The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1914-08-22
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS FIRE
Prompt and Effective Work By Eureka's
Fire Boys Prevents Conflasration

ttfat bhOhC Out III tafC tCok
of Phil Paroni's store on Main street,
adjoining the Eureka Opera House,
about 11:30 o'clock Wednesday night
from an unknown cause. is supposed
to have started in an clubhouse and
then extended to an immense pile of
empty packing boxes stored in the
rear of the store. The fire had
gained considerable Roadway when
discovered, and the early control of
the blaze no doubt prevented a cor
f~agration of considerable magnitude.
A very short time after the alarm
was sounded. the Rescues, Mob Hill
and Knickerbocker hose carts we're
on the ground and four lines of hose
were playing on the fire, which was
soon put out.
The damage from fire and water
was slight; only the back wall of the
store building being charred.
The prompt response of the fire
boys and the water works employees,
and the thoroughness and speed with
which they worked. demonstrated
their efficiency and has given a sense
of security to the people of Eureka
in Ease of any future alarms of fire.
On August II, 1880, one-half of
the town of Eureka was destroyed
by a fire that started about 10 a. m.
in the rear of Mrs. Poplin's fruit and
vegetable store on Main street.
Phil Paroni's store now occupies
this ground and Wednesday nights
blaze started in the same identical
spot as the fire of 1880.
The following account of the fire
of 1880 is taken from the Eureka
SENTINEL of August Is. 1880:
At about 10 a.. m. yesterday ar
alarm of fire was sounded and the
entire population was seen in motion.
A dense cloud of smoke was seen to
issue from the rear of Mrs. Poplin's
fruit and vegetable store on Main
street, just south of the Odd Fellows
Hall. In two minutes several wooden
buildings in the immediate vicinity
were enveloped in flames. The fire
seemed to make unprecedented head
way from the very start.
The iremen were promptly on
hand and two streams were applied.
but without visible effects. The
wind was blowing a gale from the
southwark and continued to blow as
only it can blow in these mountain
canyons, until the flames had run
their course.
The fire backed up against the
the wind to the southwark to Gold
street. crossing Buel and in turn
reaching to Spring and Paul streets.
its course and scope being almost
identical with the great ~conflagra-
ton of April, 1879. differing only in
these particulars: 1t went a little
further south and stopped a little
short of the old mark on the north.
Possibly 800 houses, many OF them
business establishments, were des-
troyed yesterday. Also some OF the
finest and most costly private resi-
dences in town were consumed. A
space equal to so acres of the very
heart of the town was swept. In
this vast area only half adozen build
ings remain to relieve the wide
spread ruin and desolation. Jack
Perry's corner, Tommy Douglass
building, the Foley-Rickard block.
Paxton & Co.'s bank. Jake COINS
store, DR.. Schneider's drug store,
Kayser's clothing store, and c. Lau-
tenschlager's Corner saloon, are the
only buildings left.
1t was due to the most heroic eff
forts that the fire was confined to the
east side of Main street. The entire
line of buildings on the west side is
charred, and many of them badly
damaged.
The exact origin of the fire is not
known. The first any n knew the
flames were far advanced in the real
of the premises already noted,