The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-08-16
THE GREAT FIRE AT PORT
i.-Lrt LAND, OREGON. .l..--
Letters from a Lady and Gentleman
m1y Who Witnessed II.

Letters from a Lady and Gentleman
H'y Who Witnessed II.
We arc permitted to copy the following
letter to DANIEL PECK, Esq, Of this city,
from a lady who raaidAa al Portland,
oregon, descriptive oI the great fire
which recently, devastated that city:
SUNDAY, August 4th, 1878.
Yesterday there was a most frightul
fire here. Twenty-Five solid blocks were
consumed In the business portion. Of the
town. It consumed the block below Us,
and we had no hope Of saving this block.
AL around on the river, one block below,
was burned, and, TO the north Of %. /
cannot tell you Of the aoEroW, excitement,
and fright Of the people; and al over this
block the women were parGgzed with
fright IneYer lost my presence Of mind,
nor did Tiny. / directed the re-
moval Of our clothing and some vRluAbles,
and then went to work. Tiny had o fire,
and she and-a friend from Imatila made
some coffee. happened TO have half oil
9 boiled ham, so We prepared baskets Of
sandwiches, and I went Into the thIckest
Of the fire to the flremen, and gave them
coffee and sandwiches. Many o hearty
"God bless you !" met my years, for they had
been out working since four O'Clock, and
had no bteakfAst-and ! was the frat out.
Many followed me, and %. our firemen
were prevented taking whisky, which
would have paralyzed every effort to save
the town. - '--' 4
There Il a great panic, The citv IA
under military rule. They find an organ
lied gang Of mep, who have determined 10
burn the places OF every man who em4
ploYs Chinamen. y D -y-LoAl : i
Mr.. Custom wasup last night part Of the
night and four men guarded this block.
We do not regard ourselves % safe, and
Portland viii not recover In years what
she has lost by this fire. It Is no longer
Portland 70 me-.
frequently went up 10 see Wilse's
family. As / came down the mountain,
where We have such view oi the city %
never gladdened your eyes Imet Q lot Of
tourists from the Atlantic Seabo0rd.
They stopped me and asked me the names
Of the beautiful mountains, Hood, st. lib.
ord and Adams, and they said they did
not know more beautiful city Of its size.
Now It lies In ashes q great deal oft,
and where "a the money to rebuild ii
Property must decrease In value and
many people viii leave. We are very
blue. Teams are driving through town
as on week days, and the streets are still
full Of furniture unremoVed. l am 90
sorry for the people who are burned out
This Is two awful fires In one year.
The following Il IN extract dt6m .
letter to the same gentleman, written by
the lAdy's husband; sgarsl %. e !
The fire Commenced Saturday morning
at tour o'clock, and BY noon tWenty-one
blocks were In aahes. Although mostly
business houses, yet II was the poorest In
character Of buildings-mostly cheap
frames. The loss ID exaggerated by the
paperB; It will not exceed halt million
dollars. This Monday morning teams
are busy hauling timber to rebuild, and
Workmen are at work in Q dozen places
laying new foundations Brick for . large
number Of houses WGHe ordered yegterdRY
(Sundky), Our butcher man lost bis Bhop
and five houses IN Arrow, but before night
he had hxed up his family In . rented
house and opened BIS meatshop on the
sidewalk in front Of The MethodiSt church,
and this morning b rebuilding. 1t Is q
serious check 70 the city, but the energy
of her citizens will Hoon replace oil losses.