The daily Alaskan., 1922-03-02
FIRE RUINS WELL KNOWN BUSH NESS CORNER AT EARLY
 MORNING HOUR

In a bitter temperature of 45 t. 50 below zero, and on the coldest night of the winter, fire started at 3:I5 o'clock this morning in the Empire Block, at Queen street and Second avenue. The flames were confined to the block. but t,ey spread rapid Iy at first and the entire building burned like a furnace for two hours. says the Dawson News of Feb. z.
 The badly burned walls remain in place, but the roof has fallen in and the entire structure is practic- ally a charred shell.
 The chief losers are: pr. Alfred Thompson. former member of par liament, and Fred G. Crisp and the estate of Civilian, who owned the building; Joseph p Gadoua, owner of the B. & F. store, which occupied the lower floor, in the corner loca- tiOn; and Dr. G. M. Faulkner and Dr, A. J. Gillis, whose dental offices and entire equipment were on the upper floor, over the B. & F. store.
 The building comprising the old Empire Hotel and the building in which the B. & F. store and dental offices were located, together form ed the Empire Bio k. Flames gut ted and practically ruined both buildings and contents. About the only stock or equipment saved was a small portion of that from the B. & F. store. Possibly a thousand dollars will cover she value of all the stock carried out and which may be salvaged Mr. Gadoua estimates that he had eight to ten thousand dollars worth of cigars, tobaccos, candies stationery, novelties and equipment on the premises. all of which was insured for four thous- and dollars.
 No insurance wal carried by the owners of the buildings or by others who lost by the fife.
 The sound of the siren called out many people. but the majority of the residents of the city did not hear it, and were not at the fire. The department made a quick re- spouse. and was on the job quickly and laid five lines of hose. two from tle Scht0k coruc., two from the ScougaIe corner, and one from the Krause corner.
 Fortunately there was a vacant space between the Empire Block and the next buildings ol Second avenue, namely. the old Cqk Hall Block, owned by Charles P. Burkhard. and one old log building which former ly had stood at the west end of the Empire Block had been torn down and removed. Had other buildings stood close against the Empire Block the flames night have spread over the entire block or swept much of the city.
 Water from the KIondike river was turned into the city power wells at the pumping station. and there was an abundance If water.
 The fire was confined at,aIl times to the block. and by 5:3O o'clock the flames were subdued. but the whistle giving notice tne last spark of fire was out did not sound until about s o'clock. Despite the bitter ness of the night the fire force and volunteers. including a number of the police and citizens. worked with out cessation as long as required.
 Dr. Faulkner left his fur coat and outer garments and escaped without even shoes. He also left SIOO behind in the clothes On making a search today he found that the blankets of the bed had been thrown Ovcr the clothing, including the trousers in which the Sl0O was tucked away, and that water froI. the noz,les had made a coating over the Coa; and ether articles ard had prot Acted them. so he recovered the cl ';res and morev. This is the tliE1 seI- ious fire Dr. Faulkuer has me; with in the last two or tLree years. Build sugs at his West Dawson ranch and crops worth several thousand dol lars were burned two winters aco, and not long after that fre swept the block in which his office was To- cated on Queen street.