The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1889-08-08
Spokane Falls, w. T., EnveIOped
in Flames.
The Entire Business Portion of
the City Destroyed.
The Loss is Estimated at Thirty
Million Dollars.
Train Robbers at Work Again
In Texas.

railroad avenue at . o'clock this after
noon and is rapidly spreading and is
now burning 6ercely. The fire seems
to be beyond control OF the firemen,
and it is thought the entire business
portion of the city will be burned. AL
ready two blocks of business houses
have beeu destroyed,
HELENA MoST. Aug 5.-The city
of Spokane Falls is burned to the
ground by fire which started last
night. Details of the destruction we're
hard to obtain. This morning news of
the virtual wiping out of the city came
through the Western Union Telegraph
company s officials here. They report
the telegraph Office in Spokane as hav-
ing been swept out of existence. Every
effort was being made they stated to
restore communication, but when sue
cess would be attained they could not
say.
Later information showed that forty
business blocks had fallen prey to the
flames. 1t was definitely ascertained
that the Northern Pacific depot and all
the public buildings in the city were
carried away in the general havoc.
The first estimate received placed the
loss by the confiagration at $50 600 600.
Spokane was one of the most proml-
nent of the many new cities in the in
FAINT state of Washington, situated on
the line nf the Northern Pacific rail-
road, close to the Caur de Alene min
ing region. The city has been the site
for many large industrial establish
ments such as Shelters and Kindred
enterprises. Expensive public editiceS
had also been recently erected and the
population was easily supporting two
prosperous daily papers.
HELENA, Mont, Aug. 5.--The bust
ness district of Spokane was in strip
between the Northern Pacific railroad
tracks and the Spokane river. This
strip WAS five squares across and ex-
tended about seven squares i'll length.
1t WAS solidly built up with brick and
stone structures. the cost of which
varied from S25, 900 To SI25 900. Ten
banking houses, five hotels, the opera
house, and many wholesale establish
msnts doing business estimated at
half million dollars each, were stu
ated Within the district described. The
estimate of $50 600, coo loss is believed
here to be exaggerated. Half that
amount is thought to be nearer the ac-
tual figures, assuming that the re-
ported complete destruction of the city
is correct. The population of Spokane
was about correct. The city possessed
an excellent water works, modelled
after the Holy system, with "A capacity
of nine million gallons daily. There were
no fire engines, but by the system in
use five or SIX goOd-sized streams of
water could be concentrated upon any
block in case of fire. The lire depart
ment was "a volunteer one. AS to in
sITance. the best information here is
that no large amount Is carried. The
buildings that cost $50, ZOO TO SAC, 0OO
are known To have had but 50 900 to
$4,000 insurance. The chief losses, as
nearly as can be ascertained from the
reports that reach Helena, are as fol-
lows:
HolIyman. Marks Il Co., wholesale
hardware, Sl25 900; the Great Eastern
Wholesale an retail dry goods house,
SlO0, 900; the White House wholesale
dry goods house. 5000; LowenbuTg
Bros. 100000; Benham ~ Griffith
wholesale grocers. $40 900; Mason
Smith X Co, grocers. 100000; Pacific
hotel. $40, 900; Grand hotel, 10000;
Windsor hotel, $4,000; Hyde block,
S75, ZOO; Washington block, sos, 900;
Crescent block, $50. 600; cannon block
SIC. 900; Moore block, $50 900; First Ma
tional Bank block, $25, 600; WeathertOI
block. $25, 900; Frankfort block, Sl25,.
600; Tull block. SO 900.
PORTLAND, Oregon, Aug. 5.-ThC
fire at Spokane started in the large
frame block opposite the Northern Ia
cilic depot, and under the influence OF
the high winds which scattered the
burning embers and started fires in
half dozen blocks at once. The whole
district was burned over in three hours
The water supply proved totally made
quate, even for "A small fire, and lire
men as we'll as citizens became panic
stricken. Several people are known Il
eral more were injured by leaping from
windows. Charles Davis of Chicago
guest of the Arlington house. wa
awakened by the flames burstin;
through the door of his rom in u thiTC
story. He jumped from the window
Was was, shockingly mangled ant
woman, whose n lme is unknown, leap
ed from the second story of the Pacifi
hotel and was killed. The fire sprea'
with such astonishing rapidity that
is believed many were shut of from es
cape before they were ever aware o
their danger. n dozen large building
were blown up with giant powder b
order of the mayor, but even thi
proved futile. The Northern Pacific
probably the heaviest loser. The pas
senSer depot and the magnificent ne'
freight warehouse being destroyed
The loss including freight burned vii
reach about 81 900 900. All provision
and supplies were burned and theT
will necessary be much suffering fC
several days. Appeals for help haV
been sent out and Portland. Seattle an
TACOMA and several neighborin
small towns have already responded
This disaster Is undoubtedly twice a
great as that which overlook Seattle
both on account of its great extent an
the more substantial character of tn
burned buildings. No account of til
losses has vet been received. I'll
Western Union Office was burne
out and all the instrument
destroyed except one which an operate
is now working on a dry goods be
just outside the city. Nothing coul
he sent last night because the fore:
fires in the Cascades had cut down a
wires. The fire exhausted itself at IL
river for lack of material. All I'll
-four and lumber mills were saveC
Much comment has been g,
cited here by tile eXtraordinal
series which have been formt
bv conflagratiOns in Washingto
First came the fearful disaster to Sea
tie, the CHI eff city of the new stat
From Seattle in the west it seems as
fire had travelled directly east. Ellie
burg fiOuTishiDg inland city was nea
ly destroyed within that past fortDigt
Now in the extreme east Spoka
which, next to Seattle was the prime
pal city of the state suffers by far wor
calamity.
Train Robbers.
FORT WORTH Texas Aug. Sat
o'clock yesterday morning six mask
men stopped the Fort Worth and DE
yer mail and express south bound