Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-11-09
FIRE LAST NIGHT.


FIRE LAST NIGHT.
sIorah's Malt House aad the County
once Building Burned.
At l2:l5 this morning the bell sounded
the fire alarm. fastening out, bright
blaze was discovered up Mill street in
the direction of the court house. Nearer
approach showed that Slorah's NAL,
house was on fire and already doomed
As the reporter reached the spot the en-.
tire building was already a mass q,
flames. which poured forth from the
roof and windows, miRgled with dense
masses of smoke. II was evident tina,
nothing could be done to save the build
ing, and it was With some difficulty that
team of valuable horses and two wap-
ons were removed from a stable contio.
uous to the building. The heat was in
tense, and flying fragments of shingles
AMI boards were carried by the heated
current high into tie air. and scattered
over adjacent buildings. The rear of
the jail building is not over twenty feet
from the burning brewery. Two men.
| for fully ten minutes, with portable ex-
tlnguishers successfully battled with
the sheets of flame. which the
fast increasing breeze swept against
1t. The prisoners were quickly
removed and taken to the city jail. and
the records were stored ia the brick
vault COZ setting with the county Jail.
Meanwhile. fully 200 people had gath
cred from all parts of the city, and there
80 ~.
thrown on the Jail building. Inquiry
disclosed the fact that no water was at
tainable, and although the fire COM
panles were quickly ont with engines
ready for service, they were unable to
be of service. Desperate efforts were
made to pull down the malt house. but
1t was strongly built and the fire had at
tanned such Roadway that they we're nm.
successful. In the meantime the east
end of the Jail building had caught.
and it was plaiRly evident that it, too.
must go. Quickly the whole roof was
ablaze, and it was evident that there
was grave danger that the new Court
House would take fire. Portable ex-
tInguishers were again brought into
play, and the roof swarmed with bucket
men, to whom water was hoisted by
means of ropes. Several times the roof
caught from sparks, but each time
the ire was extineuished be-
fore getting we'll under way, The
tall board fence surrounding the Jail
building was torn down and removed,
and BY strenuous exertions the fine
building was saved. Slorah's brewery
adJoins the malt house on the east, and
had control of small stream of water,
the only available supply. BY con-
stantly playing this upon the roof and
sides OF the brewery it was saved. All
the court records, Judge Greene's libra
ry, furniture, etc, in the Court House,
were promptly removed as soon As the
Jail building caught fire, and placed in
safe places. At this writing, 100 a. M,
the fire Is still burning, but under con-
troll.
The jail, or county building, as it was
commonly styled, was wooden struc-
ture built over the Jail proper which
was OF stone. The lever or Jail portion
will not be found greatly damaged. The
wooden portion is entirely consumed.
The loss on building, safes, of which
there were two, and contents will be
about 5000, on which there was an in
surance of 81 600 with Taylor g. Co. By
the energetic and successful efforts to
save the Court House, the only loss on
that building will be that. incidental to
the scOrching received, few broken
windows, and damaged furniture and
fixtures. The Court House building
was insured for $1,000 also with Taylor
d Co.. but $500 will probably cover all
damages.
The origin of the fire is unknown, al
though there Is no suspicion of its being
incendiary. There was, so tar as known,
ne light or fire in or around the malt
house when the fire broke out. A man
named Matthews, who was sleeping in
the second story of the malt house,
jumped out of the window to the
ground and escaped. The malt house
was owned by Mr.. A. H. King, the con-
tents belonged to A. Slorah. The
building was old, and valued at
about $1,000, fully insured. The
contents, including malt, we're valued
at $500, insured also for $1,000, both
with Taylor IL Go. This is the third fire
in brewery buildings within year. In
the two preceding the loss was much
greater, however. No accidents of i'm
portance occurred, although several
men had their hands badly cut and
burned by burning brands and broken
glass. The city and county should be
thankful that there was no wind prevail.
ing, else there would, in the absence of
water, have ensued a disastrous cOnf1a-
grafton, in the block where the fire be-
gan. Everybody worked with a will,
but under great difficulties.
LATER.
About the time the Jail building fell
down, the firemen succeeded in getting
water and turned it on the burning
mass, arrestine further spread of the
flames, and cooling off the basement in
which were stored the safes and records.
They also extinguished the flames
which several times broke out in the
adjoining small structures. The water
was procured by pumping from the bay
into the Third street tank and thence
to the scene of the fire, which was ON
Mill street, between Fourth and Fifth.
At this writinR-2:l5 q. m.-the engines
are still working and all further danger
is removed.
The SharOn-Hlll Case,