This week in history as reported by The Summit County Journal the week of Feb. 5, 1921.

Wellington boarding house entirely destroyed by fire

At 4:15 a.m. last Sunday, fire was discovered in the basement of the bunkhouse at the Wellington mine. Thomas Catney had the duty of making the fires. He arose at 4 a.m., built the fire in the basement furnace of the bunkhouse and then turned his attention to other chores including cleaning up the house’s living room.

While he was building a fire in the kitchen range, he heard the yowling of the cat, and upon returning to the other apartments, found smoke was filling in the rooms.

The boys on the second story of the bunkhouse had already been awakened by the cat’s cries, the animal having been locked up in the basement. By the time they had awoke, it was impossible to get to the ground floor through any stairway, and they gathered what few things they could lay hands on and threw them out the window.

The boys on the upper floor were not yet awakened and when they did they found the second floor was all in flames and were forced to jump from the third-story windows.

The building was located on the side of a hill, being three stories high in front and two stories from the ground in the back. There was about 5 or 6 feet of snow in the back of the building, making it easy to land from the upper floor on the jump.

There were 23 men boarding at the house and two women in charge of the kitchen and dining room nearby, which was also lost in the fire. Many of them lost all their belingings, while other were able to save a part.

The hero of the fire, as conceded by most of the men, was the cat, which evidently perished in the fire. The men, in reciting their experiences would frequently give “pussy” the credit for having saved their lives and sympathetically regret her loss.

New Breckenridge ski course soon ready for big jumpers

Work was begun early this week on a new course for the Breckenridge Ski Association. Last Sunday afternoon, ahead of the amateur contests on Shock Hill, Evynd Flood was casting about for a location on the hill for a desirable slide, and finally laid out a course beginning 300 feet north of the current one, with a take-off to be erected at the old Pence Miller ditch.

Mr. Flood is confident that when properly prepared, and a take-off and trestle are erected, there will be an opportunity for jumps of 200 feet or more. It is hoped that the new course will be ready a week before the Summit County Winter Sports Club tournament at Dillon, and a Breckenridge tournament will be either March 3 or 4.

Dillon ski tournament will attract best in the country

The big tournament of the Summit County Winter Sports Club will take place on the Dillon Hill on Sunday, March 6 this year, following the tournament at Steamboat Springs on Feb. 24 and 25, which is close to the international contests near Denver on Feb. 19 and 20.

A great array of professional and amateur jumpers will be at all of these tournaments. Professionals who are scheduled to appear will include Lars Haugen, brother of last year’s champion Anders Haugen; Henri and Karl Hall; Hans Hansen of St. Paul, Minnesota; and Karl Howellson of Steamboat Springs, who is still the undefeated cross-country ski champion of Norway.

It is not yet known whether Anders Haugen, who holds the record of 214 feet on the Dillon Hill, will be be able to appear. He is improving rapidly from an injury sustained several weeks ago, and if he can appear at the courses at Dillon and Steamboat Springs, he will do so.

County roads get help from federal and state funds

Summit County will share in several appropriations for roads this coming season. The highway from Dillon to Kremmling, upon which much work was done late last season will receive an additional $30,000 to be used on a stretch of road aimed to cut out the bad stretch of highway near the Nygard ranch.

About two months ago, the county received $2,400 from the gasoline fund of the state.

Local news notes from all around Summit County

• During this week, the school has been particularly fortunate in the number of illness absences, there having been practically none.
• George Robinson spent several days in Denver this week as a witness in a lawsuit. He went to the city on Monday and returned to Breckenridge of Wednesday.
• James Burns of the Wellington workforce was a passenger to Denver Sunday. After taking part in the fire on Sunday, he decided that his home retreat in Denver looked good to him.
• A horse belonging to A. W. Miller of the Breckenridge Pharmacy left his warm stable in search of freedom last October. He was discovered grazing on pine needles and willow branches a few days ago in the gulch above Whatley’s ranch, and was reduced to skin and bones. Mr. Miller came after him last Saturday expecting to find a meek horse, but on the contrary, the animal was still full of fight.