Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-08-15
Wiped From the Earth.
Spokane Fails, W. 7, Suffers a Ter
rible Disaster.
The Entire Business Portion OF the
City Destroyed by Fire.

IN SUuOhE the tUbiEb DuslAAt1 ppl ltpL J
of Spokane Falls, W. T., was destroyed |
by FIRE. Twenty five blocks were reduced |
10 ashes. The estimated loss Is Sl4 co., /
600. The fire started al o'clock P. N. 10
lodging house on Railroad avenue. I ne |
fire department was on hand quickly, but
owing to a lack OF water the fire quickly /.
spread 20 an adjoining frame building /
sud wRs soon beyond control The |
flames Jumped across the street to !
tho Ruse house and Pacific hotel. b
this time a strong wind sprung ~
and il vas evident the CITY Yves
doomed. The IRE spread with fearful
fapidity; the hremon we're pOWerteFs.
At emUt6 were made 10 check the flames
by blowing mp the buildings 10 the path
but II was useless. From the Pacific
hotel he hre jumped across First street
to the frame building on the next block.
Soon It reached the heart of the city.
The block Of two brick buildings on
Rverslde venue next vent. From
mere the FIRE Communicated 70 the mag
uihotnt Hyde block building, taking IN
the whole block between Mil and How
ard streets on the river side. The fire
leRped across Howard street and III few
minutes the block betweeL Howard and
Stevens streets was reduced to ashes.
The next to sucGumb WAS the large Iull
block and solid block of four-stOry
bricks, including the post office, between
Stevens aud Washington streets. Here
me Are burned out from lack of Material
From the point of tagiuning, the fire
took another direction, ieapiDg
across Sprague street toward
the opera house block. From 1t the
flames leaped across Riverside avenue to
Browns bank, then both sides OF the
avenue were in flames. The block between
the Post and Mil were quickly licked up,
including the Grand hotel. From here
the fire communicated to toe adjoining
bl1ck on the right. Here was the Frank
fort block The largest buiidlng in the
city, costing Que hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars. II stood some time but
finally succumbed. The Arlington hotel
was the next 20 go. The building was
enveloped in flames when man was seen
to Jump from the second story. He
arose and started down Howard street
when he was overcome by heat and fell.
Several people rushed to his assistance
and carried him TO a place of safety. He
was a pitable sight, beng literally
roasted, his skin peeling off all over hIs
body. HIS name is Charles D4lts, Of Bill
luRs, Mon. liz died about noon. From
the Arlington the fire travelled north and
consumed the block between Howard,
Main, Front aud Stephens, burning east
"a far "a the latter street, where vacant
lot che cked further progress IN that
I direction. Egrything in a northerly dI-
reolOn, including the Northern Pacific
express, Union block and Windsor hotel
was soon a mass of flames. The river
prevented the fire doing any fur her dam
age and was the means of saving the big
| fl uriug and lumber mIll7. BY this time,
| IN the short space of three hours, the fire
had CONSUMED everything Ia its path,
reducing to ashes the entire business pUr-
ton of the once beautiful city. The only
! business block left standing Is the Cres-
cent building, which Was saved by tearing
/ down intervening buildings. OSlug to
/ the rapidlty with which they spread
scarcely anything was saved, Provisions
are scarce aud will last only short time.
| The city council met this morning and
! appointed committee on relief. Pro
visions will be sent for and the needy
supplied free.
The superintendent of the water works
was rOundly oensure1 by the council for
ueglectiug his duty and being away at
the time OF the fire. The big pumps
" re not connected and at the time of
/ he fire there was scarcely any pressure.
| Had there been, the hre would have been
easily gotten under control. The militia
ia out in full force, and all persons with
out pass are forbidden in the burned
district. Five out of seven banks
in the Crescent block are doing
| business today. Everybody bears
| their loss brsyely. Many business men
already signify their intention TO re-
build.
The business district OF Spokane was
] in strip between the Northern Pacific
railroad tracks and the Spokane river.
/ The trip was FIVE squares across and
extended about seven squares length.
/ It was soidly built mp with hrick and
stone structures. the cost OF which varied
from $4,000 to $4,000. Ten banking
houses, five hotels, the opera house aid
many Wholesale establishments doing a
business Of half million each, were sit
uated within he district described.
Sookaue was one of the most promi-
neut Of the many new cities IN the infant
state OF Washington. Situated on the
line of the Northern Pacific railroad close
20 the Ceur d'Alsnd mining region, the
CITY has been the site OF many large in
dustrial Establishments, such as sme'fer-
and kindred enterprises. Expensive
puhic edihces have also been recently
erected and the population vas easily
supporting two prosperous daily papers
Ina recent letter to the Evening Wis
oousin. Leonard .. Syyer, of SPOKANE
gives a striking picture o. the " attn OF
n the eisy. Spokane, ne ,sy', is a cry OF
many fine buildings, houses and re +
dence-. with inn rUvemeuts, ROW IN cours'
Of construc ion, rates at not less Than
$4,000 600. II possesses a 100000 opert
house, 100000 syndicate hotel
numerou- mills aud factories and nine
bauk-: also eight miles of cable road
eight miles Of electric road, fonr miles
Of tran road and a horse car line, 81
. railroads, with depots, freight houses auI
repair shops an scores of other shops o
like nature The weekly exchanges O
the banks smonht 20 S3oo0o0 and 'h'