The Red Cloud chief., 1889-06-14
THE SURFING OF SEATTLE

ThO L0oo Sold to R00e Up to 3 .0O0, 90
. Description Of tho Fire.
SEATTLE. W. T., June She loss by
the terrible condagration will sum up $SO.>
100000, Of which 80. 0o0. 0O0 is in buildings,
and 80. DOC, 1000 In stock 1t is as yet inn
possible to work In the smoldsring rrins
and engines from Portland and Tacoma
have been working ali day. pouring
streams OF water ON he burning mass
The ruin wrought 10 beyond all descrip-
ton. The city 10 practically in ruins and
tnsre 10 every reason to believe that
several persons were killed by falling
walls Inc wharves are still burning
and vessels that put out "a 500 to escape
destruction are still unable to make u
landing in theh heart OF the city. Miles
upon miles OF wharfage has been de-
stroyed. Every bank, hotel and place Of
amusement all the leading business
houses. all tho newspaper Offices, The rail-
road depots and miles Of steamboat
wharves. coal bunkers and freight ware
houses AND the telegraph offices were
burned. About three O'Clock some
turpentine caught ire in the basement
OF q two-story frame building ON the.
southwest corner Of Front and Madison
streets. The building was soon ablaze.
The volunteer fire department found it
impossible to make any Roadway against
the flames. This building vas ut the
corner Of q row Of frame buildings OF
various heights. Adjoining it was a
wholesale liquor store. and rs soon as tine
nre Reached the barrels OF liquor they ex-
piOded with terrific reports and scattered
flaming timbers far and wide. Tn Denny
block was soon licked up. This cleared
out the entire square. The efforts to food
the Coleman building on Front street to
the south were utterly without effect The
names leaped across Marion street and in
less than thirty minutes another square
vas burned.
While this square was burning the
Opera House block, on the east side of
Front street between Madison and Marion
street. caught fire in the upper stories.
This was q three-stOry brick structure.
owned by George F. Frye and valued at
SEQ, 900. 1t burned with several other
buildings clearing up another square.
The Kenyon block, to the north Of where
the fire originated, also burned.
From the opera house the flames swal-
lowed up the square to the south, consist
ing Of q number Of two-story frame build
ings occupied by business concerns. The
fire department tried to save the most wall
liable part Of Front street to the south be-
tween Columbia street and Yes
Ter, which contained a magnificent
row Of brick buildings two ami
three stories high, including the
Bank Of Commerce and the FRS
National, Washington and Savings banks.
TOklas-Singerman & Co.'S big Wholesale
dry goods emporium. the Union block, the
Parin building. the San Francisco c!O:h-
ing house. the Star block. the Arcade
building and the Vesler block in Genital
Square. All the telegraph Offices were in
Central Square. It was generally sup
posed the entire water front would go. hut
it was hoped il such was inevitable, that
these buildings could BE- saved.
Thu Occidental Hotel was an easy PROV
to the flames. Many persons were injured
by the falling walls OF the Toklas-Singsr-
dry goods block. There is great
restitution here, and food and clothing is
arriving from neighboring towns.