White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-26

1 WneTe III was pOSSl lD1e 10 DO eHectlV0
work, both In the loft and also upon
the main fire.
1t was at this stage of the blaze
that young VanZweeden lost his life.
:, He had been among the first to reach
the scene, and with others had work
ed hard In extinguishing the flames,
and assisting in the removal of goods
from the store. The last recalled of
the young man, was when he left
hose line which he had been holding
with Royal F. Matthias and l.. r. Ia
dow. Matthias had been directing the
stream from the top of ladder while
Zadow and VanZweeden were on the
ground. When 1t was seen the fire
was out, VanZweeden had gone
around to Clark street, and with
others entered the store from that
side. The store was in utter dark
ness and dripping with water, and
scarcely had the men gotten inside
before there was an ominous crack
ing and the burned roof and floor
timbers fell with a crash.
Warned by shouts as the ruins
gave away, there was rush for
safety. 1t was supposed at the
time that VanZweeden was among the
number, and after the floor fell in
work of removing goods from the
ruins was continued.
II was not until some time had
elapsed that VanZweeden' absence
was noticed and search for him made.
First efforts were unavailable, but
later. Fire Chief John Murphy and
Joseph Gilbert, in looking through
the debris in the store, found the
body, almost covered by charred and
broken timbers, on the floor near the
office. Some little difficulty was ex-
perienced in removing the remains.
as 1t was necessary to cut some of
the timbers that had caught the boy
in their fall.
VanZweeden did not appear to be
crushed nor injured in any way and
following his removal, every effort
was made to restore signs of life, five
doctors, Alexander, Adams, Holm
quist. Brock and Richardson, work
Ing over the inanimated form. But
life was extinct. and subsequently the
body was removed to the Nevin &
Graham undertaking rooms.
Appearances indicate that drown
ing was the indirect cause of Van
Zweeden's death. although the tim
bers that crushed him TO the floor had
struck his head in such a manner as
to render him unconscious. With
the falling floor had come down a
deluge of water, and when the body
was found the head was forced down
wards, in about four inches of water
Had he not been unconscious, he
could have made his situation known
to those who went into the store i'm
mediately after the floor fell, in
search for anyone who might have
been caught in the ruins. The rafter
which held VanZweeden had caught
him just above the right temple.
The cause of the fire is not known,
but one theory advanced is that de-
fective electric light wiring may have
started the blaze. Mr.. Wade, prop
rietor of the store, was in Salt Lake
City at the time and did not learn of
the fire until his arrival at Cobre, on
his way home. Friday. During his
absence. his brother-in-law, George
r. Smith was in charge of the store.
Mr.. Smith, who is regularly employ
ed in the store, has slept in the room
on the second floor, where the fire
appeared to have started, but Thurs
day night remained at the Wade
states that no one was on the second
floor to his knowledge later than
Thursday afternoon. when he had
taken two men there to try on some
clothing.
1t seems incredible, that the fire
which had such a tremendous start,
was extinguished with so little dam
age to surrounding property, as all
the adjoining buildings are of flimsy
construction and would burn like
tinder. During the fire the piano
was removed from the Empire
theater, but aside from water and
other damage of superficial nature.
the theater was not injured to any
great extent, the loss being estimat-