Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-05
POkANE FALLS THREATENED.
A Fire that Destroyed the Entire Bust
ness Portion of the City.

San Francisco, Aug. 5.-Dispatches from
Spokane Falls, W. T., say that fire broke out
there at o'ciobk yesterday afternoon and is
burning fiercely. Fears are entertained that
the city will be entirely destroyed. The railroad
depot and the Western Union telegraph Office
are burned, and no particulars can be OBJ
tanned.
ONLY MEAaER NEWS.
PORTLAND, ORE, Aug. 5.-The last news of
the fire at Spokane Falls was received at
o'clock last evening, when all connection with
that place was lost. Inquiries for news are
coming from all directions, but all that is
known here is that the Northern Pacific depot,
two blocks north, had been burned. and the
Pacific hotel and another block was in fiames
and the wind was tanning the fire toward the
business part of the city.
VIRTUALLY WIPED OUT OF EXISTENCE.
HELENA, MoNT., August 5.-oficials Of the
Western Union telegraph company here are
authority for the statement that Spokane Falls,
w. T.. has been burned to the ground and vir-
tually wiped out of existence. 1t is impossible
to obtain details on account of the interruption
to telegraphic communication. efforts to restore
which are being made, but when success will
be attained it is hard to say.
EVERY BUSINESS house IN THE CITY,
including eight banks, all the hotels but one
all magnificent structures-except the Crescent
block, and every newspaper save the Recie,c
were burned out. The burned district includes
that part of the city from the Northern Pacific
railway to the river and from Lincoln TO Wash
ington streets Several persons are known 10
have perished and several more were injured
by leaping from windows. Charles Davis of
Chicago, a guest at the Arlington house,
was awakened by the flames bursting
through the door of his room on the third
floor. He jumped from the window and was
shocklngiy mangled and died in a few minutes.
woman, whose name is unknown, leaped
from the second story of the Pacific hotel and
was killed The fire spread with such astonishing
rapidity that it is believed many were shut off
from escape before they were even aware of
their danger. dozen large buildings were
blown up with giant powder by the orders
OF the mayor. but even this proved
futile. The Northern Pacific railroad is
probably the heaviest loser, the mag
nihcent new freight warehouse being
destroyed Their loss, including freight burned
will reach about 81, 600 coo. All provisions and
supplies were burned and there viii necessarily
be much suffering for several days. Appeals
for help have been sent out, and Portland
Seattle, Tacoma and several neighboring towns
have already responded.
The Loss Seven Millions Of Dollars.
SPOKANE FALLS, W. T., August 5-The en-
tire business portion of the city. with the ex-
ception OF one mill, was destroyed by fire last
night. The loss will reach S7,O0O,0O0.
The blaze started in lodging house on Rail-
way avenue at o'clock last evening and burned
until this morning. A large number of frame
buildings and several grain elevators were
near the lodging house and soon after the fire
broke out they were ablaze. A strong wind
was blowing toward the city at the time, and
the blaze was soon beyond the control of the
fremen.
The fire leaped from street to street. and
nothing could be done but let the flames have
their own way until they reached the river and
then endeavor TO prevent the fire from reach
ing the buildings on the other side. The
flames swept through the city, and one business
block after another was consumed everything
being burned to the waters edge The fire de-
partment was stationed on the other side of the
stream, and prevented flying timbers from set
ting fire to the buildings there. Only few
dwellings were destroyed as the residence por-
ton of the city was not visited by the fire.