Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1908-04-03
A Sweeping Fire.
Five Houses in Jackson Destroyed.


started in the redlight district close
to the gas works at about half past 2
O'Clock. A breeze was blowing ut the
time in a northeasterly direction,
which as fortune would have it, was
the most favorable for the safety of
property threatened.
The fire originated in the house of
ill-fame situated on an elevation
few feet south of the gas works, kept
by woman known as Jessie, and
there were two other female occup
ants, Pearl Dunno and Eva Howard.
1t started in the middle room on the
north side Of the dwelling. from an
alcohol stove used for heating water.
In an instant the inside was ablaze
beyond control, and an alarm of fire
was sounded by the fire bell and
shouting people. There was no
trouble in locating the scene, as
great volumes of smoke we're issuing
from the vicinity of the gas works.
Johnny GarbarinI, the fire chief, and
number of volunteer fire fighters
were promptly on the spot, and exert
ed themselves in staying the flames,
but it was soon found that it was
impossible to confine it to the house
IN which it started, which was
frame structure, and burned like
match wood, sending out an intense
heat. A few feet south stood large
eight roomed frame building belong
ing to A. Laverone. 1t was unoccu-
pied. This was soon enveIoped in
flames. A few feet south stood an
other frame house belonging to b. Il.
Letang. This really consisted Of two
buildings, known as the Juka bunk
houses, both had been empty for a
long time. These were the next to
fall before the onset of fire. Less
than twenty feet west was the old
Juka house proper, with ii bowling
court attached. The hremen con-
centrated their efforts toward saving
this. Had the flames secured good
hold on this the safety of all the east
side OF Broadway would have been
seriously imperilled. 1t caught fire
several times in exposed rear part,
still they managed to save it. The
handsome two-story dwelling house
of q. M. Meek was separated from the
bunk houses above described by a
few feet, and it's elevation made it
more exposed to the heat A desper-
ate effort was made to save it, but in
vain. When all hope of saving it was
abandoned, troop of helpers started
to pack out the furniture, and saved
considerable; although the more
valuable portion in the upper rooms
was consumed. The wood shed, also
Mr. Meek's workshop in the rear with
all the contents of tools, went up in
smoke.
Here the fire-fghters got the
mastery, although the woodshed of T.
Millovich, also the shed of Opie
Harper's residence were destroyed, !
and the latter dwelling caught fire
several times, with the fervent heat
but it was saved. All the furniture
was packed from Harper's, Millovich's |
Ruhser's and a number of other
residences on Broad way, as a precau-
tionary measure. Much Of it was
damaged in the hurry of getting it
out.
When the fire was at its worst, great
flakes of live cinders we're carried |
hundred OF yards north, and a dozen
or more fires we're started along
Broadway in this manner. People
were on the watch, and prevented
serious by the timely appli-
cation of water. Millovich's Rub
ser's, PerovIch's, Dalporta's and
Others were fred in this way. For a
time it looked squally for the east
side of Broadway.
Much comment was made on the
inadequate water supply, whether
owing to an insufficient head or that
so many smaller hoses were turned
loose, thereby reducing the pressure,
we cannot say. The destruction of
is heavy, but the wheel of
fortune favored us in keeping the
wind in the right quarter, and there
by averted much greater calamity.
A peculiar feature of the conflagra-
tion is that noue of the destroyed
pr operty was insured. The proximity
Of the gas works, the cluster of frame
and other things, made the
rate SO high as to be almost pro
hIbitory.