Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-07

dozen different blocks at once. The whole
district was burned over in three hours
The water supply proved totally made.
quate even for q small fire, and the firemen
as well a. the citizens became totally panic
stricken.
Several people are known to have per.
ished in the flames and several more were
injured by leaping from windows. Charles
Davis, OF Chicago. q guest at the Arlington
house, was awakened by the flames burst
ing through the doors of his room in the
third story. He jumped from the window
and was shoekingly maDgled and died in a
few minutes. A woman, whose name isu not
known, leaped from the second story OF the
Pacific hotel and was killed. The firespread
with such astonishing rapidity that it is be-
lieved many were shut off from escal Q be-
fore they were even aware OF their danger.
A dozen large buildings were blown up
with giant powder by orders OF the mayor,
but even this proved futile. The Northern
Pacific is probably the heaviest loser, the
passenger depot and magnificent new
freight warehouse being destroyed: Their
loss, including freight burned, will reach
about $1,000, 900. All provisions and
supplies were burned, ond tnere will neces-
sarily be much suffering for several days.
Appeals for help have been sent out, and
Portland, Seattle, Tacoma and several
neighboring small towns have already re.
sponded.
THE LOSSES.
HELENA. August 5.-Tbe business dis
trict Of Spokane was in strip between the
Northern Pacific railroad. tracks and Spo.
kane river. The strip was five squares
across and extended about seven squares
in length. It was solidly built up with
stone structures, the cost OF which
varied from $25, 200 to $125,00O. Ten
banking houses, five hotels. the opera
house. and many Wholesale establishments
doing business estimated at halls million
dollars each, were situated within the dis
tricts described.
The estimate OF $50, 900, 900 loss is be-
lieved here to be exaggerated. Halt that
amount is thought to be nearer the actual
figure, assuming that the reported complete
destruction of the city is correct. The pop.
ulation Of Spokane Falls is 10000. The
city possessed supposedly excellent water
with q capacity of 8, ,OOO, 900 gallons daily.
There were no fire engines, but it was be-
lieved by the system in use, six good-sized
streams of water could be concentrated
upon any block in case of fire. The fire de.
partment was volunteer one.
As to insurance, the best information is
that no large amounts were carried. Build
ings that cost $4,000 to $4,000 are
known to have had but Sc, 900 to $40. 900
insurance. The chief losses, as nearly as
can be learned from reports that have
reached Helena, were the following: Holly.
Mason, Marks & Co., Wholesale hardware,
$125 900; the Great Eastern, Wholesale
and retail dry goods, 100000; Benham
& Grifiths, Wholesale grocers, SAC, 900;
Mason, Smith & Co., $4,000; Pacific
hotel. $4,000; Grand hotel, $4,000;
Windsor hotel, $4,000; Hyde block,
$75, 900; Washington block, SIS, 900; Can
non block, $50, ,OOC; Crescent block, $780,
900: Moore block, $50, 900; First National
bank block, $25, ,OOO;- Wolvertou block,
$25, 900; Frankfort block, $125,OOO.
Much comment has been excited mere by
the extraordinary series which has been
formed by the confagrations in Washing
ton. First came the fearful disaster at
Seattle, the chief city OF the new state.
From Seattle in the west it seemed as if the
FIRE had Travelled directly east to Ellens-
burg, flourishing inland city, which was
nearly destroyed within the past fortnight.
Now, in the extreme east. Spokane, which,
next to Seattle, was the principal city OF
the state, suffers by far a worse calamity.
The fire exhausted itself at the river for
lack of material. All the flour and lumber
mills were saved.