Tombstone epitaph. (Tombstone, Ariz.) 1887-current, 1917-07-29
Home Of the Prospector
Visited By a Disastrous
Fire; Damages Presses

The home of The Daily j ospecto- visited last
gu = damaging, if not s;,lous fire aid whi.h s"rl-
.ppled the plant today and VIII Tor time be"
tore machinery can be laced and the building pnt
b,~.k niO its former condition
During the heavy electrical storm when visited
Tombstone last night about II O'Clock it appears that
bolt of lightning struck upright exhaust pipe protrud
ing from the roof of the press and passed down
ward. through the engine grounding, setting fire the
floor This undoubtedly smouldered for three
hours before it broke out into flames and the fire
first noticed by Harry Bradt, who driving down
the street in his He the smoke pouring from
the building and Immediately called Night Waterman
Hal Smith who gave the alarm by firing. and ringing the
fire bell just the street i'll the city hall. lnme-
diatey number responded and the building was broken
into and stream of water playing the flames
which eXtinguished after considerable damage had
resulted
the night the linotype machine. which is located III the
composing the main building and had just CLOSED
up and about block away on his way home when he
Smith and Brad who told him of the fire. which
the first ntimaton he had of the blaze.
For time it looked as if the whole building would
be and the printing machinery would be to-
tai loss, but willing hands had it under control As
it is however two large job presses almost III ruin
and the Campbell two revolution cylinder press
which had been installed in February is seriously damag
ed and it will take weeks before it will be again in running
order if at ALL and experienced pressman will have to
be brought here before the exact amount of damage
be ascertained The gasoline engine which furnish
the power is complete loss while the newspaper oldei
is almost burned to cnder The only press which suffer
ed but little damage although badly scorched is the ole
Country Campbell which had been discarded when tn,
press was installed 1t placed back into run
ming order today and despite the fact that il is slow and
had to be operated by hand todas issue of The
ProSpectOr due time thanks to the assistance
of willing friends who labored all day assisting the force
in cleaning away the ruins
1t will undoubtedly be three four weeks before
The PrOspector vii be able to get back into shape again
and any shortcomings which may result in the confusion
and lack of equipment will be pardonable, when it is
derstood that the papr must issued regularly at
serOns handicap and the notable record that the Pros
pector has missed single eekday issue since it's
inception twenty-five years ago. will not be broken
and if it's publishers help it. issue will not be
missed, though misfortune and financial los.
has caused serious handicap.
To all who assisted the publishers wish to extend
their sincere thanks knowing that their efforts give
Tombstone live daily paper appreciated
The building and contents carried insurance and be-
fore anything be removed attempt made clea1
away the debris the arrival of adiuster from Los Ar
geles must be awaited to equalize the loss.