The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-02-10
DISASTROUS FIRE VISITS FAIRBANKS
 HALF BLOCK RAzED TO THE GROUND

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 The most disastrous fire visit Fairbanks since the big conflagraon of May 1906 occurred last night
 ing destruction many of the principal buildings of the city ing to destruction many ot the principal buildings ot the city, the section devastated covering twoirds of the block the east side of Cusfan from First to Second avenues On First avenue, east it swept rapidly thru the business houses being finally checked the building formerly pied by the Bredie shoe On Cusan street all build ings destroyed On Second aveue east all buildings destroyed up the building occupied by the Brede shoe store
 The siren whistle announcing the fire, blown about II 80. As possible line of hose from the hydrant the end of the bridge but before the coupling could be made the fire away crossing the bridge Garden Island and going distance before being caught This caused great delay aho other lines laid from the N C. department The chemical arrived at the but few seconds after the alarm turned in but the remen could locate the of the blaze do eff fective work An attempt made to force entrance the cellar of the Fairbanks thru the wood chute where believed the fire located dense volumes of smoke rolling out thru the chute Being filled with wood few minutes before the way cleared to line of hose the blaze As the door lead ing the cellar broken in the smoke rolled out in such volume that it impossible do much execution there
 By this time several lines of hose had been laid and playing the interior of the cellar from other directions It evident that the of trouble had not been reached for the blaze continued increase Following up between the double walls of the building it but a short time until the whole structure enveloped in flames the blaze breaking the most noticeable in the Fairbanks clothing companys store, which seetng mass of fire.
 FLAMES TRAVEL RAPIDLY
 Rapidly the blaze communicated itself to the adjoining buildings and but few minutes elapsed before the glare of the fire could be scerned for miles, the wooden buildings burning quickly By this time several streams of water were playing the flames from Front street, Cushman and on Second Owing to the number of lines run was
 impossible get the full force of the and the chances of fighting the blaze in the second stories of the taller build ings poor and which in measure accounted for the rapid spread of the fire
 Due the first slight check many of the occupants of the destroyed buildings enabled much of their goods, lessening the loss
 Within few minutes after the blaze broke out in the Fairbanks clothing company quarters the walls seethng of fire which quickly communicated itself the building occupied by the H. B. Avakoff ewely and the Waechter Brothers meat market, both of which completely enveloped in flames The fire fighters de- voted their efforts to staying the fire in these buildings but the from the hose could reach to the length and the center sections roaring As the outer wall of building burned thru it but short time until the flame would appear the opposite side of the house. the air spaces between the osts acting draft In this the first commnica ed from building to building until all of the largest in flames The only hope of saving the entire block lay in the fire being checked in of the smaller fmsy structures which eventually proved to be the
 On up Front street the fire swept consuming building after building in its of destruction As all hope of saving building past line of hose left playing the flames check them far possible and the freen would the other lines try and pro- tect the building but without avail, the blaze would eat its way thru the walls and the building would burst out in flames In this manner the fire its up First until it to the building formerly cuped by the S. R. Bredie shoe company The fire gained to the and burned of the supports of the russes, which fe allowing the roof down within the walls of the building They checked the fire on Front street although probable that the firemen would have been able get under control in this building single story in construction and very fsy The tin roof kept the sparks from flying and this prevented the spread of the flames the wood underneath burn ing fercely Had the flames gotten away from the fire at this building preparations had been made blow the other small buildings with dynamite in order