Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-08-01
The Seattle Disaster.

been the all absorbing topic of con
yersation. 1t was the most disas-
trous that has ever occurred IN the
Territory, and following so closely
in the wake Of the Kalama loss, pop
Mar excitement has been wrought
to the highest pitch.
A representative of this paper was
an eyewitness to the progress and
fury of the terrible destroyer. Stand
ing on the deck OF the steamer Nph-
ar, Saturday evening, as she round
ed Alki Point, lie had full view of
the fire in its incipient stages. There
were qui,e number of passengers
OH boald, all Of whom forgot every
thing else but the rare and un,7el-
come spectacle presented of BEAU
tiful city yielding to the surgipe
flames. If things inanimate can feel,
then did our noble steamer share
with every one On board the almost
painful suspense, as she bounded,
with increased speed, over the CLASSY
but how luiid waters of Elliot Bay.
The city trout was soon reached, but
where TO make q landing was the all
important question. To have run
the steamer into ner accustomed slip
would have been placing her in an
elongated furnace OF liquid fire.
Along side of her wharf lay the
schooner !SchwGjccl,"r, fcstooned
from waicr-line TO top-masts, i'll
cracking flames that put one wildly
in mind Of Poe's conception Of the
surging element heraided by the
Changing of the alarun bells. Seek
ing a landing place little further
up the bay, by Il circutous route, the
writer reached t@rra .frma to become
lost in a swayins mass of humanity.
The following details are are taken
principally from the Mte'ligcncer OF
Sunday morning.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
In some way unknown the fire
originated in room No. II on the sec
0nd floor of the American House, q
little before 8 o'clock. The alarm
was quickly given, but owing to the
light and infammable character of
the building, could not be given in
time to effect its extinguiehment
In moment it was all ablaze, and
the tenants Of the whole block be ,
gan to pack up and move. TIE
steam engine was got out, and after
a while set to work, throwing three
streams and doing wonders in the
way of saving property. In little
time, however. it became clogged
with sand, sucked in from the bot
tom Of tho cistern, and unfortunate
ly was compelled for an hour to de-
sist from pumping, the old hand-en-
CINE in tie meantime being brought
out and taking the place OF the dis
abled steamer.
PROGRESS OF THE FLAMES.
The fire passed from building to
building, crossed the street and
quickly spread north, south, east
and west. The whole row of houses
on The south side of Mill street,
from Uncle Jimmie's fruit stand to-
ward the sea, were reduced to ashes,
as also the Schwabacher warehouse
behind them, Hall & Pauison's up
holstery shop, Kecnan's stone works
and Crawford L. Harrington ware
house. Considerable property was
saved by the occupants of saloons
and smaller shops, and by Keenan,,
but the others, as Carkeek, Card u
Lair, Newell & Cossgriff, Chas. Nc
Donald, Seamen's Bethel, Vergon,
American House. and Schwabacber
Bros, & Co., and the Crawford &
Harrington warehouses were total
loss. The Seattle sawmill was like
wise burned, and nearly all the lum-
Der on the dock behind it, which
(the dock) WAS damaged to the ex-
tent Ct several thousand dollars.
The fire gradually approached the
new Starr steamboat and Infclligcncer
Office, but owing to the heroic efforts
of ship carpenters, and tie tire'uen
and volunteers. its progress III that
direction wa checked ]. was about
tits time that the men got the
MASTERY OF THE ELEMENT,