Altman, Colorado
Fire
May
24, 1903
INCENDIARY FIRE DESTROYS THE MINING TOWN
OF ALTMAN
Denver, May 24. – A Republican special from
Altman last night says:
The entire business portion of this city is in
ruins after this morning’s fire, and five
persons are still in jail, held for further
investigation on the suspicion that they are the
ones who started the configuration. Six arrests
are known to have been made
 and other persons
were sought by the police. Some are said to have
been apprehended, but the police refuse to
divulge their names. One prisoner was released
after a “sweating” in Cripple Creek to-night.
Mrs. Ollie Davisson,
proprietor of the Altman hotel in which the fire
originated; Mrs. Lowe,
who lives in the hotel and is a friend of Mrs.
Davisson; John Lyons,
a miner living in the hotel;
Neal Osborne, ex-marshal of Altman;
Jesse Deaton
and J. W. Dunfee,
the latter formerly a collector for
Altman Water Company, are the suspects arrested
early today. Dunfee is now awaiting trial on a
charge of embezzlement from the water company.
The principal buildings destroyed, together
with the losses and insurance are as follows:
Miner’s Union hall, loss $6,000; insurance
$4,000.
Mrs. Ollie Davisson,
Altman hotel, loss $4,000. The building was
fully insured, but when the building took fire
about two weeks ago under suspicious conditions,
the underwriters cut down the policy to $2,000.
Dr. W. H. Leavenworth,
drug store building and two houses, loss
$4,500, partly insured.
Krueger
Grocery Company and postoffice [sic],
H. C. Krueger,
postmaster; loss on building and contents
$4,000, insurance $3,000. About $50 in money
orders was destroyed, but the mail was saved.
Business house owned by
Mark Ketting, loss $4,000, partly
insured.
Jordan
Mercantile Company, occupying the ground floor
of the Miners Union hall; loss on stock and
fixtures $2,5000, partly insured.
Mike McCreedy,
saloon building and residence, loss $2,500,
insurance $800.
City hall, totally destroyed; loss $2,400,
insurance $2,000.
Rooming house, owned and conducted by
Mrs. Griffin;
loss $1,500, partly insured.
Lodging house, owned by
Mrs. McBreen; loss $1,500, insurance is any not
known.
J. C. Fitzgerald,
residence, loss $800, fully insured.
Charles Johnson,
business house and contents, loss $1,000, partly
insured.
Joe Bloomgreen,
store building, loss $700, insured.
Thomas Coll,
dwelling house, loss $1,000; saloon $500, partly
insured.
Mrs. Kate Cahill,
residence and contents, loss $800, no
insurance.
William Lewis,
residence and contents, loss $300.
William Pollock,
residence, loss $500, partly insured.
In addition, about twelve of fifteen cabins
and “shacks” were either totally destroyed or
suffered damage. The loss in these instances
will aggregate to $5,000.
Aspen Weekly Times, Aspen, CO 29 May 1903
Transcribed by
Jenni Lanham. Thank you,
Jenni!
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