The Meeker herald., 1911-03-11
Most Disastrous Fire
in Meeker's History
Early Morning Blaze Levels Splendid Hugus BockLoss
Estimated At so5p0o, Partly InsuredGood
Work Of Volunteer Department

Meeker was rudely awakened from
its sleep at two-thirty O'Clock ysstsr.
day morning by the changing OF the
fire bell and the scrsecbing Of the
mill whistle. Tumbling from IT. bed
1t rushed to the windows to be met
by the glare from the most disastrous
holocaust the town has ever knswn.
The fire, which, fortunately, wss con-
fined entirely to the Hugus COM
pany's store, was burning with >
flerceness and abandon that seemed
fair to make clean sweep Of that en-
tire block Of buildings, from tho HUI
gus store clear down to Reis's tailor
shop.
Within few minutes after the flrst
alarm had sounded the fire boys were
on the scene, but though they work
ed hard-harder than mortal man
had ever worked-their efforts, ham
dicapped sadly by low water pres
sure, were utterly futile against the
seething wall Of fame, though the
boys manning the two lone lines OF
hose worked fairly within the very
jaws Of the fire. Again and again
they were driven back. but again and
again they advanced, until finally
the building collapsed, tearing itself
away from the remainder Of the block
with terrific crash.
Then It was that the workers turn
ed their attention to the adjoining
buildings. Clambering to the roof Of
the Meeker hotel and then passing OF,
to the roof Of that portion Of the Hu-
gus block still standing they played
their streams on the still hsrcely-
burning ruins. But they sooa Aban-
doned this position and returned 10
the ground, forcing their way onto
the ruins and to within playing dis
tance of the fire wall, thus preventing
any further chance Of the fire oom-
municating itself to the rest Of the
block.
Several Of the fireman were neASly
overcome BY the Intense heat aud
bllndiAe smoke. hat they all uaals
saS4 - G6nG als1 III
bssn gotten under control.
The nre started In the rear Of the
Hugus block and worked through the
building with tremendous rapidity,
getting . big headway before 1t was
discovered. At first the supposition
obtained that 1t had Its origin In the
furnace. but people In q position to
know scout that idea. 1t is pointed
out that the furnace rests in . cement
pit with . cement retaining wall
around it thereby making fire from
that source almost impossible. 1t is
further pointed out that even II the
furnace had exploded, which it did
not do, the escspiug matter would
have been principally steam. And
yet, even though the furnace theory
In thus exploded, ,incendiarism is not
charged, for 1t seems unreasonable to
suppose that any one would deliber-
ately set fire to the building. From
present indications 1t looks rs though
1t will remain an unsolved mystery.
The heaviest loser is the J. w. HUI
gus company. Mr.. Moulton thinks
that the damage will amount to
about s55, 900, with insurance of t37,-
500. OF this insurance $685. 900 was on
the stock and III, 500 on the building.
The store proper and its contents are
an absolute loss, but the warehouse
was untouched, and it is thought
that there will be quite . little sal
wage from the goods slowed away in
the basement, though nothing In re-
gard to the latter hsd been determin-
ed up to the time Of our going to
press. Almost all of the new fixtures,
which, fortunately, had not been in
stalled, were saved. Several pieces,
which had been slowed In the base
ment, were badly damaged. In ad-
dition, several of the carpenters who
had been working on the stores i'm
lost portion of their
tools.
The next heaviest loser is DR..
French. He estimates his loss at
about 5000, with no insurance. The
doctor owned an X-Ray and some
surgical instruments and
fine medical library. 1t will be diff
cult to replace the latter.
Rio Blanco Lodge No. 80, A. F. 4
A. NJ, and Meeker Chapter No. 81,
r. A. NJ, suffered = joint loss of
about 1880, with insurance OF about
d, 800.
The offices Of the forest service al
80 lost everything, but We haven't
yet what the figures are. Su-
pervisor Blair especially bemoans
the loss Of about = years work which
bis force bad put in on the records.