Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-10-30
DNvAN sGEs NOTHING GOOD
IN AMGRicAN GOVERNMENT

IUS Dry Hu i0CCthhS W 80 9Ot aPs ~sS''~
last evening. About li;co Chairman
w. J. Patterson. who was occupying
Republican headquarters along with ,
company of others. was attracted ny
the smell of smoke. He stepped Into
the hallway. then returned and looked
into the closet adjoining the room,
suuffed the air and said he believed
there was Q Are some place. Time
passed and the smoke increased. but
no sisn OF nre any place was d'scov-
cred, and some Of those In the room
thought II was smoke from the out.
side. But the smoke increased and
Mr.. Patterson again started on an in
vestigation. The writer. who was oc.
cupying the room. also became con
WINGED that something was up. Al
this moment. about Ave minutes after
the first signs. someone In the hallway
said the stairway WAS on fre. The
people occupying same Immediately
III out and smoke was discovered
buIkinx from the different seams.
The writer then rushed down stairs
and into j. L. Williams cigar store,
where a crowd was congregated per-
fectly oblivious to any danger. stepped
behind the counter and opened the
door leading underneath the stairway.
Inside was \ mass OF flames and II
looked serious. An alarm was turned
In, but knowing the fre wagon and
f,remen were on the outside, the writ
er Informed Chief albracth OF the To-
cation OF the blaze. Hose attach.
mentx with the plug at the First Ma
tionAi bank corner were soon made
and the clApg OF the fre bell caused
people to scatter as the nre was d.
rectly back OF the platform occupied
by the speaker. In the meantime
hand hose had been brought into use
along with buckets OF water. which
proved effective no that II was not ne
cessary to turn on the water through
the Are hose. Had II not been for the
hand hose the blaze would have eaten
through the stairway and done coDsid'
erable damage. A. II WAS the damage
will run between 500 and $50 10 to-
bAcco and cigars stored In the place.
How the nre started will always re
main 4 mystery.
Naturally those occupying the sec
ond floor OF the building we're excited
and made haste to get outside, and
while smoke WAS bulginE out OF the
windows back OF Mr.. Bryan, he con.
tinued his remarks. being In the midst
OF the subject OF Imperialism. Az the
fire wagon scattered the crowd In
front Of the platform he closed with
direct appeal to vote the Democratic
ticket and save the country.
II was 1927 when bryan reached
the platform last evening from which
no talked TO the people Of Durango
and surrounding country. A good
many remarked that The Herald was
10 be commended for publishing the
true facts concerning the train. How.
ever, after eight o'clock people began
congregating and securing points OF
vantage and by nine o'clock the
street was lined II was very good
naturcd assemblsge. Republicans.
Democrats. Populists and Socialists
mingled together, all interested In see
ing and hearing the man they had
read NO much about. And no wonder,
Mr. Bryan was twice the standard
bearer Of the Democratic party for
president, supposedly placing him to
the front ms the leader. Republicans
were Just as anxious ms Democrats to
listen. About haif.pa nine bulletin
announced that the speaker would ar
rive nj 10 IL and this proved about
correct AZ about this time the locomo-
tive whistle announced the arrival OF
the special. This was greeted with
applause by one aud all. M the wait
was becoming tiresome. Carriages
were In waiting At the depot to con.
scy the party up town. The carriage
containing MIR. Bryan drove around
by The Herald corner and down the
alley, entrance to the platform being
gained through Goodman'A store, The
appearance Of the distinguished speak.
time was lost In introducing Mr.. Dry.
an. Mr. Charles A. johnson having
that honor. and he only occupied a
moment. Ms the people were not In n
mood for delay. II is estimated that
three thousand people heard him. The
above number Is a liberal allowance
by y good many who occupied points
of advantage. Some said there were
not over twelve to fifteen hundred,
but We cannot agree with this. An OK.
cursion train from Silverton brought
down between 200 and 500. and II In
safe to say that AZ many more were
In from other points aud the country.
not to mention those residing In the
city. But when We place the mum.
ber at 5000 the estimate Is about
right.
Al this time The Herald has not
the time nor space to review the
speech. but will do so later. But this
thought naturally arose. not only In
the writer's mind. but In that OF n
great many. II Polly Pry" was not
right when, in reviewing u speech
made by Mr.. Bryan at Boui-
der during the early part OF the cam.
paign In 1900. she asked II Bryan
was really broad enough to be presi-
dent OF the United States and II he
could be compared for one moment
with William Mckinley" It will be
remembered that the Post apologised
for the frank way In which Polly"
handled Mr.. Bryan, but II could not