The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-06
sTOWNG0ESU
.,ovANE FALLS NEARLY WIPED
. OUT OF EXISTENCE.

80 works Depended On for Fire
1.o+ec+ion and Prove Unequal to the
emergency - The superintendent
Censured.
ug,ryA. MONT, Aug. 5,-A special from
c.oLors Falls. says that fire broke out in a
,13-;nc house on Railroad avenue at 5
o,cIock Yesterday afternoon, and rapidly
sur,od The fire was soon beyond the con-
\ .E.I II the fire department, and it became
dan, that the entire city was threat
4 o,a5 with destruction. The latest
ua,,. fs to the effect that
..,or,v-five business blocks fell prey to the
n s,r1es The Northern Pacific railroad
Sen5r and al the public buildings in the
citv we're carried away. The loss is Sl5,-
n 100000
SOMETHING ABOUT THE TOWN.
crotana was one Of the most prominent
of tbe many new cities in the infant state
of Washington Situated on the line of
fha Northern Pacific, close to the Cour de
Alera mining region, the city has been the
cite for many large industrial establishments
such es snelters and kindred enterprises.
FxpeDs.ve public elifices had also been
recently erected aud the population was
easily slpro-ting two prosperous daily pa
7ers The business district of Spokane was
In q strip between the Northern Pacific
tracks and the Spokane river. This strip
was five squares across ana extended about
seven squares in length.
WELL BUILT UP.
1t was solidly built up with brick and
stone structures, the cost of which was
4 varied fran SIS, 900 to S125,0 900. Ten bank
ing houses, five hotels, the opera house and
many wholesale establishments doing
business estimated at $500,000 each, were
N situated within the district described. The
e population OF the city is about 10000
AN EXCELLENT WATER WORKS
The city possessed an excellent water
s works, modelled after the Holly system,
~ with a capacity of 5000, 900 gallons daily.
There were no fire engines, but by the sys-
81 tenn in use five Or six goOd-sized streams of
* water could be concentrated upon any
Y block in case of a fire. The fire department
was a volunteer one. As 10 insurance the
best information here is that no large
amounts we're carried. The Western Union
Telegraph Office was destroyed and cOmmu-
#nication is precarious.
LACK OF WATER.
SPOKANE FALLS, w. T. Aug. Sowing
10 a lack Of water the firemen were power
less Attempts were made to check the
fire by blowing up buildings in Its path, but
was useless. From the Pacific hotel the
stre swept across First street to frame build
ings in the next block and soon it rearhed
'%tae heart Of the city. A block of two-stOry
brick buildings on Riverside avenue
was easily carried away. From here the
IRE communicated to the magnificent
#hyde block, four-story building, taking
Pm the whole square between Mill and How
"A ara streets, on Riverside avenue. The fire
'8nexJ leaped across Howard street, and in a
few minutes the block between Howard and
4 Stevens streets was a mass Of red-hot ashes.
lhe next structure to succumb was the
tiarge Iutt block From there the conAa-
I3gratlon Went whirling through solid blocks
~ tour-strory brick buildings, Including
lae postoiiice, between Stevens and Wash
gton steeets. AT this point the fire burned
|&cut from lack Of material.
IN ANOTHER DIRECTION.
from the place of origin the fire had
e. mean while taken another direction, leaping
.oSs Sqrague street to the opera house.
nc Uhen over Riverside avenue to Browns
aiA' Ihen ooth sides OF the avenue were
flames. The buildings between Post and
/. I). H.
winding the Grand hotel. From here waves
~ flame poured into the adjoining
quare on TIE right, containing the
t faakort block, the largest building
~ tne city. The Frankfort block cost
@o0'O0O. 1t withstood the fire for some
Nklme, but finally disappeared, The Arling-
|SIon hotel was enveloped in flames. Suddeniv
man was seen to jump from the second
& ol5. ne arose AMI started to run down
ti1"afd street, but was overcome by the
g'o anu Iel Several people rushed to
nfaa @9slSVance apd carried him to place OF
aieVy' f.. he was pitiable sight. having
peellng off all over bis body. His name
was Charles Davis He died at noon to-
LaAPKD TO THE NORTHWARD.
NeerthWard e was the direction taken bv
H. LiSo - . rom the Arlington. 1t consumed
le DOCK between Howard, Maine. Front
ua Stevens streets. burning east as far aS
Ie iat5er thoroughfare, when a vacant lot
q ErSI oAeI iurtner progress in that direction.
ret Uulng N a northerly direction. in
H. I4g me Northern Pacific Express office.
IN ro onIon block, and Windsor hotel
# aS soon mass Of flame. TIE river
Frg5Vented the fire doing further damage
& 4 ~ vas tle means of saving all the hi9
W eldg lng and lumber mills. Three hours
3 ba b'CeG 100 70 complete the awfnl destruction.
~, business block left standing in the
II II red ~ we crescent building, which was
iDpS earring Gown intervening build
O"lng to the rapiditv with which
e ll!e spread, scarcely anything was saved
bo,. ,osls!ons are scarce, and will onIv last a
|SS5o oorr;-ne. tLlne. The city council met this
a eHof and appointed committee of
bon1d IL was decided that provisions
h. r1 Nc sent for and the needy supplied
z& mi. -ue superintendent of the city water
l tegIoo.i" was denounced by the council for
me sing ~ .g MS duty, he being away at the
s nnon. W. VIe hre. The big pumps were nor
han hr'VeYeu, r, and the result was SCARCELY lass
8 kortjnae.S vas 70 70 De expected. If they had been
fotte-l Ine fire would have been easily
z or+ under control. The militia
& fitbont In force and all persons
enter +bo passes are forbidden
eva1 the burnt district, Five ont of tha
6,,;- ria banks destroyed were again dong
6l lrascosLs. Today, ell being located in the
III SuO Sta-,. ,9.lock, the only business structure
u the h,a.9lng. o.ilg. Notwithstanding the extent
Dir srCIsL1lity, GIsLidllity, the people wear cheerful
1usinae5i yef pedf their losses bravely. MANY
ktantiS.t .reaS men have already signified their
''"'lon to rebuild. ''-0-A
# ANOTHER ESTIMATE OF THE LOSS.
fropertrt IA inANCIsco, CAL, Aug. 5.-The
kght iS asetS soss py Cne Spokane Falls fire last
eyielr e91iiaated ao mated at s6000,0O0 by the Coast
is city ms Ms Trance Journal, published in
*tal me same paper estimates the
~ Insurance at 80 35o 9oo 'llS as
<bmr 81, 700 is baId h1,
he bs1S beaTS;anlsa nsaViing agencies in this city.
4550 009 iest 81 loser is the Anglo Nevada
4GO 000 Other heavy losers are 4ltns