FIRE ON THE HILL
Four Houses of Prostitution Went Up in Smoke This Morning About Three O’clock.
The first really destructive fire in the history of this city occurred this morning, and as a
result four houses of prostitution went up in smoke at a loss aggregating $20,000. Wm. Duncalf, Fred C. Tyson, Frank Gagnon and W. E. Rose were the proprietors of the places. The fire started about 3 o’clock, and the fire department was immediately called out, but upon their arrival found the buildings a mass of flames on the inside, and nothing could be done to save them. They turned their attention to the adjoining buildings.
Streams were turned onto the Blake house and the Thurston & Love saloon building, and were in this manner successful in confining the fire to the buildings already in flames. All efforts to save anything from the burning mass were futile, some of the occupants narrowly escaping with their lives.
Due to the closing up last week each of the houses had only two or three occupants, and no bartenders were employed on the night shift. It has been their custom since the saloon part only has been in commission to work the day bartender until about midnight and close up. This was done last night. The bartender at Tyson’s closed up at midnight, leaving a good fire in the bar room stove, and it is the supposition that the door in some manner was opened and some of the coals fell to the floor.
The fire was not discovered until after the whole interior of the place was a mass of flames, and was spreading to the adjoining buildings.
The buildings were all two-story frame structures and aggregate a loss in the neighborhood of $20,000, distributed as follows:
Fred C, Tyson,… $5,000 [320-322 Second Street, Block 21, Lots 11-12, original townsite, corner lot]
Wm. Duncalf… $7,000 [318 Second Street, Block 21, Lot 10, original townsite]
Frank Gagnon….$ 4,000 [316 Second Street, Block 21, Lot 9, original townsite]
W. E. Rose…$5,000 [314 Second Street, Block 21, Lot 8, original townsite]
Insurance was carried on each of the places except that of Gagnon’s. Mr. Duncalf carried $4,000, Tyson $3,500, and Rose $1,500. Some talk of incendiarism has been started, but it is believed by the large number that the fire was purely accidental, no object for incendiarism being presented. (Feb 15, 1904)
Stella Gagnon had purchased Block 21, Lot 9 for $400 on July 5, 1900.
W.E. Rose had purchased Block 21, Lot 8 for $500 on April 8, 1902.