The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-08-23
FIRE m 4 BLOCK OF TENTS.
south Fourth Street Canvas
stores Destroyed.
Lose, Ten Thousand Dollars A
swarm Of Thieves PlundeF the
Vnfortauase Merchants

At half rast 4 o'clock yesterday morning
FIRE broke out In the tent restaurant keps
by James Is<ison in the tent row on the
east side oil south Foarfh street. between
Main and Washington streets
Along that side OF the block were fifteen
tents used Ion business purposes. Five Of
them we're burned and several Others dam
aged. Tue ffmsy structures burned Ike
powder An instant alter the fire Tnounied
TO the roof Of the drss ter the sheet Of
flame shot u and enyeloped the tents On
each side.
The n~esghboring saloons turned u .
large crowd OF ramp and ioughs, out
they maize no effort 10 save property. The
Japanese Who run the Kay moRd reStaa-
rau; were the 6rst 10 do anything toward
checking the progress of the flames They
tore down the roof al their big tent, Thus
che .kiBg the spread of tHe t,ames to the
north.
There were several lodging houses in the
row, and the occupants wr3e driven out
By the flames. man. of them in q nude
condition, the flames driving them oaf
before they could gather their clothing to-
aetaer- Al first there was d slight wind
from the south. bat IL son died away
THE PRE- DEPARTMENT.
The alarm reached the headquarters of
the Ere department a. 4.ss 8. M. upon q
signal from Police Captain Harry Bigeiow.
aud engine No.. . and the hose wagon
under ai ectioa vf Chief Mcdonald. were
on the ground aG the FIRE within four Wiu-
uies. There they used the IRE plug with
two lines OF hose. and. soon had the Ore
under control, n ia thirty minute il was
cofn pielely e~xIlag9ished-
The water worked very well. as only W
streams were being drawn six freraen
from the regular force and four OF the vol
unseers did al! the work.
eausE OF THE FIRE.
0ae of the occupants says the ERE caught
from . grease psn on the top of q coai-oil
stove. which ignited a newspaper in the
hands Of the DOING night ~waEcnman.
Another man, who with his wife was
sleeping IN an adiosDginE tent. sniy tw elye
iaehes f.om where the fire started, says
that IL WA csase4 by the explosion of o
kerosene oil stove; hat there was a flash
and q putting noise. "A then came the ex-
plosioa. reaching the root of the tent L
It's sifee.
Mr.. aud Mr.. Priedo. who we're in an
adjacent tent. were nearly smothesed By
the first bursting OF tee flames. and in
making taeir sudden exit had no time to
reach for garments in the pocsess of
which were $3o ia currency.
The merchants whose tents were burned
ana those adjoining moved what goods
shoy could a the street A.. II. Larsen.
= clothing dealer. piled his goods ON the
sidewalk. a young sneak thief named
Jem smith. watched his opportunity ana
stole three coats aud five pairs of pauts-
He dcdgo3 through an ~alieyway into
>eSsou street and there ran piamp into
the srTns Of Policeman willard, who
plScvd him under arrest. He had one Of
tie stolen coats already on his back. In
the afternoon he was committed TO the
county jail tor ninsiy days by Justice
Miller.
An Italian fruit Tender esme near losing
his entire stock through the rsPacisy OF
the erosd of Migrants that assisted him To
move from q tent contiguous to the fire.
Captain Blgelow aud several officers were
on The gruuad. and guarded goods until
their owners could take care of them.
LossEs BY THE FIRE.
The losses are roughly estimated as
follows:
W. c. Priedo. fruit aud tobacco, $500.
A. Tamagao, saloon. 81 $50.
Pearl Bros. gents furnishing ssoods,
t2.o0; insurance.. ssa.
J. p. Mears h sons, boots and shoes.
N-ooos insurance. $I.5oL.
James Dodson, restaurant aud lodging
house, <so.
II. +. Poiner, barber shop. $50: no In
sUranee.
4 lombard. cigar stand. s5e, no iasur-
arce-
Mount Hooi lodging house. 81 o. no In
suraRce.
Once SALOON. $40. 10 insurance.
Geneva saloon. s. O. NO Insurance.
Raymond restaurant, xls: no Insurance.
Other damages To adjacent tents aud
contents can be safely estimated al 500,
making the retail less come above Si0.nSa.
The total insurance viii not exceed 5000
All those burned cut were also sufferers
Ia the great fire. therefore they were &C
~cupying these tents. Bat Is was given
out last night than 40 permission would
ROW be given Ia rsbuiid them.