Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-06-25
afashln9ton Standard
Incidents Of the Vancouver Fire,
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1t Is still difficult to form an &C.
curate estimate of the actual mber
of lives lost by the late conhagration
at Vancouver. Some place the mum
Der at nine, while others again, who
also have only lately returned from
the scene, place the number at
twenty. 1t was reported tina. two
more bodies had been found yester-
day, in the ruins of a row Of tene-
ment houses, by Indians. A woman
named johnson died at the mill on
Tuesday from injuries received in
the fire. Also q man similarly in
jured. who had been removed to the
New Westminster hospital. had died.
The scenes by the rowdy element
are said to have been worse than at
first reported. Some of these men
entered the saloons, and not only
helped themselves to drink, but &C
tuallv attacked the tills before those
in charge had deserted their posts.
The street which formed the Chief
avenue of escape was quickly blocked
by the fall of large tree, over which
all passing that way had to climb.
Drivers of drays loaded with peo-
ple's effects found themselves in
some cases compelled to cut their
animals loose and seek safety for
themselves in the human stream of
fight. Even persons who were
carrying portable articles were
obliged to drop them in the rush
and struggle with the heat of the
fire. whose crackle and roar from all
directions lent an added awfulness
to the already tragic scene.
So far 40 known the conduct of
the Indians was extremely inhospit-
able. Mr.. Alexander McCandless
and police officer Wood, who pushed
off together on q raft, asked some
Indians in canoe to help them, but
this the natives refused to do unless
paid, and not until they had extract
ed S. did they allow the waits to en-
ter their canoe. They also, presum-
ably. have had a share the plum.
der, for a quantity Of goods saved
from the fire disappeared, and trunks
and valises originally containing
some Of the property were afterward
found in their camp-empty.
I. D. Cyrs, Of the Sunnysids Ho.
tel, took $1,000 out of his safe while
the fire was raging and attempted tc
escape with it. In his fight the
money was burned, and he barely
escaped with his life. Had he lef,
it in the safe it would have been pre-.
served, as the contents of all the
safes that were in the ruins have beer
found intact. Twenty new buildings
have been already erected on the
ruins.
A little girl, leading boy smalle,
even than herself, was taken charge
of by passers-by at the time the fire
was at its height. Crying bitterly,
she said her name was Nash, and
that her mother had sent them ahead
while she remained behind in the eff
fort to save some window blinds
Poor woman! she lost her life anG
the window blinds, too.
The reason that Bailey, the bar
keeper. Of the Burrard Hotel, lost BIZ
life is said to have been because b,
(6gurately speaking) first lost hi
head. He ran around widely in
quiriug of others what he was TO do
and was told there was only on
thing to do-Ay by the only roat
that was free from fire. He did no
seem to realize what was said to him
and made no effort to leave. Thi
was the last seen of him.
A very inconvenient and distress
ing incident to those immediatel
concerned was that caused by tn
destruction of Mr.. T. G. Atkinson
newly furnished house. During tn
absence of himself and wife (ue
Miss Ellard) in Victoria, the latter
trousseau and wedding presents wer
packed and sent from New West
minister to Vancouver a few days be
fore the fire, and were altogethe
consumed.