Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-12-02
DISASTROUS FIRE
At WEST CENTRAL
AND FOURTH ST.

In fire which occurred yesterday
afternoon at the northwest corner OF
Fourth street and West Central ave-
nue., the two-story frame building
owned by Dennis Mcdonald, together
with the complete stock of paints and
varnishes belonging to A. Chauyin
were entirely destroyed. The lower
part of the building was used by Mr..
Chauvin for a paint and wall paper
store, and the upper part as living
quarters, which were elegantly fur
nished The fire alarm was turned
in to the central fire station at 1880
o'clock, and it was but the work of a
few minutes until the firemen had
the hose attached to plugs at Third
Fourth and Fifth street and the
streams of water were playing on the
flames that were leaping half way
across West Central avenue. Before
the arrival of the firemen, Mrs.
Chauvin, who was in the building at
the time the fire broke out, was I'M
der the impression that her little H.
year-old daughter was in the upper
part of the building and became al
most hysterical The child was later
found in the street returning from
Rosenwald's store, where she had
gone but few minutes before tho
fire was discovered.
The fire Is believed to have been
started from a stove in the lower part
of the building.
The firemen deserve good deal of
credit for the way they handled the
fire and kept 1t from burning the
small frame buildings nearby. Mr.
Mcdonald estimates his loss at
SIS 600, which was covered by a par
tial insurance of $1,000. Mr.. Chau-
vim was unable to give definite es-
innate of his loss, but his stock of
goods that he had in the store, would
run between $4,000 and $1,000.
Household furnishings would probably
bring the loss up to $4,000 more. A
very small insurance was carried by
Mr.. Chauvin, 1t was said.
According to Mr.. Mcdonald, II is
his intention to lease his property on
that corner to a syndicate of eastern
men who intended to erect a modern
hotel.
The building was known before AL
buquerque was first Incorporated as a
town and the houses properly num-
berad, as mo. 444.' 1t was one of
the few real old landmarks of Albu-
luerque. In the year 1880 ON tho
stub train coming from La Junta,
Colo. there was a Mrs. Terry, coming
10 join her husband, DR.. Terry, of the
United States army, stationed in Old
Town, and with her was her sister,
Miss Dottie Allen. They came from
Pennsylvania, and had considerable
money. Like all Corners of those
sarly days, Mrs. Terry saw in her
Vision a city OF fifty thousand"
people here within few years and
She purchased some lots at the cor
her of Fourth street and Railroad
avenue, now Central avenue, and
erected houses thereon in the latter
part Of 1881. The first was the two
story GUST destroyed), and 1t bore
he distinction of being the first two
story house to be erected In Albu-
luerque. A. NJ Whitcomb' and Ed
ward Medler were the contractors. 1t
vas used first as a rooming house
and lodged some of AlbuQuerque's |
,est citizens then. because 1t was
one of the best of its kind
hen in the city. 1t was known DIS
he Albuquerque house for many
ears, and later was used for various
purposes
The house Immediately adjoinins-
vas numbered $3.50 and the house
text to it was known as 1888"