The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1905-07-14
THE FIRST SERIOUS FIRE
GoIdfieId's Entire Business Section Was Threatened,
and Loss Was 500, 900.

- ~ AaOVhs aht
about $125,OO0 and there was only a
few thousand insurance. That the en-
tire business portion of the metropolis
of southwestern Nevada was not wiped
out was a miracle. Some say it was an
act of providence and others are firm
Nv convinced that the heroes who made
the grand and strenuous fight on and
near the corner of Columbia and Crook
avenue deserve the credit, and those
of this opinion are in the vast MAORI
ty. They deserve the unstinted thanks
of the entire community, as without
their efforts the chances are that there
would not he left standing hardly a
BUSINESS house in the city, and the loss
would have run into the millions.
While the destruction of the Hotel Ne
vada may be looked upon as a calamity
to the whole community, many are in
clined to believe that it was a blessing
in disguise, as there is no question but
that it will be rebuilt in a more sub
s~tantial manner than first ~contemplat
ed and made as nearly fire proof as
possible. The men who put up the
money, to start the construction of the
hotel, which was to be the finest hos
telry in the state, are not the kind that
get discouraged by the loss of some
$35, 900. 1t is a here bagatelle to many
30 Tho otnoLboldara
AS to the losses incurred by Others
in the burnt-over district, in the end
they will prove to be light. Judging
by the experience of other live mining
camps that have been destroyed by
fire, such as Cripple Creek and Victor,
Colorado, the vacant lots will in a
short time be worth moro than they
were with buildings on them. History
repeats itself and Goldfeld will not lie
an exception to the rule.
The fire started in the Boz Ton mil
linery store a few minutes after .
0 o'clock and was caused by the explo-
sion of a small quantity of gasoline
fumes which had been generated by
leakage from a stove. Mrs. Walter
| Wilson made a brave effort to smother
the flames, and seeing that her efforts
were futile, she promptly gave the
alarm and aid came quickly. But the
flames were not idle in the few minutes
| before assistance came-in the shape
Of a water bucket brigade and those
armed with hand grenade fire extin-
guishers. In less time than it takes to
tell it, the entire building was in
flames and the adjacent buildings
north and south were smoldering. The
volunteer fire department also respond
ed promptly and stretched several
lines of hose, but when all was ready
for water at the MOBILES it refused to
appear in any appreciable quantities,
owing probably to the fact that house
holders all over town had turned on
their faucets and were busily engaged
filing buckets and barrels ror the pur-
pose of fighting the flames in the event
OF the blaze spreading to their domi-
Giles. A three-inch pipe cannot stand
n any tappings of this kind and leave
much water at the fire plugs. The
tanks at the water company's plants
were filed at the outbreak of the fire
and there were over $4,000 gallons in
the fire reserve tank when the confa-
grafton was over, so no blame can be
attached to them. When this condition
of affairs became known the property
owners and citizens were, in the YER
n~acular of the street, ''up against it.
The flames were spreading and the
heat was intense. The weak-hearted
said the "whole town is doomed" but
there happened to be a little %coterie
of fire fighters in the neighborhood
who said al emphatic "No,'' and they
won out. Blankets, comforters, and
rugs were donated or taken and the
fronts of the different buildings on
the the west side of Columbia were
covered, and then a bucket brigade
with willing hands and hearts started
in to keep them wet and they succeed
ed in saving the town.
The Hotel Nevada blaze was an in
spring me-. The frame work was all
completed and most of the rooms were
lathed ready for plastering. For weeks
it looked like a huge frame work for
n Fourth of .July set fire niece. uDon
which would be shown the battle of
Manila Bay or some other glorious
American sea or land victory. 1t mea-
sured S7xS7 feet and was three stories
high. There were $4,000 worth of
lumber in it. The flames ate it up so
quickly that just eight minutes after
it caught fire there was nothing left
but smoldering embcrs in the base