104 Years Ago…
Saturday, July 8, 1916
“Fire broke out at 7 p.m. yesterday evening apparently in the second story of the Ashcroft Hotel. Volunteer brigade did excellent work, but before sufficient water could be applied hotel building was a seething mass of flames. It was soon realized that water was of no avail. Flames leaped from hotel, and fanned by a stiff west wind reached the fine brick block and store of the Harvey Bailey General Store, which was soon hopelessly enveloped. No time was given to attempt saving of the stock. Magnificent stock of this company was consumed in incredible short period of time. Fire then raced in its maddening course towards the Grand Central Hotel which went up like tinder. The trail of destruction then led towards the M. Dumond hardware store and warehouse which was consumed with all its contents. In quick succession fell the Pastime Poolroom and the Cargile anex to the Grand Central Hotel. The fire leaped from block to clock faster than the fire hose could be adjusted to the hydrants. Five blocks and all were consumed, the flames ceasing only when no more buildings were in its path. The entire China town was wiped out with incalculable loss, and not one cent of insurance. The entire business centre of the town was consumed. Estimated damage half a million. Probably insurance about seventy thousand. Too early to make definite estimate. Residental portion of the town was saved not being in the path of destruction. Other properties destroyed beside those mentioned are, Bank of B.N.A., Northern Crown Bank, Campbell’s ice cream parlors, law offices of J. Murphy and R. Morgan, Warden’s barber shop, Russell’s Livery and Feed Stables, Smith & Bryson blacksmiths, F. Kaltenbach, jeweler, Inland Express Co., Club Restaurant, G. Stewart’s harness shop, five general stores in Chinatown and innumerable laundries. Residential section of the town was for a time threatened by a store across Fourth street from the Ashcroft Hotel, which actually burst into flames when the heat was most intense. The vigilance of the fire brigade, however checked this in time or greater damage and suffering would have been sustained. Ashcroft Journal building and plant saved, not being in the path of the flames. The Harvey, Bailey general merchants and the M. Dumond carried stocks second to none in the interior. Streets were patrolled during the night as precaution against a change of wind which might sweep the flames in the opposite direction and endanger residental section.
Those losing homes are: D.T. Sutherland, furniture saved; W.O. Huston, furniture saved; H. Koelkenbeck, furniture saver; J. Warden, saved some effects. Hospital used as relief for temporary homeless. Harvey, Bailey and M. Dumond will probably be rebuilt at once. Heaviest losers are Harvey, Bailey, M. Dumond, Smith & Bryson, S. Tingley, Ashcroft and Grand Central Hotels. No declaration has been made on part of hotels as to their plans for future. The office, the meat market of P. Burns & Co., and the lumber also consumed.
The various offices are scattered about the town like refugees. The Bank of B.N.A. has taken the office of the B.C. Express Co., The Inland Express Co., are making shift in a repair shop. Jas. Murphy has taken an office in the B.X. stables. The Northern Crown bank is in the Rosenburg warehouse. The post office is located in a shack on Fourth street. The Commercial Telegraph office is occupying the waiting room of the C.P.R. The Teephone is out of commission. R. Morgan has opened law office in the Journal building. The Jeweller and the barber have taken up quarters in the same shop. Harvey, Bailey have moved across the street and have opened shop in their warehouse.
People gathered from far and near on Thursday to see the results of the fire, and for the time being the allied drive in Belgium was forgotten enirely.”
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51 Years Ago…
Thursday, July 10, 1969
“BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS IS CACHE CREEK: Picture shows Cache Creek at its peak last Sunday about noon resulting from the two-weeks continuous heavy rains. Residents along its course were on the alert night and day due to its erosion of banks and flooding. On the south side of the Bonaparts, which also runs through Cache Creek, a trailer whoch had become inundated had to be hauled to higher ground. All creeks in the area including the Bonaparte River, Hat Creek, Loon Lake, Scotty Creek, and Maiden Creek reached high water resulting from the steady rain and are still running high and muddy to day. A rock slide closed the Trans-Canada near Spences Bridge and the Highland Valley road at Ken Owens turnoff was washed to one-lane traffic. The Loon Lake canyon road was closed due to a washout, and heavy rain at Loon Lake flooded and washed out driveways to camps. Delos Burk’s truck, of Upper Hat Creek, was hit by a falling rock on the bluffs road and damaged the front of the vehicle. This is a record continuous rainfall for our area for the latter part of June and July; previous to this we had five weeks of continuous hot weather mostly in the 90s. This week we have had a few nice days, and the unofficial temperature as we go to press is 75, sky overcast and light wind.”