The daily sentinel., 1906-12-12
Anderson Bargain House and Edwards
Grocery Are Totally Destroyed.
THE WORST IN MANY YEARS
Fire Broke Out Shortly Before Midnight and For Time
Great Business in Danger---Brick Walls Hold
Flames in Miller Block---Several Firms
Damaged by Water and Smoke

playing on the fire and soon all that
was left of the two large stores and
attractive block was a great heap of
embers and charred merchandise,
partially covered by the warped tin
roof. a true picture of ruin.
All through the remainder of the
night the firemen kept watch and
there was no further outbreak.
Besides the regular tiremen there
We're six volunteers present. Every
man worked faithfully and tireless-
ly and there was not hitch in the
management of the streams and the
quick connections with the fire hyd-
rants.
Today hundreds of people have Wis
tied the scene of the fire. one of the
worst the city has known in many
years.
VIII Reach S25,OOO.
The total loss will run near the
$4,000 mark.
Nothing whatever was saved from
either the Bargain house or the Ed
wards store.
Cause Not known.
The exact cause of the fire is not
, known and possibly will never be
known. Fire Chief Rogers stated this
morning that his Investigations lead
him to believe that II was the re-
suit of spontaneous combustion. Var
ious other theories are advanced.
Chief Rogers states that the base
ment was filled with goods and stun
of the most intlamable kind. there was
lots Of excelsior, paper. burlap. along
with lot of merchandise of an easily
inflamable nature. The fire started
g,, l, lf,a out q
had ocen smouldoring and burning
before discovered is not known, The
basement of the Edwards store CON
tanned a large amount of stock and
goods of various kinds.
Everything Destroyed.
The Bargain House was as COM
pletely destroyed as it could have
been. Not a single piece of goods of
any kind was left even partially dam
aged. Everything in the big store fell
prey to the flames.
The Bargain House is one of the
oldest business concerns in the city.
1t was owned by A. n. Anderson. who
for many years has been one of the
prominent business men of the city.
The stock consisted of furniture, mat
resses. chinaware, glassware, novel
L
of fancy and staple mercantile goods.
The most valuable single line of stock
was that of pianos. Mr.. Anderson at
| all times carries heavy stock of pi-
amos and about 10 OF these fine instru-
ments were burned, entailing a loss of
| several thousand dollars. The stock
of china was perhaps the largest in
| Grand Junction.
Mr. Aanderson had just opened up
| his great line of fine holiday goods
and toys and these all went.
The stock was one OF the biggest
and most extensive in the city.
Edwards Heavy Loser.
The Edwards Mercantile Company
IT. NJ. Edwards. manager and pro-
prietor. conducted one of the largest
grocery houses and meat markets in
the city The firm opened in this city
about one year ago. putting in new
| and extensive stock and installing a
modern and complete meat market
The fixtures were extremely hand
some and costly.
Mr. Edwards stated to the Sentinel
this morning that his stock and fix
lures were valuad at $4,000 and that
| he carried Insurance only to the
amount of about $4,000. divided
among several companies Conse-
quently he suffers a clear loss ol
about 81 900 and he can ill afford tC
stand it.
Some of the canned and bottled
goods in the front of the store will b'
saved but the value Of these Will be
very nominal.
Mr.. Edwards had built up larg'
patronage.
MIR. MilIer's Loss.
A. A. Miller. owner of the building
) stated this morning that he places hi
total loss at $1,000. with $4,000 in
surance He will be out rental o
$3.50. The building Is a total loss
Mr. Miller will probably replace th'
burned building with handsome
; brick structure.
Fair Blocks Escape.
Dr.. Edward f. Eldridge suffered
q quite a heavy loss through damage
to his large suite of Offices in the oil
! Fair block An inpection of his OF
fees prove that a narrow escape wa
q had by the old Fair building fror
destruction. II was only the thic
| wall that saved the block and eve
I with the most strenuous efforts wer
! necessary to keep the flames back. !
y window in one of Dr. Eldridge's s OF
+ fees overlooked the roof Of the Mi
/ Ter block Some years ago DR.. ED
: ridge had heavy fire door place
/ over this window 1t was open las
night but Frank Dean, the protC
{ grapher. knowing of its presence
e and who was on the scene early, wer
k up into-the Offices and closed this iro
S door. and this act did much towar
[ saving the old Fair block as tn
n flames would have swept into tn
window. The Offices were filled wit
t smoke and the heat in the rooms b'