Show MERCUR IS DESTROYED BY FIRE AN APPEAL IS MADE FOR SUPPLIES OF FOOD Eighty Per Cent of the tile Buildings in the Town Tawn Burned and Every Busi Business Business usi ness House in Ruins MERCUR l Utah June 25 Eighty Eighty per percent percent percent cent of the buildings in Mercur l are in ashes Main street is devastated swept clean by the flames Where at 9 o o'clock clock this morning stood a busy prosperous little city there Is nothing but a long longstretch str stretch of blackened ruins Every business business busi busi- ness house In the town is burned to the the grou ground d every store restaurant hotel bank not a single structure left I Many Residences Burned More than this all residences upon Main street and jn in that vicinity are aie also consumed and many persons are homeless Only such Mich houses as were wera out of the line of the fire escaped The condl condition lion Is one hard to realize There Is nothing saved from the tle stocks of merchandise and the supplies of the hotels and restaurants The people need and must have without delay meat groceries and other provisions Origin of the Fir Fire The fire file was dIscovered at 9 30 this morning and originated in an upper upper room of the Ophir hotel which is situated situated situated sit sit- in the north end of Main 1 street No positive information as to the cause of its origin is obtainable and theories are are uncertain and conflicting i At the time the flames were first dis discovered covered the fire had not made great headway but the Ophir hotel was a a. a. a that burned like tinder and find nd by the time tim the Tittle ire fire Ire derail derailment mint ment reached the scene the structure was a seething mass of flames which spread quickly t to adjoining buildings Started Breeze Breeze of of Fire The air was air was before the fire but the fierceness with with which which the dry buildings build build- ings Inga burned created a breeze that fanned the flames to still to-still still greater fury Flying brands were blown across the street and in ten minutes the conflagration tion was beyond human power to check h handicapped as the he ci dozens zens were by lack of water and the crowded condition condition condition condi condi- tion of the narrow street The people fought bravely but to no avail Wrapped in Flames In less than an hour the entire street was wrapped in the flames which hall had spread with such rapidity that there was no time to save anything from the buildings consumed By noon the fire was subsiding the entire street was consumed and only the scattering residences residences resi- resi dences on th the outskirts were v le left t. t i Both sides aides of Main street from end to end have been completely destroyed approximately approximately ap ap- ap- ap proximately building having been burned Fire Fhe Under Control I At 2 o'clock the fire tire was practically over there was nothing left for the flames flame The Ophir hotel in which the fire started is owned by C C. L L. Preble The Union Mercantile Co Cos s 's building McCornick McCornick nick Co Cos s bank were the only two brick buildings in the city Three buildings buildings build build- ings inga adjoining ining the Union Mercantile Co Cos Coa S 'S building owned by C C. H H. of Salt Lake were consumed at a loss of with no Insurance I I |