, 1864-05-13
THE WASHINGTON STATESMAN
FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 18th, 1854.

block of frame buildings on the north side
of Main street, below the City Hotel The
fire originated in house occupied by a
Spanish courtezan, and is supposed to
have occurred from the bursting of an oil
lamp The flames almost instantly enyel-
oped the building and were speedily com
municated to the adjoining building, occu-
pied as blacksmith shop, by Mr.. F.
Stein. The Fire Engine was promptly on
the ground, and put to work at the cistern
on the corner of Main and Third Streets
The position of the Engine was an excellent
one, the ground sloping toward the fire SO
that two streams could have been thrown
with ease and great force, After getting
fairly to work, it was found that there was
no water running. into the cistern from the
city aqueduct, owing to the low stage of
water in Mill creek. A number of men
were despatched at once to. dam the creek
so that water would be led into the cistern,
but before this was accomplished the water
had all been thrown upon She fire and the
cistern was dry. The fire was now spreading
with alarming rapidity and seemed to threat
en- great part of the city with destruction.
The heat had become intense, and even up
on the opposite side of the street the pitch
was frying out from the pine buildings and
wet blankets were hung upon the fronts to
prevent general eonfagrahon. AT this
juncture it was deemed prudent by the
Firemen to not wait upon the uncertainties
of getting water to work with from the
cistern, although the water had already been
turned in at the head Of the aqueduct, and
the Engine was moved to the lower part of
town. This may appear to some to have
been strange movement, considering that
water had been turned into the aqueduct,
but it must be remembered that this water
had considerable distance to run before it
reached the Engine, and it was not certain
that there would be sufficient quantity to
work with when it reached the cistern, while
not moment was to be lost lest the fire
should reach the larger frame buildings of
the City Hotel and Bank Exchange. Had
these buildings become ignited the fire
would have undoubtedly been communica-
ted to the buildings upon the opposite side
of the street, and from these extended until
the whole town would have been wrapped
in the flames 1t was but minute after
the removal of the Engine until she was
again throwing beautiful stream of water
upon the fire, taken from the little creek
which runs from the planning Factory, at
the lower part of town. The pipemen stood
upon the porticO of the City Hotel and by
directing constant stream upon the lower
end and roof of that building saved it from
otherwise inevitable destruction, as well as
the buildings above. .a..
The fire lasted about two hours, and
eight small frame buildings, extending from
the City Hotel to the cross street below,
were burned to the ground. Twelve thou
sand dollars would probably cover the entire
loss of property Mr.. Thomas Evans, now
absent at Idaho City, was the owner of
four of the buildings and is the heaviest
loser Messrs. Z. II. Nassau & j. Dovell
lost one of the buildings; Mr.. JAS McAuliff
lost one, and DR.. Jim, (Chinaman) lost the
other two. Messrs. a. L. Brown & r..
Stein, (Blacksmiths) sustain considerable
loss from the burning and injury of their
stock
Many of the soldiers from the Garrison
were early at the fire and worked with a
will, rendering efficient service at the brakes
Of the Engine and in various other ways
Some of the officers from the Post were also
present rendering aid in suppressing the
fiery element; among the latter we noticed
Lieut. Capus, working at the brakes, with
al the vigor of "Multnomah No. q" Aside
from the members of the Fire Company, (who
we believe did all they could under the cir
cumstances) were numbers of the citizens
who rendered all the assistance possible, as
did also some of the farmers, who had come
in from the country. The Fire Hooks,
which belonged to the old Hook & Ladder
Co., were brought out and put to excellent
use in pulling down the burning building
adjoing the City Hotel.
The building occupied as Court House
and by the county officers was among those
consumed; but all the records and papers
were saved by the officers.
Mr.. R. Jacobs, with his force pump and
hose attachment, did good service in throw
ing water upon the buildings on the Oppc-
site side Of the street from the fire. Quite
number of citizens, since the fire, we learn
are making arrangements to have force
pumps erected upon their premises.
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