Tombstone, May 26...The fire originated in a Chinese  wash house fronting on Fifth Street, between Toughnut and Allen. From there it communicated to the Tivoli saloon and the Grand Hotel on Allen Street; it then crossed Allen, burning north of Allen Street to Fremont Street and east and north from Third to Fifth Street. The gallant and unremitting exertions of the Fire Department prevented its further spread. When it became apparent that the water supply was inadequate to control the raging element the buildings were demolished with giant powder and to this is due the safety of the Epitaph Office, Schieffelin Hall and adjoining buildings. The county records were all saved thanks to the efficient work of Recorder Jones and his deputies. The Post Office building was among those sacrificed by giant powder to prevent the spread of the flames. 

Together with all scores of minor places swelling the aggregate for stock and fixtures to nearly $550,000, and when losses are fully known on the buildings they will probably amount to $700,000, with insurance almost $250,000. A good many were hurt by falling walls, flying debris, etc., but as far as known none fatally. The body of a man supposed to be named Huggins, was found in the rear of the Cosmopolitan Hotel. The body was burned beyond recognition. The people are hopeful and already cleaning away the debris preparatory to rebuilding. A. C. Bilicke has already made arrangements to rebuild the Cosmopolitan and steps are being taken to do likewise to the Grand. In all there were 116 stores and places of business destroyed.

As of 10/26/1881....(1) Moses & Mehan's "Capitol Saloon"  (Take note of smoke rising from saloon's ashes) (2) Dr.'s Gilldersleve & Gillingham's  (3) Andrew & Co. Grocery  (4) Bank Exchange Saloon & Israel's Ice Cream. Also old Post Office location   (5) F. C.  Brown  Saloon  (6) C. Capis Restaurant   (7)  Pile of adobe bricks is  Fredericksburg Lager Beer Depot (formerly known as the Golden Eagle Saloon and present day site of the Crystal Palace)  (8) Old Palace Saloon. (Virgil Earp was shot from this location) (9) Oriental Saloon   (10)  Remains of the Cosmopolitan Hotel

Fire Chief "Little Dan McCann" at extreme left. In 1881 McCann had a run in with Ike Clanton on the Streets of Tombstone which was broken up by Virgil Earp.  Tombstone Epitaph Newspaper, Gird Block and Schieffelin Hall can be seen in the background.

As of 10/26/1881.....The adobe wall behind the burned OK Corral sign once housed the Tombstone Nugget Newspaper, Recorders Office,  Post Office and Mrs. Gleason's Fremont Street Restaurant. The building was demolished with powder to save the structures across the street. The collapsed wood framed building to the right of the OK Corral sign was the original Papago Cash Store. The store, owned by F.B. Austin, was valued at $2,000 dollars but Austin was insured  and received $1,250.  The Earps & Doc Holliday walked past the OK Corral sign in route to their infamous meeting with the Clantons & McLaurys.

It is believed that the original handwritten "P.O." and arrow marks the location of the Post Office

Can you find the MAIN entrance of the Capitol Saloon on Fourth St. in the photo?  (Saloon is "back and to the left") 

Also, the two story burned out adobe in the rear of the photograph was Hasselgren's Printing & Meyer's Tailor on Fifth Street.

Brown's Hotel, valued at $23,000, was totally destroyed in the 1882 fire. Fortunately Mr. Brown was also insured and received  $12,000.  

Note: The Earps gathered at Hafford's approx. one hour prior to the Shootout "Near" the Ok Corral on October 26, 1881, 

Image courtesy Chafin/McLelland Collection. 

Drawing copied from C.S. Fly photograph and appeared in the Arizona Quarterly Illustrated

The late Carl Chafin gave me this photograph approx. 10 years ago and stated that it was taken during the 1882 fire.  The image was not of good quality and Carl & I had no idea where the "GARAGE" was located. Recently we stumbled upon a fantastic copy of the Chafin photograph. Both photographs are unmarked and could have been taken at any time. But after reviewing both images,  I believe the writing above the word GARAGE is the name Fitzpatrick. If so, there was a Jeremiah Fitzpatrick in Tombstone who was a wagon maker by trade and ran a business at 310 Allen Street on the south side of Allen. The photograph may be looking south and could have been taken from behind C. S. Fly's photo gallery. Could this rubble be what is left of the OK Corral? Was tin used for the stables? After the tragic June 1881 fire, most structures were built of adobe and tin was used.  Are they telegraph poles in the photograph or roof/stable supports? 

G.S. McLelland, OldWestHistory.Net

The work of rebuilding the burnt district commenced in dead earnest yesterday, and the echo of the trowel and click of the hammer can be heard from Fifth to Third streets. Most of the sufferers by the fire have commenced to rebuild, and the others will follow suit as soon as their insurance is adjusted. 

Ben Wehrfritz has commenced work on the Eagle Brewery, and proposes to have it ready by the 1st of July. The new building will be 30 x 120 feet, one story high, but built substantial enough to admit the erection of another story in the future.

Mr. Comstock has started to rebuild the Grand Hotel. He proposes to build but one story and will make it a business house unless either of the other hotel men should decline to build, in which case he will add other stories and make a house of the same dimensions as formerly.

Mr. McCoy, has commenced work on the erection of his house on Allen street for the Baron Bros. This building will doubtless be occupied in ten days.

Robert Eccleston has commenced to build his house on Fremont street and will rush it through to completion without unnecessary loss of time.

C.R. Brown (Brown's Hotel) will commence work on his building, corner of Allen and Fourth streets tomorrow. He has not yet decided whether to convert the house into a hotel as yet, but probably will. The new building will have a sixty-five feet frontage on Allen street and will be seventy-five feet deep.

The house occupied by Campbell & Hatch (Morgan Earp killed here) will be rebuilt immediately and occupied by the same tenants. The new structure will be twenty feet deeper than the former.

Benson and Montgomery have commenced rebuilding the OK Corral. The new house will be 20 x 40 feet, adobe walls and iron roof. This firm commenced rebuilding the OK Corral the day after the fire, and it is now nearly completed. The corral is 60 x 300 feet.

Mr. Bauer, will start rebuilding the Capitol Saloon for  Moses and Mehan at the old stand, corner of Fremont and Fourth, in a few days. (Note: The Capitol Saloon was eventually rebuilt on the corner of Fifth and Fremont, not on its old location at Fremont and Fourth)

The Tribolets will rebuild on all their lots on Allen street. They started to work clearing away the debris the day after the fire.

The damage done to the buildings on the east side of Fifth street is being rapidly repaired. The porches are being erected and the grim fire marks obliterated.