started.
After a time the fire laddies managed
to get several streams of water playing
on the doomed structure, but it was
then too late to save the main luild-
ing, with its costly furniture and fix
lures, and. although the flames were
gotten under control after they had
crawled downward to the first story.
fully $50 900 had by that time gone up
in flame and smoke.
Description of the Spectacle.
The spectacle presented last night
by the burning structure was an awe
inspiring one and attracted crowds
from all portions of the city. Great
tongues of fame licked upward toward
the starlit sky, while showers of flying
sparks and clouds of illuminated
smoke encircled the building or fioated
voiced shouting men mingled with the
incessant roar of the blazing building
and the deep. hoarse coughing OF the
engine combined to add to the impress
siveness of the occasion The entire
surroundings within radius of several
blocks were lit up by the blazing pile
Close up beside the towering walls,
above which the mad flames leaped
and around which the hot smoke
curled, the high ladder of the Hooks
was raised and near it's extreme end,
some forty feet above the earth, SEEM
ingly pressed close against the blaze
and enveloped in liquid fire, the dark
forms of two or three fire laddies were
visible with the nozzle of n long hose
in their grasp. directing a steady
stream OF water at the point where the
fire fiend was most active. The livid
smoke encircled them and as they stood
there between heaven and earth it
seemed that they were about to he en-
quilted by the incessant shower of
sparks and fragments of burning wood
that rained round them.
The wind caused the column of
smoke to bend downward and they
were completely enveloped but they
never faltered and it soon became ap-
parent that they were doing effective
WORK, for they drove the flames from
that corner of the building upon which
they were pouring water.
Suddenly there was an action similar
to an explosion off to the south and a
heavy mass of smoke shot into the air. |
Behind it the flames leaped upward
and the throngs that filed the sur
streets realized that the fire
had gotten beyond control.
After a time firemen clambere6 to
the upper balconies and poured in wa
ter through windows, doors, or holes in
the roof. but in spite of this the raw
ages of the flames were unchecked and
by $50 o'clock the main section of the