, 1873-08-04
Elold g. Letters Now Bnililfng Narrow:
~ Escapes Destruction. '
A Large Portion Of tie Roof Totally Do
.stroyod.--Loss, %76, 900.
Destructive ConNagratlon in Portland, 0rcgon...
Twenty Blocks Durnel...loss, 81, 900, 600.

A reneral nlar1n llnd boon bounded, md tho
engines came al full gallop from ovory direction,
followed by crowds Of pooplo III horao-cara,
omnb,.see, private conveynncea, and On foot.
This imposing structure hae been watched by
everybody with admiration, as 1t has slowly and
motlodically riBen from tlo ruina OF tho Potter
Primer Dlock, formerly occupied by Fiold,
I,eiter l. Co. Tho now building was about one
third larger tllan tho former ono, Mud was nenrly
ready for occupancy by tho Same firm for tho
retail branch of their dry goods business.
ORIGIN OF THE FINE.
Tho fire originated ut tho top OF tho elevator
hatchway, between the fifth floor aud tho roof,
in tbo northeast corlor Of tho building. how
tho woodwork ignitod no ono oan definitely toll,
but it IL thought TINT caroloss roofor leis his
little stovo on the coiling joisss, and that the
live coala fell on tho lath beneath. The first In.
dicaton Of fire was n Bmai column OF smoke iH-
suiug from tho elevator hatchway. 1t wnA OBJ
served by several Of tho worknon, who gave tho
nlarm to tho persons on tho toor8 beloW,
ono Of whom ran to tho naarest fro-aiarm BOX.
Dy tho time tue district steamers arrived, tho
flames Ind apparently eaton their way conhia-
tFap tps s}Syaor IL fSF eStn iatate
and Washington stroots.
NO FLAMES wEnE OBSERVED,
but. The smoke continuing to grow ]onaor every
mt ment it was evident tint tho whole roof, il
etruction. Considerable tmo elapsod before any
water Was available, and when tho engines did
get into Borvico tho pressure required to forco
tho watcr to tho top Of the building was so great
that length 'aftor longth Of hose burst, aud
othors had to DO substituted. Tor half an hour
after tho first alarm WIS given
ONLY ONE BTREAM
was thrown upon the burning timbera. Even
this wae almost uscloss, as tho fire waa out Of
sight Tho fifth floor was full Of SMOKE mud
donse volumes ffoated from the roof toward
the south. At quarter past G o'clock,
eight or ton streams wero at work
and water waa forced up to tho fifth
floor. tho Loso having been hauled up to tho
fro was increasing all the time, and jet OF
flame now and thon appeared beneath tic cor
nico. Meantime, Acting Marshal Bonner had
learned OF tho
PECULIAR CONSTRUCTION or TIE ROOF,
and ordorcd holes to be cut in it, and to these
arer!ures the branch pipes wcro applied, aud
pipemon sn who o. wore stationed on tho
tue ceiling With picks, and namcH issuoa from
bor Dor dropped down. - fLoi roof md tho s Ceiling
beneath, cxcopt the plasterinng and tho shoots Of
Ing declined to hayo manBarl roof, tho flooring
OF what would have been tho sixth story wae
allowed to ro1nain in position, tho sheota Of tin
above being, supported by boards, which woro
held in position by uprights only few feet
npart. The top of tic structure was in fact :
4 14UNuEn YARD.
THO space botwcen the ceiling and tho roof
varied from Elk fcot to o few inches, md
it was exceedingly difficult to got ut tho fire.
Chopping llolos III tho roof nnd tearing down
tho piaetering did not soon to suggest itBulf Tor
soma time, but when this wns done, tile Fire
Tho contlagration. Commencing at the north
end Of tho building, tho fro was dl.,an foot by
foot to tho south, or Washington street front.
THO timbers buruod worry Btubbornly, especially
nca, tho skylight, over tho rotundas, whore only
a few inches interyenod between tho ceiling and
tho roof Tho
HOSE WAS CONTINUALLY nunsrrSa,
and the atcamors being obliged to u shut down"
erery fow minutes. tho fire. would seize
nblo to prevent it. In consequence Of tho
frequent delays the entire roof, including tho
majur portion OF tho prslnatic Bky-light over the
rotunaa, was destroyed. A second aud
THIRD ALARM
wero considered necessary, as The Indications
pointed to tue complete demolition Of the struc-
turo and tho ondnngoring ofHurrounding property.
Nearly a hundred longtla Of hoso burated in two
hous and Il. d net s1tgp Of new hose beon
much more serious. At ono timo tho wooden
ar1na which hold tho iron cornice to tho
roof (tlere wero also a few iron arms)
burned brightly, tho tlarnoB shooting out
creased after 6 O'Clock, and no difficulty was
experienced in
rono1xa WATER on THE nooF.
Although at first showing that 10 did not COM
queutly did excellent service, and to him Ia
largely duo tho credit for oonning tho fire to tue
roof. Capt. pulwinklo mud tho firo Insurance
Patrol worked with their usual energy, and rem
ni,,r1, 1,fn {etn 4z4
coa1a11ssloNERs EARNING THEIR SALARIES.
To Commissioners Wright and Sheridan COM
nondation is due for tie active part taken by
them in directing tho movements of the firenen
est Of tho smoke at the top Of the building.
Tl1oir presence animated tic men, and incitod
them to active aud persoyoring work in tho faco
Of groat discouragementA. Commissioner Wright
was the first on the ground. He quickly donnod
rubber cont, and could afterward DO found
where no "could do the most gool." He ron
derel invaluable assistance in changing tho hose
which vas brought out by tho first alarm, and
Was instrumental in having moro durable hose
put i'll oeryice carly In the evening. Commits
ond alarm brought linn down town.
Ho, too, ras active in Introducing new hose and
choering on the mon to further oxortious. Tho
cornice On tho State street front Of tho building
was blazing furiouAy, and monacing other prop
orty, when ho tlrst arrived. It soomed impoBsi-
BILE to extin6niah 1t, for tho stroalnA in the
interior Of tho building were entirely taken IN
with tho fire in tho centre Of the roof. Mr.
Sheridan ascertained from the foreman of tho
Little Giant stoamor that, though tho ongino
was loaking somewhat. he thought. no could
threw stroa1n OIL tho top OF tho building, and
he immediately directed him to do the bost ho
could III that particular. It ,yaH d sensible o.
dor, for aB long aB tho cornico continued to
blaze tho crowd felt suro that there saa q florco
fire within. The Glant'a engineer stoamod up
to q anFo PRESSURE anil soon thercnfter power
full stream alot ont Of tho nozzle to tho tormost
portion Of tho building, drenching tic corliico,
aud comnlotoy oxtinguiBllns the fro Which
onvoloped 1t. Tho crowd toatifiod 10 it's appro-
ciatlon by cheering Justify. Tho atroani was
tl,on changed around 70 tho Washington street
'front.' wholo 1t did similar good sorvico. It was
tho first exhibition of really high wntor-throw-
lug tint had beou shown ut Il fire in aome tino
THE ESTIMATED LOSS,
Tho local agents Of tho Rngor Manufacturing
Company SOON confident TINT tho building call-
not be rostornd to itH original condition for a
laHb Bl1n thn,l a1QQ ono though why tho lanlatsa