Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-01-10


and ONCE building OF j. C. Baldridge
nm South First street. Is mass oI
ruins today, the result Of the most dis
astrous conGagration that has visited
the city for many n day. Tho entire
ybaock. the recently built brick once
building. sheds. and the barber shop ON
Tie corner were consumed.
The loss is estimated at about $40.
900. on which about $4,000 or $4,000
insurance was carried.
Confusing Fire Alarms.
In connection with the distressing
knocking bird whistle. alarms we're
sent In from foar or 1--WE different
boxes which was very confusing. The
hrst discovery found the entire lumber
yards in flames. Flames lea ping wild.
iy into the air and the large columns
OF smoke brouBh; balf the city to the
scene
When the fire department. reached
the econe the flames covered the entire
block and were spreading rapidly. The
fire boys. assisted by eager volunteers.
worked hard. for It looked as If the
yiaduct. Albuquerque steam laundry.
Beavons coal and wood yards would
in short time be a mass of flames.
But the fire fighters put forth great ex.
ertion and In short time the blazing
telegraph poles ON the viaduot and the
smoking tlmbers Of the viaduct were
under control. After Il was seen that
IL was impossible to save the lumber
yards and buildings, the fire fighters
used all their efforts In combining the
IRE within the arena of shooting
flames.
The great crowds who had gathered
to see the beautiful yet disastrous con
migration kept well back. In fact II was
the only thing they could do. as the
heat was so intense that II was almost
uncomfortable TO get within a hundred
feet of the fire.
crumbling Brick Wall.
The walls Of tho large brick ONCE
building filled with doors. windows.
boxes OF window glass and paint. look
ed dangerous from the time the FIRE
started. However. they only began to
tumble down after the entire interior
had been burned out and the vast
amount of stock fallen TO the floor.
Many fears were expressed lest the
brave fire fighters be caught beneath
the falling brick walls. But most for
tunately not single life was lost, nor
were there any accidents.
There are various opinions as to the
origin of the fir,s The universal opin-
Ion is that II was the work of incen-
siaries. Several people, who live on
First street. claim they passed the
lumber yards not ten minutes TO the
time the sea of flames were seen, and
that there was no indication OF fire. II
is thought that whoever set FIRE TO the
yards used oil most laylshly, as there
was no breeze or draft to cause the
iiames to spread in the mysterious
manner in which they did. There
were casks Of paint, oil and gasoline
and other highly combustlble articles
In the large main building, hut IT Is as.
serted the largest sheets of flames
were in the other end OF the yard when
the fire was discovered.
Worked Heroiea!ly.
The fire fighters worked beroically
nnd many Of the old volunteers we're
soon In the midst OF the brigade of
Fighters. the Old spirit predominating.
The Are department from the Santa
BE railway shops were on hand with
their hose cart and did very effective
work.
The water pressure was poor at tho
start, hot gradually grew stronger as
the iire progressed A city of Albuquer-
guess progreasiyaness should have
better wator equipment. for Il means
everything In IRE.
The Insurance.
Mr.. Baldridge was sesn this morn.
inE and he stated that he had no idea
how the fire originated. The loss. he
xsid. would not reach over $4,000. of
which only about fourth was covered
~ insurance. y u. Kent HAL $500 on
the stock In the Liverpool, LONDON &
Globe company; Rankin a Co.
nd $500 90 the stock and 81 800 on the
krick building, Ill In the Niagara com
pany; Mstcalf = straus had $500 on