Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-02-20
Handsome Masonic Hall Com.
pletely Gutted at a Loss to
All Concerned of About
$4,000.
INDIANS GOOD WORK
Entire Block Was Threatened When
CrandaII's Boys Arrived...BIaze
Allowed To Get Half Hours
Headway.

Santa Fe suffered one of the worst
fires in it's history yesterday after
noon, when the handsome Masonic
Hall on San Francisco Street was com
pletely gutted. The loss on the build
ing itself and that of the various firms
occupying it is estimated at from $18,
600 to $4,000.
It is yet a mystery how the fire orig
mated, but it is supposed to have
been from defective flue or live
wire. 1t is believed that the blaze first
started in the property room of the
Masonic lodge and spread from there
to the floor of the hall and into the at.
tic. The fire was discovered by F. A.
Edwards, foreman of the New Mexican
bindery, who rooms on upper San
Francisco Street. At about / O'Clock
he noticed smoke issuing from the
cOrnice work on the roof of the build
ing and Immediately turned in an
alarm.
Entire Block Threatened.
By the time the fire department ar
rived on the scene, the fire had gained
considerable headway. For time the
entire block from Shelby Street to Don
Gaspar Avenue was threatened and
word was telephoned to Superintend.
ent Clinton J. Crandall, of the U. S.
Indian Industrial School to send the
fire apparatus and firemen at the
school to assist the local department.
The Indians arrived in about fifteen
minutes with hose reel and were
soon rendering valuable assistance un-
der the direction of Mr. Crandall
Five Streams Of Water.
Within half an hour after the alarm
was turned in five streams of water
were being turned into the building,
but owing to the peculiar nature of the
fire, which was between the walls and
in the attic, 1t was some time before
the flames could be reached. A dense
smoke also made it almost impossible
for the fire fighters to work. Finally
the skylights in the building were
opened and number of holes chopped
in the tin roof and the water poured
into these, thus reaching the blaze.
Good Work BY Firemen.
1t was only due to the brave and per-
sistent efforts Of the fire boys and the
pupils from the U. S. Indian Industrial
School, assisted by a number of vol
unteers, that the flames were con.
fined to the Masonic Hall and too
much credit cannot be extended to
those who fought the fire.
Flames Under Control.
The flames were not gotten under
control until o'clock. At this time
the department from the Indian school
ceased their efforts and gathered their
apparatus together. They were all
soaking wet, but Superintendent Gran
dali had anticipated this and they
were taken to the Claire Hotel, where
each was given complete change of
clothing, thus guarding against any
serious results from a cold. The local
department also gathered up all but
one line Of hose, which was left with
detachment of flremen, to watch the
building over night and guard against
any outbreak from the smouldering
ruins.
Whole City Interested.
Practically the entire population of
the city spent the afternoon in the
plaza watching the fire. The band
boys were present but owing to the ex-
citement the Sunday afternoon con-
cert was not given. At different stages
of the fire stream was accidentally
turned onto the crowd and quite a
number were wet. This also had the
effect Of keeping them at safe dis
tance and thus guarded against pos
sible injury from falling walls.
Losses and Insurance.
The Individual losses by firms occu-
pying the building and the insurance
carried by each is about as follows: 8.
Spitz, jeweler, loss about $4,000, in.
surance $4,000; Jacob Weltmer,
book store, loss $4,000, insurance
5000; Masonic Lodge, loss on lodge
furnishings $4,000, insurance $1,000;
loss on building, owned by Mrs. Kahn,
about 5000, insurance $4,000; DR.. 9.
N. Lord, dentist, loss $1,000, insurance
$500.
viii Immediately Resume.
All the firms damaged will imme-
diately resume business as soon the
insurance companies adjust the losses
and the building is repaired. The loss
IL q severe one, but It is considered
very fortunate that the flames were
confined to the Masonic Block and thus
the destruction Of the most important
business district Of the city was pre-
vented.
Alarm at Night.
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