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Serious Fire at Robinson


Eureka Reporter, 9 August 1912, page 10

Robinson was visited by another disastrous fire at an early hour on Monday morning when two buildings and the contents of one of them were destroyed, entailing the loss of perhaps $4,500.  In one of these buidings was the post office and a confectionery and ice cream parlor, while the other was used as a moving picture theatre, the proprietors of the show being McIntrye & McGee.  Both buildings were the property of the Tintic Lumber Co at Robinson.  The fire started in the northeast corner of the post office building and was first seen by J. O. Brock, a Robinson saloon man who gave the alarm.  The entire building was in flames within a very short time after the alarm was sounded and the post office equipment and everything that the place contained was destroyed.  The theatre building located to the west soon caught faire and burned to the ground, although all the fixtures were removed.  Those who volunteered to fight the flames put fourth every effort to save the big Mammoth hotel building and were successful.  For a time, however, it seemed that this splendid structure was doomed.  Only a day pervious to the fire the city officers of Mammoth put into service a new hose system of fire fighting apparatus and this equipment undoubtedly saved the hotel building.  There was some delay in finding a nozzle for the hose, otherwise the theatre building might also have been saved.

Victor Fitzgerald, the postmaster, says he left the building in which the fire started a short time before midnight.  The origin of the blaze discovered an hour later is somewhat of a mystery.  Fitzgerald had $1,400 insurance, which will fully cover his loss, while the buildings valued at $3,000 were insured but for $1,800.  McIntyre and McGee had no insurance on their moving picture equipment, all of which was saved.

It was only a few months ago that a fire destroyed a bunch of buildings upon the opposite side of the street, the post office being burned out at that time altogether, with a moving pciture house.

The officers of the Tintic Lumber Co may decide to erect another moving picture house at once, but at this time are not prepared to make a definite statement.