The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-06-09
A TROUBLED ] sIVOUAC.
Blowing Up Ruins-Ts airing Down Walls
JUNE 0. 1889.

SEATTLE, June THE scenes about
tbe CITY at this hour are quite pa
thetic. Armed guards are scattered
about every fifty feet; large numbers
who are unable to secure quarters are
huddled in stairways and on lots.
covered with blankets and trying to
sleep. The burning lumber and ruins
throw fitful glare over all. No one
IS allowed to move about ON 90
streets except reporters and The na-
troll. At every corner men are halted
and must show their passes. There
has been no trouble SO far tonight.
and the energetic action of the eiti'
zens has evidently terrorized the large
gang of thieves known to be in the
city.
The burnt district now presents a
peculiar sight. In the Swabacher
building, Gordon Hardware Co.'s and
Seattle Hardware Co.'s. buildings. of
which the walls are partly standing.
the flames are burning brightly, hay
ing broken through the debris. On
the wharyes, in the southern portion
of the city, the sites of the lumber
yards and at the mills fires are still
burning brightly.
The work of blowing up the ruins
and throwing down the standing walls
has been recommended. Two heavy
explosions, followed by crashing of
falling bricks, have just been heard.
OF the Occidental hotel, two tall
sections of walls remain standing and
threaten every moment to toppIe
over.
Early this evening the wind, which
had been blowing the smoke over the
city, changed and is now blowing it
toward the water.
The assistance of the Victoria.
Portland, Olympia and Tacoma fire
engines and men came too late to do
other than keep the fire within
limits.
1t is now pretty certain that not
more than five lives have been lost,
and possibly only two. The eight
men reported burned at Stetson &
Posts mill are now said to have es-
capped. Two women reported lost in
the Denny block were carried out
unconscious by firemen. A number
of miraculous escapes are reported.
During the afternoon a safe in the
southern part of the burnt district
was broken open by thieves. The
guard supposed the men to be owners
of the safe.
Enough food has been received to
relieve the immediate wants for days
at least, but the suffering has hardly
begun. The people are just begin
ming to appreciate the extent of the
calamity.
The armory of the First regiment is
literally besieged by a surging mass of
humanity, homeless and hungry, and
seeking the food prepared for them.
On the inside of the building the
noble women of Seattle are doing all
in their power to allay the hunger
and provide accommodations for the
rapidly increasing crowd.
On vacant lot adjoining the Ia
coma relief corps, composed of OPEN
hearted citizens of Tacoma, have
erected two large tents, where cots
and beds will be arranged, and tables
set for feeding a large number of peo-
pie. Tacoma has come nobly to the
front and her well appreciated efforts
will be ever remembered by the home
less and hungry people, whose pitt
able condition has so generously been
treated. A number of men have al
ready begun to clean the streets, and
late this evening the electric cars be-
gan running on Second street. The
tents are still going up rapidly, and
in a few days the city will be reg
ular city of canvas.
A detailed statement of the loss
cannot possibly, at this time be made.
it is believed, however, that the losses
will aggregate $15,000,000.
The burnt district covers as near as
can be estimated, 130 acres OF the
solid built portion of the city