The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1889-06-08
Fire Sweeps Away the Heart of the City,
Sixty-four Acres in Extent.
MANY LIVES ARE PRoBARLY LOST
The Flames Finally Died Out for Lack OF
Fuel-Help Must be Sent to the
Sufferers No Sleep for
Aching Eyes

oEAlILE1 W. L., June "a Jen-
pest of flames to-day visited Seattle and
swept away the entire business por-
tion Of the city, causing a lossof millions
OF dollars, and rendering homeless and
penniless hundreds of people.
The flames burst forth in wooden
building on Madison and Front Streets
and spread with such rapidity and such
resistless fury that now there stands but
single large business house in the
whole business part Of the city.
The magnificent Occidental hotel, the
San Francisco store, Union block,
Porein block, Yesler and Leary blocks,
the PoSt-IntelHgencer building, and
indeed the whole line of business
buildings bounded by Seneca street on
the north and the water front on the
south and east, has been laid waste by
the furious element.
Front street is now a scene OF ruins.
At the present time $3.50 the fire is
near Stetson & Posts and the Oregon
Improvement mills, and there is little
doubt that they also will 90. The rail-
road offices, all the docks on the water
front, wharves-eyerything is gone as
far up as Almond & Phillips foundry.
There is good chance now that this foun-
dry will be saved, and that the fire will
na gaap further
The burnt district, as near as can be
stated, is bounded by Union on the
north, by Second as far as James on the
east, and then below James The fire
is now at South Third, and down to the
waters edge. There are no serious
casualties that are definitely known, but
it is reported that several men were
burned to death. There were number
Of minor accidents. The loss, at
guess, is $4,000 600.
HOW THE CITY WAS DESTROYED.
SEATTLE, June Gil 80 ?. M.-The
fire is still burning, south, but has
about burnt out for lack of material.
The burnt district covers sixty-four
acres Of ground, and comprises thirty
two solid blocks of business houses.
The distance covered is fully one mile
and half.
The northern boundary is at Univer
sity street on Front, and from the
waters edge south to the mud flats
wharving In this district, from four to
ten blocks wide, there is not single
business house left. The eastern boun.
dary is the west side OF Second street to
James.
At this hour the city is as light as day.
The coal bunkers are burning and all
the lumber yards, and mills are adding
to the blaze.
A great deal of thieving is going on.
The militia is patroling the streets, and
citizens have been sworn in as deputy
sheriffs and provided with rifles.
1t is reported that one thief has been
shot and another man badly cut with an
ak.
The scenes about the edges of the
burnt district beggar description. House
hold goods are piled up, and women
and children are huddled in groups
about the piles. The citizens, whose
fortunes have gone up in smoke, stand
gazing spellboun1 at the smoking ruins.
THE HEART OF THE CITY is GONE.
! 1890 A. Mat this hour no esti-
mate can be made of the loss. The
whole business portion OF the city is
gone. The loss will be away up in the
millions. All that portion of the city
south OF James street for ten blocks
wide is gone.
The fire is out, and is only blazing in
the district already burned. The last
building to go was the huge transfer