103 Years Ago
The January 11, 1923 Colorado Transcript described considerable damage caused by a windstorm. The storm had begun the previous Friday and continued until Monday.
Windows were broken, houses and garages were unroofed, signs were demolished, fences, silos, barns and sheds were blown down, and much damage was caused to telephone and electric lines. Several fires were started during the gale. Along the South Golden road six barns were burned Sunday night.
A small garage in Golden was lifted and carried away by the wind. The unprotected automobile left behind was sandblasted and stripped of all its paint. The City’s brick barn lost its roof. Fortunately, the horses had already been removed, so they escaped injury. Several cars in town lost their roofs, while others were blown over. Many trees were lost, including a big one at the Industrial School, which fell on an electrical line and left them without power.
At that time, most buildings were heated with coal. Homeowners needed to remove the ashes to ensure a good draft. The hot ashes were generally taken outside and either dumped in an ash pit or stored in a bucket. This was a recipe for disaster in high winds.
One of the oldest buildings in town was the business block on Ford Street, between 11th and 12th Streets. During this 1923 storm, that building caught fire from a bucket of ashes left on the wooden steps that led to the second floor. Fortunately, the fire department was quickly alerted and they were able to contain the fire before extensive damage occurred.
The Golden Motor Company occupied one of the units. They had twenty-four cars in the building, most of which had been newly painted. They were also storing barrels of oil and alcohol onsite, so the prompt action of the fire department was very fortunate.
