The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-22

street and the othcr in the ''Y' on the
cast sice. Rot. brought their families
but LETT all of their belongings.
Is Eeyond Description.
You nevcr saw anYthing like it,
said Mr. Barnett "The fire came up
Placer creek, south Of town, and crossed
heavilv-timbcrcd ridge which mounts
To point more than 1000 feet above
the streets. regular anlc was be.
hind 1t when il hi the crest of the
| hill, and sparks. flew several hundred
yards aEead of il,
This was about 9 CLOCK, and the
business portion of the town was crowd
! ed with people. No one dreamed that
we were in real danger. An hour prior
to that time. when we first began TO
see the flames on the other side, num-
bers of women and children were bun
died off to the railway stations, where
trains were being made up to take them
out If it seemed necessary; but | did
not fear.
''But. sir, when the fire reached tho
top OF that mountain and sparks began
to fy, everybody hustled, i do not be.
lieve that the flames were five minutes
coming down that hill Fifty men with
oil and torches could not have spread
such a fire,
Sweeps All Before 1t.
f'The fire struck residences on the
way down and came roaring to the busi-
ness section of the east side. The Times
building was one Of the very firsg TO 90
The top of n little laundry was twisted
off and hurled against the Pacific hotel,
which burned like a tinder box. The
fire department was called out, bnt 1t
could not stand before the fierce blaze
and had to move from Bank TO Resi-
dence street. But. do what they might,
the firemen could not stem the rushing
eoniiagratlon. Soon everything on
Pearl, High, Residence and Bank
streets. in the immediate vicinity all
Worstell s furniture store, one of the
handsomest places in town, was licked
up. So was Samuel IS and the Missoula
hotels and Smith & Conner's building.
The Occur d'Alene hardware store aud
iron works were destroyed.
AS we carried the last patient out OF
Providence hospital the flames were
playing all about it. The people, wild
with excitement were running en- Easse
pletely cut off from the main plrS OF
the city and were driven 20 the woods.
| fear that many perishcd against the
I don't see how some of
them could escape.
With Terrifying Speed.
"My God, man, ] will never forget
the way that fire dashed over that
and down to the town! 1t
broke out in a dozen places and came
sweeping like a mighty wind. / do not
think | ever saw such a gale in this
"What per cent of the people OF the
town live on the east side?' he was
asked.
"About oneffth; it includes all OF
the Second ward, and there are bat
three other wards. -
.'Where did this fire originated"
Somewhere on Pine creek. about a
month ago. 1t burned over both east
and west forks. United States soldiers
had been fighting the fire back in the !
for days, Late yesterday !
afternoon company of negro soldiers |
came to town They were driven out |
of the forests, and it was then that we
irst began to feel that we might suffer.
The smoke was so thick that the lights
lad to be turned on about o clock.
Yet. | repeat, / did not see any
,ausc for uneasiness until five minutes !
before the town was on fire. -