The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-09-15
A DrsAsrRous FIRE-THE PAcIrrc HOrEL


which we discovered to be proceeding from
the direction Of the Pacific Hotel-owned by
Mr.. j. B. Sprenger-which was then in a
blazing condition. The citizens came out
promptly to the work, and in . short time it
was supposed that they had succeeded in
staying the fury Of the destroying element ;
but presently the flames broke out afresh IN
the upper portion of the building, near the
roof, aud in few moments rush Of light
from the observatory, illumining the whole
city. revealed the fact that no power then at
hand could save the building from destruc-
ton. As soon as it was quite definitely de-
termired that the entire house was in . fair
way Of being burned, the people went to
work 10 save the furniture and household
goods, which were soon packed in confused
mass In the vicinityOf the scene Of the fire,
out Of reach Of the flames. Il was found
impossible to save the furniture in the sleep
ing apartments up stairs, 90 the beds were
tumbled cut aud the remainder was left to
the mercy Of the flames. The fre soon
spread to the adjoining house, owned by Mr..
Robb, and thence to the residence of Mr..
Lewis Ketchum, in the same enclosure, and
had It not been for the almost superhuman
exertions Of our citizens that entire portion
of the city would have been one common
mass of ruins. Having no fre-eagines,
water was only accessible by buckets and
one or two fOrce-pumps and q hose; but
such was the energy displayed and the work
accomplished, even with these poor facilities,
that livery stable and other buildings just
across the street were preserved from the
devouring element In about an hour from
the time of the alarm the Pacific Hotel and
the residences ofMessrs Robb and Ketchum
were one charred and smoking ruin. The
entire loss is estimated at $l4, ,000-of which
that Of Mr.. Sprenger is Sl2, 200, Mr.. RObb's
81, 900 and Mr.. Ketchum's $1,000. The
hotel building and furniture were insured to
the amount of 5000; but on those of
Messrs. Robb and Ketehum there was no
insurance The cause Of the FIRE is not
known. Il seems il was first discovered by
one of the guests of the house, and appeared
70 proceed from the baggage-rOom. Several
persons were injured during the conaagra-
ton. Mr.. Nick Sprenger, brother of the
proprietor Of theh hotel, had his back and legs
cut and bruised severely by the bursting of
. large mirror in or near the baggage-rOOm.
The guests Of the house all managed to es-
cape in one way and another. Two men
who occupied rooms in the third story, and
who were wrapped IN the arms of Morpheus,
sWeetly and uneonsciously dreaming their
happy hours away" at the time the alarm
ras given, were awakened by the confusion
outside, and one Of them instantly Ieaped,
90 it is stated, from the window of his room
to the ground, escaping without serious in
jury The other person, less fortunate
although more cautious than his companion,
in attempting to lower himself by q rope lost
his hold and fell, injuring one of his legs so
severely that for = time it was feared it was
broken. Another gentleman who was stop
ping at the house succeeded in beating q
hasty retreat, minus his pantaloons, and was
forced to make himself 'scarce" until he
could procure suitable outer garments. In
attempting to save the household effects, one
individual leaped into the dining room,
gathered in his arms about fifty glass tum-
blers, which had been placed in cluster on
one end of the table, and started to carry
them out. He succeeded in getting two of
them out, and the remaining forty light were
strewn along the floor between the table and
widow, broken to pieces. Men became so
excited and confused that they reversed the
general order Of things; thus, while some Of
them were placing plates, knives and forks,
glass aHd silverware, etc., on persons shOuI-
ders to be carried out, others, equally zeal
Gus, attempted to fill their coat-pockets with
cupbOatds, safes, tables, chairs, stoves, stove
pipes and boiling water. Some astonishing
exhibitions Of strength were displayed. One
young lady, whose house, near by, was in
danger Of being fred, in the excitement of
the moment lifted her piano-which had re-
quired the combined strength of six men to
place it there-and took the carpet up from
under it. Another lady who had "turned
out" to assist in saving the articles from the
burning buildings, picked mp barrel filled
with -four and heaved it over the fence, when
a man attempted to carry it away, but failed.
We heard q gentle standing by remark
that ''ifthe woman had been on hand little
sooner she might have carried one or two of
the burning buildings out of the way of the
FIRE. =" Many of the merchants on First
street, fearing the spread of the FIRE in that
direction, boxed up and carted OF their goods
to places Of greater security, while others,
fre-proof bricks, removed theirs
into adjoining wooden buildings for safety.
Ye Local, in attempting to descend from the
roof Of building, whittier he had climbed
for the purpose ofassisting to pass up water,
lost his equilibrium and fell, bat bis panta.
looms caught upon nail, and he was Left for
seaae moments suspended in mid.air, ala
Absolora OF old, except that the ancient war.
rior was hanging by the hair of his head.
while We were suspended By the seat of our
breeches.
SUTcIDE.-On Friday morning last. saws
the Jacksonville Reporter, John Kesler, Of
SterlingVille, was discovered lying upon the
bed in his cabin, dead, apparently from the
effects Of gun-shot wound, the ball enter
ing under the chin and coming out at the top