Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-08-09
WIPED FROM THE EARTH
Spokane Falls, W. T., Suffers Ter
rible Disaster.
The Entire Business Portion of the
City Destroyed by Fire.
The Loss is Estimated at Fourteen
Million Dollars.

SPOKANE FALLS, Aug. 5.-The entire
business portion was destroyed last
night. Twenty five blocks were reduced
to ashes. The estimated loss is $14 ,OOO,-
600. The fire started at O'Clock o. IN.
in lodging house on Railroad avenue.
The fire department was on hrnd quickly
but owing to lack of water the fire
quickly spread to an adjoining frame
building and was soon beyond control.
The flames jumped across the street to
the Ruse house and Pacific hotel. By
this time a strong wind sprung up
and it was evident the city was
doomed. The fire spread with fearful
rapidity; the fremeu were powerless.
Attempts were made to check the flames
by blowing up the buildings in the path
but it was useless. From the Pacific
hot Il the fire jumped across First steet
to the frame buildings in the next block.
Soon it reached the heart of the city.
The block of two brick buildings on
Oh Riverside avenue next went. From
here the fire communicated to the mag
nifoent Hyde block building, taking in
the whole block between Mill and How
ard streets on the river side. The FIRE
lesped across Howard street, and ia a few
minutes the block between Howard aud
Stevens streets was reduced to ashes.
The next 60 succumb WAS the large Tull
block and solid block of foar- story
bricks, including the post office, between
Stevens and Washington streets. Here
the fire burned out from lack of material.
From the point of beginning, the fire
took another direction, leaplng
across Sprague street toward
the opers mouse block. From it the
flames leaped across Riverside avenue to
Browns bank, th6n both sides of the
avenue were in flames. The block between
the Post and Mill were quickly licked up,
including the Grand hotel. From here
the fire communicated to the sdjoIning
block on the right. Here was the Frank
fort block, the largest building in the
city, costing one hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars. 1t stood some time but
finally sucoumbed. The Arlington hotel
WAS the next tn 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 & pitiable sight, being literally
roasted, his skin peeling off all over his
body. His name is Charles
Davis, of Billings, Mont. He died
about noon. From the Arlington the
fire travelled Dorth and consumed the
block between Howard, Main, Front and
Stevens, burning cast as far as the latter
street, where a vacant lot checked further
progress in that direction. Every rything
in northerly direction, including the
Northern Pacific express, Union block
and Windsor hotel was soon a
mass of flames. The liver prevent
ed the fire doing any further damage
and was the means of saving the big
Touring and lumber mills. By this time,
in the short space of three hours, the fire
had consumed everything in its path,
reducing to ashes the entire business por-
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. Ow-
ing to the rapidity with
which they spread scarcely anything was
saved. Provisions are scarce and will
last only a short time. The city council
met this morning and appointed a com.
mite ou relief. Provisions will be sent for
ana the needy supplied free.
The superinteudent of the water works
was roDndly oensured by the councH for
neglecting his duty aud beng away at
the time of the fire. The big pumps
ware not connected, aud at the
time of TIE fire there was scarcely any
pressure. Had there been, the fire
would have been easily gotten under CON
trol. The militia is out in full force, aud
all persons vithouta pass are forbidden
in the burned district. Five out of the
seven banks in the Crescent block are
doing business today. Everybody bears
their loss bravely. Many business men
already signify their intention to re-
build.
The business district of Spokane was
in a strip between the Northern Paciic
railroad tracks aud the Spokane river.
This strip was five squares across and
extended about seven squares in length.
1t was soiidly built up with brick and
stone structures, the cost os wkich varied
from S25 600 TO $125,000. Ten banking
houses, five hotels, the opera house and
mauy wholesale establishments doing
business of half million each, we're sit
uated within the district described.
Spokane was one of the most promi-
neut of the many new cities in the infant
state OF Washington. Situated on tho
line of the Northe n Pacific railroad close
TO the Cosur d'Alane mining region, the
city has been the site for many large in.
dustrial estebiishrE ents, such as smelters
and kindred enterprises. Expensive
public edifioes had also been recently
erected, and the population was easily
supporting two prosperous daily papers.
In a receut letter to tbs Evening Wis
cOnsin, Leonard D. Sivyer, of Spokane
gives q striking picture of the wealth of
many fine business houses and resi-
dences, with Improvements, now in course
Of construction, rates st not less than
S3,000,0O0. 1t possesses a $500 600 opera
house, 100000 syndicate hotel,
numerous mills and factories and nine
banks; also eight miles of cable rosd,
eight miles of electric railroad, four
miles of tram road and a horse-csr line,
six railroads, wish depots, freight houses
and repair shops aud scores of other
shops of like nature. The weekly ex
changes of the banks amount to 100000
and the real estate transfers since Jan.
last foot up to 50 100000.
SAN FKAsoIsoo, Aug. 5.-The property
loss at Spokane Falls, las. night, is es-
timated st six million dollars by the
Coast Review Insurance Journal, publish
ed in this city. The same paper estimates
the total insurance at two million three
hundred and thirty nine Thousand dollars.