The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-07-27
rHE WEEKLY fNIrlLiGENCER.
Sunday, July 81. 1879.
SEATTLE IN ASHES


ton that WAS to destroy this wooden
town has come and done its terrible
work In an hour o score OF business
houses we're destroyed. half as many
men ruined and hundred and fifty
thousand dollars worth Of property
swept out Of existence.
Ia some way unknown the FIRE origi-
mated in room No. l2 on the second
foUr Of the American House. little be-
fore 8 o'clock. The alarm was quickly
given, bat owing TO the light and in
fsmmable Character Of the building.
could net be given in time to effect its
extipgui,hment. Ia a moment it was
oil sblaze, aud the tenants Of
the whole block began to pack up and
move. The steam engine was got out,
aud after awhile set to work. throwing
three streams and doing wonders IN the
way Of saving, In q little time. how
ever. it became ciogged with sand,
sucked 10 from the bottom OF the cis-
tern. a nd unfortunately was compelled
for an hour to dcsist from pumping. the
old hand engine il the meantime being
brought out and taking the place Of the
disabled steamer. The fire passed from
building to building. crossed the street
and quickly spread north, south. east
aud west. The whole row OF honses on
the south side OF Mill street, from Tn.
Gle Jimmies fruit stand toward the
son. were reduced TO ashes. as also the
Schwabacher warehouses behind them,
Hall & Paulson's upholstery shop,
Keenan's stone works aud the Crawford
& Harrington warehouse. Considera-
bio property was saved by the occu.
parts of saloons and smaller shops. and
by Keenan,, but the others. as Carkeck.
Gard & Lair, Newell & Cossgriff. Cha'.
Mcdonald. Seaman's Bethel, Vergon,
American House, and Schwsbacher
Bros. a. CO.. and the Crawford &
Harrighton's warehouses were total
and irrctrievable loss. The Seattle
sAwmill was likewise burned, and
nearly all the lumber on the dock be-
hind it, which (the Dock was damaged
to the extent Of several thousand dol
lars. The fire gradually approached
tn, rev S.arr Steamboat and INTELIi-
aEycER Office. but ewing 10 the heroic
eGcr.s of the slip carpenters, of the
fitman snl volunteers. its progress in
TIA. direction was checked. II was
about this time that the men got the
mastery Of the element, and, excepting
an advance down Iesler's wharf, the
flames were on the decline. Four or
five hours the fire burned fierctly. and
will burn in slab and sawdust struc-
ture like the wharf probably oil Of
today. The destroyed district
includes an area Of about three
hundred and fifty feet square, taking
everything between Washington street
and the mill cOokhouse from the alley
west to the Cottage by tho Sea saloon.
1t was . good deal the worst firs that
ever devastated any part of Washing.
ton Territory.
The brick aud stone buildings near
the burnt district werc closed above
and belowsand back and front, and no
damage was done them or their con.
tents. The occupants Of tue wooden
structures on Commercial, Mill and
Front streets. on the contrary 10 the.
meantime moved out rapidly as they
could. Every place Of business in the
Yesler block on Mill and Front streets,
stripped Of its contents except those
in the INrELLIaENcER building.
All the way up Front stree,
10 Baxter's. stores were wholly
or partially emptied, and the street.
were lined with furniture. boxes oil
groceries. clothing, drugs. jswslry. 30.
A great deal Of breskase occurred. Of
courss. as well ~ rscking. tearing and
like damage to fragile articles hastily
removed. Tusty men and horses and
wagons were in demand 1T high prices.
Reckless and ridiculous things ~ithou,
number. a. ID always the case on such
occasions, were done on every hand.
II 10 impossible TO give more than ar
approximate idea OF tho extent of The
moneyed loss, but We think it cannot b
less than hundred thousand nor NOR,
than hundred aud fifty thousand dol
lars. The principal losers arc J n
Colman, by the burning of the sawmill
some twenty th sand dollars
on which there was no insur
ance, Crawford & Harrington
about ten thousand dollars. OF
which there was Ave thousand insurance
Schwabacher Bros. L Co. also lost abou
ten thousand dollars, on which ther,
was some insurance; and II. l.. Yesle
probably fifteen or twenty THOUSAND
dollars. on which he had no insurance