Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-11-24
rHE vscrowlA vIsg.
STANDARD, Nov 3D.

aha most extensive and destructive nres
aver occurring in this city. Ii WAS a
dirty night, and at the hour mentioned
4 strong wind prevailed from the south
and southwest. Special officer Speed
whilst going his rounds was attracted 70
Chinatown by shrill Whistles sounded
on the north side of Cormorant street,
between Government and Store streets.
and hurrying thither he at once detect
cd that the roof Of three ssory baild-
ing in front of the Chinese theater Was
on fire. The celsstials were in a state
Of confusion and excitement, and no
little presence of mind Was necessary to
take in the sit uation. Officer Speed
hastened to the engine house, and With
all alacrity turned on the alarm. which
was promptly responded to by the FIRE
Department, under the direction OF
Chief Engineer Phillips ani Assistant
Engineer Morley. The ssrnsture IA
which the fire originated csntiiasd
large quantity of oils and otaeF inh sn
N .ble material, and 1t vas soon s1p.-
rent that it was i'm mpossibie to save tue
place. although had the Cinnamon who
lined the street offered even ordinary
assistance the fire might have been
checked. Bat they stood still, and
were apparently lost to the exiQencies
of the occasion, and bereft of all pres
enoe of mind. Tue Tiger Cowpsny's
engine secured first water through hose
belOnging To the Deluge Company, the
water being taken from the tank 1T the
intersection OF Government and john
son streets. A stream WAS also laid on
from the tank on Store street.
The fremen worked bravrly, bu. in
spite of their efforts ths flames spread
east and west, and il was only by super
human efforts that the Orleans hotel
and the brick building occupied by the
wealthy firm of Lung Chung Il Go. were
saved. The stream from the DeIuge
Company's hand engine was directed TO
Finlayson's two story brick building,
occupied by Lung Chung d Co, but the
fierce flames and the dense smoke com
ing from the wooden structure at the
rear in the .direstion of Fisgard street,
drove the firemen oack, and soon the
whole locality was encircled in lurid
sheets of fire. The Deluge steam On
gine, on which the Department rai,ed
for valuable service, unfortunately gave
out aad refused duty, owing to some
defect in the valves. This was "A serious
drawback to the operations of the De
partment, but the work they performed
vas, under the circumstance, most cred
table. Fortunately the wind was not
blowing from the north. Had il been
the flames would doubtless have crossed
C0rmorant street and have quickly en-
yeloped Quong Lees place and in all
probability have spread through to Gov
ernment street, sweeping everything in
that direction. Where II would have
termiuated can only be a matter of con-
GESTURE. Even as 1t Was the conflsgra-
lion made big clearance from Cor
m0rant to Fisgard street. Coming up
from the corner of Store towards Gov
ornment street on the left hand side
every building is burned down, after
passinQ the Orleans hotel, until the Fin
lawson structure is reached. This too,
d completely gutted, and the walls at
any moment may fall in with a crash.
Il is roughly estimated that there
vero resident in the burnt district no
less than 500 Cinnamon. and the build
iuQs and tenemeuts destroyed embrace
tw0 Chinese tonsorial shops, Quong
Ohang's store, the Chinese theaters, the
Chinese High Binders Masonic hall, a
gsmbling house kept by DIR. Foo Ksin,
4 fruit store, another barber shop. Le-
ung Chung's premises, Sing Lee Lungs.
Yee Chang Tai's aud many small
wooden buildings. 1t was impossible
yesterday 10 ascertain correctly the
value Of the goods consumed or the
amount of insurance effected on them.
On frame building owned BY kwong
Lee i Go. there was a policy OF $1,000
in the Guardian office, Messrs. Turner,
i BeetOn d Co. agents. On the stock
owned by Lun Chung there were two
policies, one for 5000 in the London
and Lancashire Office, and another for
similar amount in the Imperial office,
4 Msssrs. WEIGH, Rithet d Co., agents.
Hsksrs. Robert Ward d Co., Wharf
street, represent the London and Lanca-
shire. The building owned by MIR. Il.
Finlsyson, was not insured, the policy
having expired few days ago. The
lees 10 him will probably amount to
47Qn The walls Of the building are
stia sanding, bat for hoars after the
nro had been got under control. the
hnmss burned fercely amongst the
seook and debris contained within the
walls.
The spectacle afforded when the flames
uere at their full fury was grand. Burn
ing shingles were waited afar by the
cerrent created by the fire, and for a
vast distance the heavens were illumin-
aeed BY forked tongues Of the deyour~
ing element. In some respects the con-
0agration will have beneficial effect.
It has at least cleaned out q lot Of dis
toputable rookeries and made room for
bnildinga of more substantial aud
seeditabie character. But the change
comes ct bad time Of the year for the
rapid erection Of brick structures The
oundaGration lasted nearly four hours,
daring which time the members of the
Fire Department worked heroicalty and
saved much valuable property iinnsdi-
ately adjacent The loss ON the build
inGs will probably not exceed $ao,tEJo,
md on the various stocks, owing To the
multifarious character Of them aud the
quantities carried. Il is impossible 10
foFM any accurate estimate. Yesterday
large number Of spectators thronged
Oormorant and FisQard streets to IN
aPect the effect Of the devastation, and
amy Cinnamon and Indians were fos
&icking amongst the debris for anything
i worth the taking. The windows of the
buildings Oa. tho south side OF Corner
{ ant street we're broken by the heat of
the tiAmes, and the varnish and pain,
ON the doors and walls were bllsteged.
Az intervals miniature explosions were
heard as the flames made headwav; but
fortunately there was no amount OF
dangerous combustibles 10 create alarm.
81
Miss May Thornton and Miss Olive
{ Hnyder announce that they have re-
oaived A sf0r,k 0f ctyOCs from the Deco