White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-22
ilOCHE IL VISITER BY
DESTRUCTIVE CONTEMPLATION

IRE broke out ia or back OF the
Catholic church. located on Cedar,
Tear Meadow Valley street. and built
moro than forty five years ago by
The late Bishop scanlan. and spread
rug 10 the adjoining residences the
flames totally DESTROYED the church
and the parsonage in the rear. and
the homes of Joe Powers, John +.
Roeder and Mrs. 8. II. Babbitt. the
latter being occupied by II. NJ. Lands
downe, as well as the church itself,
Gays the Phoebe Record.
The total loss exceeds SIS, 5000,
with practically no insurance.
The origin of the fire Is not known
with certainty. but 1t Is believed by
many TO have been the result of fire
crackers which were being exploded
by boys and one of which may have
been famed to flame by the prevail
ing high wind.
Within a few minutes after the
sounding of the alarm the church
was a seething furnace of flame.
roaring redly upward. and, carry
ing blazing shingles and other fire
brands high into the air. scattered
sparks over the entire town, start
ing other fires. which, however. were
quickly extinguished by the many
volunteers who were stationed
wherever danger threatened.
II was these incipient fires that
gave rise to a rumor of possible in
cendiarism. but the Records investi-
cation proved that the ~firecracker
theory was the more probable, es-
pecially since boys we're known to
have been using f~irecrackers in their
participation in the celebration for
the returning soldiers.
While the houses on each side of
the church were occupied at the time
the fire broke out, yet the flames
were first noticed by Cecil Willcugh-
by, who rang the fire bell for the
first general alarm, while Mrs. VIII
loughby ran down to the Roeder res
idence.
Mr.. and Mrs. Roeder were at the
ball game, but Mrs. John Elliot, Mrs.
Roeder's visiting sister, not feeling
we'll, was lying down beside her
sleeping daughter. Geraldine, when
Mrs. Willoughby reached the house
with the news of the danger.
Mrs. Alice Rutland. sister of Joe
Powers. was sitting in the front room
of the Powers residence, west of the
church. all unconscious of the fire
until a wave of flame and heat swept
into the house. severely burning her
arm. With the wind tanning the
flames in that direction there was
no time tn save anything from the
house but a few pieces of unimport-
ant furniture. and the loss sustained
by Mr.. Powers was the most v
as he lost practically everything, in.
Guiding many keepsakes which al
never be replaced.
Mrs. Rutland heard the roaring Of
the flames for some time, but. think
ing the noise TO be merely the sound
of the wind. she paid no attention
TO il.
Most of the people of Phoebe were
witnessing the bali game between
the Phoebe and Paneca teams when
the smoke was seen, followed short
ly by the alarm. There were thirty
automobiles parked around the dia-
mond and some thoughtful person
raised the cry to turn these machines
over to the hremen. who jumped into
the machines and were quickly
racing 10 the fire.
william s. Carman in his endeavor
To board a rushing automobile from
the baseball ground was thrown un-
der the wheels and painfully Injured.
In a remarkably short time all the
men Of Phoebe we're at the cen of
the fire and working hard to check
the destruction and to save the o
able property.
Then followed a shortage of water
which caused the loss of the Roeder
home, which up to that time had
been protected somewhat by a favor-
able wind. II seems that three lines
of hose we're attached to fire n.y.
drants on the anne pipe line, and il
is also reported that there was some
difficulty in properly opening one
of the valves. There was little water
pressure until late in the fight. when
water was turned into the lower SUP
ply tanks. and this additional sup
ply gave the firemen all the water
needed.
Soon the Roeder residence was
blazing throughout, and unchecked,
the flames swept against the wind
IT,. NJ. Al c bnuoa opcu.