LEADVILLE NEWS.

A BIG BLAZE.

LEADVILLE, Jan. 23.---[Special.] A disastrous fire, doing about $10,000 worth of damage, occurred here this morning. Flames broke out of the old Chronicle building, 221 and 221½ Harrison avenue, about 7:30 o'clock and in a few moments a fierce fire was raging. The old building burned with lightning rapidity. The firemen worked hard and all their energy was directed to save the building occupied by Ed Jackson & Co., the tailors and they succeeded in controlling the fire in that direction.

The buildings in that block are very close together and by the time the fire department had stopped the flames from eating up Jackson's building the store on the other side of the burning building owned by Nathan Cohn was burning fiercely and the flames spread with great rapidity to the adjoining barber shop and then to Gottlieb Mack's saloon. For awhile the fire was entirely beyond control of the firemen and the upper stories were quickly burned out.

Mr. Cohn and his family had but scant time to escape from the burning building, and, as they were all in bed when the fire broke out, escaped in their night clothes. Mrs. Overholt, who runs a lodging house in the second story 225 Harrison avenue, occupied one of the front rooms and heard some men say "the building is on fire; wake the people!" She quickly dressed herself and then hurried about collecting a few of her most valuable articles. She was soon driven from the building by smoke and flames. Some of the roomers succeeded in saving a few of their clothes, but most everything was left behind to be burned or ruined by water. Gottlieb Mack succeeded in saving a portion of his stock. Mr. Cohn also saved the most of his stock, but all his household effects were burned. Ed. Jackson & Co.'s stock suffered from being drenched by water, while the dwelling rooms of Mr. Puttkamer over the store were scorched.

It is opinion that the fire originated over the policy shop. The building is owned by Mr. Morgan. This is the second serious fire that has occurred this week.

Aspen Weekly Times, Aspen, CO 25 Jan 1890
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!