Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-08-06
thing is being done towards getting con-
The Details.

= .>SPoKANE FALLS, w. T., Aug. 5.-The
,ent3Ee business portion of this city was
DESTROYED by are last night. Twenty-Five
blocks were reduced. to ashes. The esti-
mated loss is SI4, 00G, 600. The fire
started at Z p. m ia a46dgiHg house on
Railroad avenue. The fire. department
came on the scene quickly, but owing to
the lack of water the fire quickly spread
to the adjoining frame buildings and was
soon beyond control. The hamas
Jumped across the street TO the
Russ house and the Pacific hotel.
By this time a strong wind sprung up and
if was evident that the city was doomed.
The flames spread with fearful rapid
ity. The fiCemen were powerless. At
tempts were made to check the fire by
blowing up the buildings in its path, but
it was useless. From the Pacific hotel
the fire swept across First street to the
frame buildings in the next block and
soon it reached the heart of the city, A
block of two-story brick buildings on
Riverside avenue was easily carried
away. From here the fire communicated
to the magnificent Hyde block, a four
story building Taking in the whole
square between Mill and Howard streets
on the Riverside avenue, the fire next
Ieaped across Howard street and in few
inmates the block between Howard apd
stevens tsstreet was a mass Of redhot
6ashes. The next ,etruet9re 10. succumb
syas the large .BuI0 block. REom there
Disqualification Vent
E=r7S-s3RLNG THR0UGH SOLID BLOCKS
of four-story buildings, includ-
ing the postOffice between
= Stephens and Washington streets.
: 35tatriS point the fire burned out from
lack n material From the place of orr
gin the ffTeGil.t1 meanwhile taken an
other direction, 1eaPing, across Sprague
street to the opera house'aud thence over
Riverside avenue to Brown s Bank. Then
both sides of the avenue were III flames.
The buildings between Post and Mill
streets were quickly licked up, including
the Grand hotel. From here waves of
flames poured into the adjoining square
on the right containing the Frankfort
block, the largest building in the city.
The Frankfort cost $3.50, 600. 1t with
stood the fire for some time, but finally
disappeared. The Arlington hotel was
now enveloped in flames. Suddenly a
man was seen to jump from the second
story. He arose and started to run down
Howard street, but was overcome by the
heat and fell. Several people rushed to
his assistance and carried him to place
3 ef-safetY. He was
IN "A -PEIIABLE SIGHT,
having EBs4R 4itsgalLg roastsdaliYe, the
skin peeling Aaffz .sIf> 6Rer his body.
The unfortunate man g. QaRe was
Charles Davis. He died at
noon to-day. Northward was
the direction taken by the fire from the
Arlington. 1t consumed the block be-
tween Howard, Main, Front and Stevens
stPsetg, burning east as far as the latter
thoroGESSare where a vacant lot checked
further STSogrhss in that direction.
Everything in a noFteerly direction, in
Guiding the NortherRFP aci.fe express Of
fee, Union block and the Windsor hotel,
was soon a mass of flames Fhe,Tiyer.
prevented the fire from doing further
damage and was the means of saving all
the big Touring and lumber mills. Three
hours sufficed to complete the awful de-
struction. The only business block
standing in the city is the Crescent build
ing, which was saved by means of tear
ing down the intervening buildings.
Owing to the TapiditY with which the fire
spread scarcely anything was saved.
PROVISIONS ARE SCARCE
and Will last only a short time. The city
councF INST Sljs morning and appointed
q comrTiftee6-io relief. 1t was decided
that provisions Should be sent for and the
needy supplied free. The superintendent
of the city waterwOrks was denouneGdby
the council for neglecting his duty , he'I
being absent at the time of the fire. The
big pumps were not connected, and as a
result there was scarcely any pressure.
Had thetc0ntTary been the case the fire
would have bgen. easily gotten under con-
troll The miIitiGis out in force and all
persons without passes are, forbidden to
enter the burned district. Five out of
the seven banks destroyed were again
doing business to-day, all being located !
in the Crescent block, the only business |
structure left standing.
Notwithstanding the extent of the ca |
lamity the people were cheerful and bear
their losses bravely. Many business men |
have already signifed their intention of |
rebuilding.
Witirs the utmost difficulty your cor
respondent. has succeeded in obtaining |
an account Of the terrible disaster Tel
egraphic communication was interrupted /
for hours, and this account, was sent !
from a badly battered Instruments
mounted on Il woodpiIe outside the I
burned district.