Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-07-12
4tashinatun StanaaTS
Special 10 the EVENING OLYxrrAS.
The EllcnsburC Fire.

The Ellcnsbnrg Fire.
EIIENsBrEG, July Gas tho flames
die away and the smoke slowly
ascends from the smouldering ruins,
the scene is even more gloomly than
yesterday There are several theories
IS to the origin OF the fire. \ few as
sert that it was the deliberate work Of
an incendiary while others just as
confidently believe it to have resulted
from Fourth ri ,Iulv explosives. Time
and further investigation alone can
solve the mystery
The feeling Is that the city must,
and will, be built up with buildings of
Il substantial character. and that the
fire will at most only prove IA temper
airy interruption. 1t will, at any rate,
accelerate the completion of the many
brick structures already commenced,
and has given birth to the projection
oi many others. The feeling is that
the frame buildings still remaining
within the fire limits must he removed
and no longer be allowed TO menace
the security of the city. The lack of
sufficient water supply became ap-
parent, even before the fire had de-
stroyed the building in which it started,
and the people were compelled to
stand idly by and see their city burn
as long AS anything remained in the
path of the destructive element.
Two hundred houses were totally de-
stroyed and the space burnt over is ten
blocks-or aboat fifty acres. The loss,
rs far as can be ascertained, is 81 OOO,-
600. $4,000 in buildings and 81 ,25O,-
600 in goods.
THERE'S not restaurant, hotel, or
boarding house left and about $50
people are destitute. Mayor Abrams
called meeting of the citizens at 3
o'clock and action will be taken for
their relief. While the loss is terrible
for the city, her 1000 citizens maintain
cheerfulness and are determined to
build more substantially than ever.
The city is under patrol and order pre-
walls. The fire exhausted itself after
burning five hours.
The city presents sickening spec
tacle this morning. Where long
blocks of business houses stood yester-
day nothing remains but smoking
embers. Scores of new brick blocks in
process of erection suffered the same
fate as the other buildings, and the
only four that remained untouched are
Motifs hotel, the Nash, Howyan and
Smith blocks, which were saved by
being some distance off from the con-
flagration.
Guards are placed around the
burned district to prevent people from
rambling among the crumbling walls
and thieves from pilfering. Little
thieving, however, has been done.
HUMAN BONES IN THE RUINS.
A crowd collected to-day on the spot
formerly occupied by the Bull block,
and examined the bones of what is
supposed were the remains of one of
the guests of the city. They were SO
badly charred that the physicians were
unable to determine them.
A strong patrol will be kept up to-
night and extra precautions taken
against further incendiarism.
THE FIRE LOSERS.
The following is . partial list OF the
losers: Hinman & Geddes, hardware,
loss 475 900, ON building and stock, in
surance about so 600; Lloyd Mercan-
tile Co., loss 800 900, insurance $780,
500, including building and stock
Ae1,1o~ 1.o,,.n nS0 00A <,vvrod IL, II ID