St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-08-07
DESOLATE AS SAHARA
Fire-Swept Spokane Looks as
Dreary as Nevada's Death
Valley.
Thirty Blocks Of Business
Structures Engulfed by
Oceans Of Flame.
Conservative Aetuaries Esti-
mate the Loss at $14,-
100000.
Courageous Washingtonians
Are Preparing to Do the
Phoenix Act.

SPOKANE FALLS, ". T., Aug. e.
The wires are now in such condition
that somewhat fuller particulars of Sun
days confagration can be given. The
fire started at quarter past o'clock
%. m. in the roof of a lodging house on
Railroad avenue, the third door from
Post street. A dead calm prevailed at
the time, and the spectators supposed
that the fremen would speedily bring
the flames under control. This could
have been done if better precautions
had been taken, but the superintendent
of the water works was out of the city,
and for some reason the men
In charge failed to respond to
the call for more pressure. The
heat created current of air, and in
less than half an hour the entire block
of frame shops was enveloped in
flames, and burning shingles and other
debris filled the air, igniting several of
the adjoining blocks. At the same time
the opposite block to that in which the
fire originated, in which stood the Pa
citic hotel, one of the handsomest
structures in the Northwest, took fire.
1t was now 10 o'clock, and by that time
high wind prevailed from the south
west. and it was evident that the entire
business portion of the city was in dan
ger. Mayor Firth ordered that build
ings be blown up with giant powder to
check the spread of the fire. This order
was speedily put into execution, and
explosion added to
THE REIGN OF TERROR.
The picture was grand and awful.
Block after block yielded to the demon
of destruction. The sky was overcast
with black clouds. A strong wind
spTang up from the northeast, flaming
the flames furiOuSly, while an upper
current continued to carry the burning
Grand hotel, Washington block, Eagle
block, Tull block, new Granite block,
Gushing building, Falls City Opera
house, Hyde block, all the banks, and,
in fact, every house from Railroad ave-
nue. north t. the river, and from Lincoln
street east to Washington street, with
the exception of few buildings in the
northeast corner, were totally DESTROYED.
Meanwhile a sudden change in the di-
rection of the wind carried the fire
southwark across Railroad avenue, and
destroyed tile Northern Pacific passen-
ger and freight depot ands several cars.
The freight depot was splendid struct-
ure, and was filled to the roof with
valuable merchandise, very little of
which was saved. The terrifying
shrieks of dozen locomotives mingled
with the roar Of flames, the bursting Of
cartridges, the booming of giant pow
der, the hOarse shouts of men, and pitt
full shIieks of women and children.
Looking upward a broad and mighty
river Of fame was seen against jet
black sky. Occasionally two opposing
currents of wind met, causing
A wHIRLWIND OF FIRE
that seemed to penetrate the clouds,
performing all sorts of fantastic gyra-
tiOns. In this manner the monster held
high carnival until about 10 O'Clock,
when Howard street bridge over the
river went down. A boom of logs took
fire and burned for hours Oh the crystal
surface of the river. Many times flying
pillars of fire covered the river, ignit-
ing the mammoth lumber and Touring
mills that lined its banks; but by heroic
efforts its career was checked on the
south side of the ,stream. Looking
backwards, however, the beholder wit
messed a scene of deSOlation that was
fearful to contemplate. Fragments OF
The naked walls of what were, four
hours before, magnificent. structures of
brick and granite, stood like grim Senti-
nels. Over the surface of the burned
district all was ruin. The burned dis
trict embraces eighty blocks beside the
depot. The only brick business houses
left standing are the Crescent block and
the American theater. The schools and
churches, the college and hospital, were
beyond the lines of the burned district,
and were not lost. 1t is impossible al
this writing to estimate the loss with
any degree of accuracy, but it will not
fall short of 100000 900, with insurance
of about one-fOurth that amount. The
banks have obtained temporary quar-
tiers. and several have already opened
for business. The work Of
CLEARING AWAY THE DEBRIS
has already begun and the work of T E.
building will be also commenced at
once. Firemen are blowing down dan
gerous walls, and a militia company is
guarding the burnt district, while
mounted police control the entire city.
The company will be reinforced by a
company from Walla Walla to-day. The
city council has held a meeting and dis
cussed a resolution prohibiting wooden
buildings IN the burned district, and a
mass meeting of citizens sustained
unanimously. 1t will be passed at the
regular meeting Wednesday evening.
The council has passed resolution re-
voking the licenses of all hotels and res
taurants and of dealers in provisions
who advance their prices. Only two
saloons remain, and they have been
closed by order of the mayor. The cOun-
Gil ordered the committee on fire, water
and sewers to investigate the cause of
the absence of its superintendent of
works, as the man left in charge was
incompetent. A hopeful feeling pre-
walls, and, although the destruction will
retard the progress of the city for a
time, it is impossible that the resources
so vast and stability so we'll established
should be blOtted out.
IT WILL RISE AGAIN
grander and better than before, and
will still claim its position as a CONNER
cial center and the railway center of
eastern Washington. The city pre-
sented a desolate aspect to-day. Thirty
blocks in the business center, and in
cluding many magnificent structures of
brick and granite, are a mass of
smouldering ruins.
After cleaning up the block of frame
buildings in which the fire originated
the flames swept across Howard street
eastward, taking everything from the
the railroad znOrth, including plumb
ing shop, restaurant, the Elite and two
other saloons and al furniture house.
The Red Front grocery store of A, j..
Shirley was the last of the establish
ments between First street and the rail
road to burn. The progress of the fire