The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-06-07
A Stiff Breeze and the Lack Of Water
the Main Cause Of the Great
Disaster.
The Loss at the Latest Report at Least
Five Millions---HelP From
Portland.

PORTLAND, Ore, June 6-Fire broke
out at Seattle. w. T., at 2:SO p. M, in the
POntus building. and is now raging over
district Of five OF six blocks, and the indi-
cations are the whole business part Of the
town, involving millions, will 60. The
magnificent San Francisco store and also
other stores are on fire. The 6remen are
helpless, and have teIegraphed in all direc-
tons for help.
A later dispatch from Seattle says: A
disastrous FIRE is now sweeping through
the heart of the business part of the city.
Two blocks have already been de-
stroyed. Many other buildings are In
flames and the confiagratiOn has passed
beyond the control Of the fire department.
To add to the city's peril a smart breeze is
blowing Of the bay, tanning the flames.
One thousand feet of hose has been burned.
At present no idea of the extent Of the loss
can be formed. The opera house block, the
block opposite, and the warehouse at the
foot of Columbia street, and also four
buildings in the rear of the POst-Intelli-
gencer Office are burning. The people in
the Yesler block, occupied by the Western
Union and Post-Intelligencer, are moving
out At o'clock tonight the best engine
in the department. fully equipped with
crew, etc, and ], 900 feet of hose, started on
a special train and will probably reach
Seattle at midnight
From insurance agencies In this city IL is
learned that thirty-one blocks so far have
been burned in the very business portion
of the city and there is great danger of the
loss of about twenty blocks more. The
FIRE is not yet under CONTROL
The very latest dispatches state the
fire has reached the great coal bunkers.
Should these be destroyed it is certain that
the flames will be communicated TO the
very large number Of wooden buildings.
A dispatch from Seattle al 10 .. m. says
the business portion of the city is in ashes.
Every bank. hotel, place Of amusement,
all the leading business houses, all the
newspaper Offices, the railroad depots,
miles of steamboat wharves. coal bunkers
and telegraph Offices have been burned.
The fire began near the corner Of Front
and Pearl streets in the Seattle Candy fac
tory, at 2:SO p. m. The whole Of the busI-
ness section north 20 Station q Posts mill
along Front and Second streets 10 the
water front were burned. involving a loss
Of over 5000, 900.
The city is literally wiped out except the
residence portion on high ground.
At $50 p. m the flames reached the
whsryes and tie steamboats, and shipping
were compelled 10 head out in the stream.
A stiff breeze was blowing from the north
west when the FIRE began and it soon got
the best Of the fire department. The water
supply gave out within two hours after the
FIRE began and then the flames had a clean
sweep great deal Of property was
moved, only TO be burned In other places,
so quick did the flames rpread.
SAN Francisco. June 6.-FromI brief
dispatches received here from Seattle be-
tore the wires went down il was learned
that wind was blowing strong at the time
the FIRE started, and when the department
arrived the Pontus building was roaring
mass Of flames. The fremen worked with
will, but were unable to cope with the
flames, which rose high In the air. Large
volumes Of sparks were carried by the high
wind and spread broadcast over that part
Of the city lying south which contains
many indammatle buildings. Within an
hour the opera house and COlemsn's blocks
weTein flames. The latter was filed with
infammable material The heat was so in
tense the iremen were hardly able to ap-
proaeh. The hremen were becoming dis
cOuraged, as the flames were spreading be-
yond their control. The people in the
south part of the city were moving out and
the streets crowded with vehicles OF
every description which had been pressed
into service. IL is thought the loss at pres
ent will be at least s5,OOO,OO