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Show CHAPTER XVI. FIRE AND FLOOD. On the 19th of April, 1863, one-half of the business part of Denver was destroyed by fire. The alarm was given between the hours of 2 and 3 in the morning, and before the town was fairly aroused, the flames had made such headway that all effort to extinguish them seemed unavailing. The most that could be done was to save the contents of the burning buildings. The loss of property by this fire exceeded two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and embraced the principal business portion of the town. Before the wreck of the burnt district was cleared away, while the ashes were still hot and smoking, the work of rebuilding began. The new structures were principally of brick, and the indomitable energy that characterized the pioneer caused a fine city to spring up, Phoenix like, from the ashes; and commercial transactions soon resumed their former bustling activity. Most of the losers in that fire are the prominent business men of Denver to-day. The Cherry creek flood began about midnight on the 13th of May, 1864. It swept away a number of buildings and drowned fifteen or twenty people. Said a lady: " I heard a terrible sound rolling through the air, like a discharge of cannon. I threw open the door, and beheld a gigantic wave, like an approaching Niagara, reflecting on its crest the light of the moon. At first it was slow and majestic in its movements, then it came faster and faster, mounted higher and higher, tear- 69 |