The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-07-26

SAs FgAScIsco, July ~ --Abou. 81 .
o'cioek yesterday afternoon the guests
IN the dining room Of the Lick HoGss
were startled by burning .pliuters
from the ceiling falling on the tables
The room was quickly cleared and a
hurried examination showed a FIRE was
raging overhead IN the space between
the ornamental ceiling Of the room and
the roof proper. The fire made such
rapid heaiway that b-f7r. anything
could be done 20 arrest Is progress the
passages were filled with clouds OF
smoke which rendered access 10 the fire
extremely difficult The ire DEPART
meCt aud patrol were promptly on the
ground. aud the latter spreading their
covers over the stocks Of good. in the
stores underneath on Suffer street. pre-
served their contents to great
extent. In the meantime the
fire WAS raging furiously IN the
roof. There is considerable space above
the ceiling Of the dining room afford
ing room for system Of trusses sup
porting the root This entered by .
door from the upper hall of the hotel.
The tiremen effecting All entrance there
fought the flames so energetically that
they were confined to the space over
the dining room aud kitchen adj
joining. and the half-story rooms in
the extreme part of the building over
the kitchen. After nearly three hours
vigorous effort the fire was finally sub
dued. but no. before the magnificent
dining hall the finest in the city. was .
complete wreck The ceiling was
burned off. the massive mirrors which
occupied the panels broken. fine paint
ings on the wall almost ruined, and the
costly floor, laid in mosaic of wood at
a cost OF ten thousand dollars presented
the appearance Of being irrepsrably
injured. though the trustees express the
hope that by prompt action taken to
preserve it the damage may prove less
than at present feared. No other dam
age was suffered by the building except
that by water. which was comparative
ly little, being confined to a few rooms
in the immediate vicinity Of the dining
room on Suffer street. That portion
OF the building lying west of the alley
dividing the hotel. to which the ire was
confined. WAS insured for $32. 900 on the
building aud $4,000 on the furniture,
divided up in small sums of from 81 900
to *. 900 IN eastern and foreign compa-
nies, tue only local company concerned
being the Fireman's Fund, which had
1890 OH the bull ling an 1920 on the
furniture. A trustee expresses the
opinion that the loss will 10
covered by the insurance Previous to
the death of NJ. Lick there had been
no INSURANCE. on any of his property,
bu, during the joint administration Of
the present bolrd of trustees and their
predecessors, policies were taken out on
the hotel and other property. While
firemen were At work over the dining
room. one Of them named Pat Barry
fell through the ceiling and sustained
serious injuries. The fire is supposed
to have caught from defective kitchen
fluc For q while considerable coaster
nation prevailed among the guests OF the
house. but order was soon restored, and
Ibis and ether portions present the
usual quiet appearance. numbers of po-
lice being stationed in the passages to
prevent intrusion. Temporary ar
rangements have been made for the ia
bic service Of the hotel.