The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-06-08
NOTHING LEFT BUT SMOKING RUINS.
The Business Portion of Seattle
Completely Wiped Out.
How the Flood of Flame Rolled from
Block to Block.
The Property Loss Estimated at
Ten Millions.

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, June THE fol-
lowing is the San Francisco Examiners re-
port Of the great fire in Seattle:
The entire business portion Of. Seattle is
now nothing but smoking ruins. About 8
O'Clock yesterday afternoon some turpentine
caught fire in the basement of a two story
frame building on the southwest corner OF
Front and Madison streets. The building,
which was owned by Mrs. Margaret j. Peu-
teus, the first story of which was leased
by the Seattle Shoe Company, and the upper
floor being occupied by offices, was soon
ablaze. An alarm was instantly turned in
and the volunteer fire department responded
promptly. but 1t was impossible to make any
headway against the flames. This building,
like most of the others Of its kind in the
business centre, was not detached, but was a
corner one of row Of frame buildings, all
Joined together and of various nights.
Valiantly did the fremen fight the flames,
but without avail. for the buildings of tinder
were an easy prey to what, within 10 min
utes from the time it started, developed into
confagration. Adjoining the first build
ing was a wholesale liquor store, and as soon
as the fire reached 1t the barrels Of liquor ex-
ploded with terrific reports and scattered
flaming tinbers far and wide. The DEM y
Block, in which was a wholesale confec-
tionery store. Gilmore & Co.'s real estate of
fee and several other establishments, in
Guiding number of professional offices and
some lodging apartments, was soon licked
up completely. This cleared out the entire
square. The efforts to flood the Coleman
Building on Front street to the South were
utterly useless, for the flames leaped across
Marion street with great rapidity to two sa-
looms, the Palace saloon and the Opera
House saloon, and in less than 30 minutes
another square was burned to ashes.
From the Opera House Block the fire. now
fast becoming m0nstr0us c0nflagratiOn,
swallowed up the square to the South, con-
sisting all of the two story frame buildings,
occupied by e. Lobe's Golden Rule Bazaar,
the California Clothing House, Gordon
Bros large tailoring establishment, the
Oriental Bazar and several other big con-
Germs. Notwithstanding the progress of the
flames, the fire department struggled
with determination to save the most
to the South between Columbia
street and Yesler, which contained magnl-
fcent row of brick buildings of two and
their ofices-the Bank of Commerce, Mer-
chants National. First National and Wash
ington Guarantee and Loan Association and
Savings Bank. This row consisted of
corner block occupied by Tokia, Singerman
y Co.'s gigantic wholesale dry goods empo-
rum, the Union Block, the Porin Building,
the San Francisco Clothing House, the Star
Block, the Arcade Building and Yeser
Block on Central square. All the telegraph
offices were in Central square. 1t was gen.
orally supposed that the entire water front
would go, but 1t was hoped that in
such an event these buildings could be saved.
The Safe Deposit Company also had build
ing in this row. s3t
The explosions of giant powder were use
less to prevent the awful spread Of the flames
smoke onward the confagration went, crack
ling, roaring, almost shrieking.
From the initial point the fire spread north
and south, distance Of one mile. Every
newspaper, motel and telegraph office. railroad
depot and wharf in the city was totally de-
stroyed. The entire water front. including
all wharveS and docks, coal bunkers and rail-
way tracks, the wholesale quarter, and every
thing south Of Union street and west Of Sec
ond street and reaching around to the gas
was completely burned. There is great pri-
walton felt among the poor classes,
as nearly every restaurant and grocery
In the city was consumed by the fire. The
burned district, comprising ga acres, now
presents the aspect Of huge oven of burn
ing Goals, and threatens even further de-
struction. The firemen, reinforced by Ia
coma and Sh0hOmich, are on the alert. The
streets all through the night were crowded
with people wandering about, penniless. The
militia and extra police are to be seen on
every corner guarding the property against
thieves and vandals. Over 100 arrests have
already been made. All of the daily news
papers will published tomorrow.
PORTLAND. Ore, June Late desptches
from Seattle state the loss from the fire yes
terday will not fall short of S10,000,00O. 1t
Is estimated the total insurance will reach
reacn from 81 100000 to 81 900. In many
places workmen have begun to grade and
clean up the lots preparatory to building.