Fire Takes the Victoria Hotel
BY: BG EDITOR
Greenwood Hotel, early 1900s
Photo: Bonnie Edstrom
Apr 29, 2017 — GREENWOOD, BC (BG)
In previous segments we covered the devastating fires that destroyed the Clarendon, International, Windsor and Pacific hotels in Greenwood. Today we look at another fire that destroyed an historic hotel — this time the Victoria, on September 19, 1908.[1] Sadly, this fire also resulted in serious bodily harm to the person who accidentally started the blaze.
SERIOUS FIRE
Loss of $10,000 to Greenwood Property
"A fire that looked extremely dangerous at the beginning destroyed the Victoria hotel and several stores on Copper street on Saturday last. It originated in the building owned by Mrs. R. A. Bealey, and tenanted by Mrs. Darling as a clothes-cleaning establishment, who accidentally ignited a can of gasoline which exploded and set fire to the premises.
Mrs. Darling, severely burned about the arms and face, rushed to the street and was saved from further injury by the prompt action of citizens who smothered the flames of her burning clothing.
In a minute the smoke was rolling upward from the roof, the alarm was in and men were rushing to the fight. The emergency hose was scarcely laid before the hose wagons were on the ground, and in five minutes six heavy streams were playing on the fire from every side. In twenty minutes it was under control and was kept confined to a street frontage of 100 feet.
The Victoria hotel and contents is a total loss and Mrs. Mason who had charge of the restaurant and rooms lost all her personal belongings amounting to about $400. Mrs. Darling's premises were completely destroyed. Practically, all of the Jaynes' grocery stock was removed, and they were engaged in trade across the street the same evening.
The upper storey of Holmes and Kennedy's building was gutted and much damage by water was done to the stock and fixtures. The Victoria hotel, owned by Holmes and Floyd and leased by Hugh McGillivray was valued at $5,000. The insurance on the building was $1,500 and $500 on furniture, bar-fixtures, etc. Mrs. R. A. Bealy's property was insured for $400 and the loss is said to be about $1,000. Bannerman Bros. owned the Jaynes' grocery property and there was no insurance on either building or stock. Loss $300 on stock, and $1,500 on building. Holmes and Kennedy carried $650 insurance on their building and $500 on stock and fixtures. Their loss will be in the neighbourhood of $1,700 and they are awaiting the adjuster to start in business again.
The complete and efficient fire fighting apparatus of the city and the splendid work of the fire brigade gives the city a feeling of security, and it could only be under very extraordinary circumstances that the fire-element would get beyond the control of the Greenwood fire company. They again demonstrated the fact that there is no town in Canada that enjoys a better measure of fire-protection than the City of Greenwood."
Horse Drawn Fire Truck, c. 1880
We close this series with the story of another Greenwood fire[2] that involved a hotel — but in this case, the hotel was simply the location from which the fire alarm was put in. Oddly enough, the fire began in the chief of police's own woodshed.
Small Blaze Early Monday Morning Gives Brigade a Run
"A fire, evidently of incendiary origin, occurred at 2:25 Monday morning in the woodshed of Kenneth McKenzie, chief of police. The chief was performing his ordinary night duties and had just reached the Imperial hotel corner when smoke was noticed, rising in the vicinity of the public school.
He started for the scene, but before going many blocks flames were seen, and thinking the school house was on fire, he hastened to turn in an alarm from the Imperial hotel. Or his way to the hotel he passed near the residence of Driver Muhhern, and fired several shots to awaken him, which he did.
The alarm was then turned in and in a few minutes the brigade was on the scene and had the fire out. The shed was not totally destroyed but the contents, consisting of clothing and household utensils, were almost totally destroyed. The loss was about $125, with no insurance.
The fire was evidently of incendiary origin, as nothing of an inflammable nature was in the building and no electric wires are connected with it and the fire started inside. In spite of the early hour a large crowd gathered at the scene and watched the work of the fire brigade, whose prompt response and efficient work won much praise from all present."
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