May 24, 1899 – In the early days, lengthy delays in reporting the news was common. It took almost a month to inform Vancouver readers about a major fire in Dawson City:

“Dawson City, the capital of the Northern gold fields, has once more suffered severely from the devastating and unrelenting attacks of the fire fiend. The last and most fearful conflagration that has visited the mining town of the Yukon occurred on the evening of Wednesday, April 26th and before 3 O’clock on Thursday morning over a million dollars worth of houses, goods and personal property had been swept away by the all powerful and resistless foe.

From the accounts brought out it would appear that in its rapidity and effect the fire almost equalled the great New Westminster conflagration of September 10th and 11th last. Dawson’s fiery ordeal commenced at 8.30 p. m. and by 2.40 its relentless passion had burned out, its fearful work was accomplished.

The reports sent out intimate that the fire had its origin in a drunken brawl among the unfortunate inhabitants of the demimonde quarter of the town which is situate in the rear of First avenue. The new steam fire engine failed at the critical moment and its pumps were unable to send forth the streams of water that should have proved the salvation of many homes and fortunes.”