Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-06
LICKED UP BY THE FLAMES.
Only One Business Building Left in
Spokane Falls.
wATERwoRKs OUT OF ORDER,
The Handicapped Eiremen Could Do
Nothing to Stop the Work of
Observation-Disclosures
Badly Needed.
Worse Than seattIn's Fate.


SPOKANE FALLS, w. T., August 5.-The
entire business portion of the city was de-
stroyed last night. Twenty-Five blocks were
reduced to ashes. The estimated loss is
sl4,000,009.
The fire started at p. m. in a lodging
house on Railroad avenue. The fire depart
ment was on the scene quickly, but owing to
the lack of water the fire quickly spread to
the adjoining frame buildings. and was soon
beyond control. The flames jumped across
the street to the Russ house and Pacific
hotel. BY this time a strong wind sprang up,
and it was evident the city was doomed. The
fire spread with fearful rapidty, and the
fremen were powerless. Attempts were
made to check it by blowing up the buildings
in its path, but it was useless. From the
Pacific MOTEL the fire jumped across First
street to the frame buildings on the
next street. Soon it reached the
heart of the city. A block of
two-story brick buildings OH River Side
avenue next went. From here the fire was
communicated to the magnificent Hyde
block, a four-story building, taking in the
whole block between Mill and Howard
streets, on the River Side. II then leaped
across Howard street, and in a few minutes
the block between Howard and Stevens
streets was reduced to ashes. The
next to succumb was the large Hull block
and the solid block of four-story bricks, in
cluding the postoffice, between Stevens and
Washington streets. Here the fire burned
out from lack of material.
From the point of beginning the fire took
another direction, leaping across Sprague
street to the opera house block From there
the flames leaped across River Side avenue
to Browns bank, then both sides of the
avenue were in flames. The block between
Post and Mill streets was quickly licked up,
including the Grand hotel. From here it
was communicated to the adjoining block on
the right. Here was the Frankfort block,
the largest building in the city, costing $780,
600. 1t withstood the fire some tune, but
finally succumbed.
The Arlington hotel was the next to go.
The building was envelopeu in flames when a
man was seen to jump from the second story.
He arose and started down Howard street
when he was overcome by the heat and fell.
Several people rushed to his assistance and
carried him to place of safety. He was a
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 travel ed north
and consumed the block between Howard,
Main, Front and Stevens streets, burning
east as tar as the latter street, where
vacant lot checked its further progress in
that direction. Everything in northerly
direction, including the Northern Pacific ex-
press, Union block and the Windsor hotel,
was soon mass of flames. The river pre-
vented the fire doing 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 portion Of the once beautiful
city.
The only business block left standing is
the Crescent building which was saved by
tearing down the intervening buildings.
Owing to the rapidity with which the flames
spread, scarcely anything was saved. Pro-
visions are scarce and will last only short
time. The city council met this morning
and appointed relief committee Provis-
ions will be sent for and the needy supplied
free
The city superintendent of the waterworKs
was soundly censured by the council for ne
glecting his duty, being away at the time of
the fire. The big pumps were not con-
| nected, and at the time of the fire there
was scarcely any pressure; had there been
| the fire would have been easily gotten under
control.
The militia is cut in force and any person
without pass is forbidden to enter the
burnt district.
Five out of the seven banks are doing
b usiness in the Crescent block.
Everybody bears their loss bravely. Many
business men already signify their intention
to rebuild.
Spokane Falls was one of the most promi-
nent OF the many new cities in the infant
state of Washington, situated on the line of
| the Northern Pacific railroad, close to the
Cour d'Alene mining region. The city has
been the site for many large industrial es-
tablishments, such as smelters and kindred
enterprises. Expensive public editices had
| also been erected, and the population was
| easily supporting two prosperous daily pa
pers.
The business district of Spokane was in a
| strip between the Northern Pacific railroad
tracks and the Spokane river This strip
was five squares across and extended about
seven squares in length. 1t was soidly
| built up with brick and stone structures, the
cost of which varied from S25, 900 to Sl25, 900.
| Ten banking houses, five hotels, an opera
| house and many wholesale establishments do
| business estimated at half million of dol
| lars Each were situated within the district
described.
The present population of the city of
! Spokane Falls is 10000. The city possessed
excellent waterWorks, modelled after the
Holly system, with capacity of 100000
gallons daily. There were no fire engines.
| The fire department was entirely vol
| unteer one. AS to insurance, the best infor-
| NATION here is that no large amounts were
| carried. Buildings that cost $50. 600 to S40, :
900 are known to have had but s., 600 to $40,
| 0Q0 insurance,
This disaster is twice as great as that
which overlook Seattle, both on account of
| its great extent and the more substantial ma
ture of the burned buildings. No account OF
| the losses has been received. The Western
| Union office was burned out and all the in
| struments except one, which the operator is
now working on dry goods box just outside
/ a NJ h in hA mt nllt last nifynt
because the forest fires in the Cascades had
| cut down all the wires. The fire exhausted
| itself for lack of material. All the -four and
| lumber mills were saved
| SAN FRANCISCO. August 5.-The property
loss by the Spokane Falls fire last night is
estimated at 81, coo, 900 by the Coast Review
| The Insurance journal, published in this
| city, estimates the total insurance at g., 900,
| 900.