, 1890-06-05
CAUGHT SAFELY IN BLANKETS
Fears That Some Were Burned to
Death-Loss Estimated
at 100000.

capped from them with only what they
had oil, and II Is thought some lost their
lives. The block consisted ct eleven
buildings. built on piles on the tide flats,
huddled close together, ranging from
two to four stories In height. Each one
oil these buildings contained cheap
lodging house and u saloon, and most
Of them had restaurants. They were
patronized mostly by foreigners and the
poorer class.
The Pioneer house, In which the fire
originated, faces on Weller street, and
ran back parallel to Commercial street
distance OF i5D feet. Tho row OF lodging
houses facing on Commercial street
nearly all ran back to within ten feet OF
the Pioneer house.
At i;iO O'Clock fire was first discovered
by an engineer on switch engine in the
Northern Pacific yard issuing from the
window In the rear end ol the second
story of the Pioneer house. lie imme-
diately gave the alarm by shricks of tho
whistle, which ho kept up until nearly
tho whole neighborhood was aroused.
1t was only minute before the
whole rear end OF the building
was wrcathed in flames, which shot
across tho narrow alley to the Montana,
Scandinavian, IuNonia, Chicago and
European lodging. houses on CONNER
cial street, aud ran along the Pioneer
house toward Weller street aud Front,
and to the Trenton house ON its right
and the Weller house ON is left. At
o'clock eight buildings were burning
and the ninth, Mis-. Richardson's lodR-
ing house, was catching lire, and II
looked ns H. despite the hcrculean efforts
OF the fire department, tho blocks ad-
juining ON this sou th and west ami the
Northern Pacific depot supply house,
round house, turntables, etc, immcdi-
ately to tho east would go
AZ this Iuneture tie scene
beggRred description. The hail
awakened people rushed from their
rooms to iiud railways iilled with smoke
and flames, aud were driven TO the win.
dOws. Mon, women and Children jumped
from third and siourth.Sory windows,
and were caught In blankets held below.
over hny persons were saved In this
manner, ana not one was hurt over
2OO were driven out OF their rooms with
out a stitch of clothing but what they
had on, and lmnuy with single
night garment constituting their enurc
wardrobe Several men were pcuned
into rooms which furnished no cgrcss by
means OF windows, and were horribly
burned about the face and body IN rush
ing through the burning Railways.
Several men and one woman wcre seen a
the windows OF the Pioneer house when
II was nonrly wholly cnvcloped in
1nmes, and Il Is feared that one or more
lost their lives, although no one has
been missed and no bodies have been
recovered. AZ h;3O o'clock the tire de-
partment got the tire under control, con
lining II to the Richardson lodging
house, on tho Weller strcct side, and the
Chicago lodging house on Commercial
street.
Nine buildings were wholly destroyed,
three were almost ruined, and Ouiy two
In the block escaped serious damage.
At q o'clock the lire WAS entirely 1ut,
ami at z o'clock men were at work
clearing away the debris of the
European house for the erection ot
another building.
The Insurance underwriters estimate
the total loss at so, ,OOO aud the total in
suranco at $l6CuO.
The cauge of the fire has not been as
cctnincd, but IL is supposed to have
started from lamp overturned hy u
cook In the Silver 5loon restaurant, In
the Pioneer house
list or Losggs.
Following Is a partial list of the losses ;
Loss. lns
Henry A, Smith. European
nous1. 80, -, .,,.,,,.,i..,..,. fN''' f'V''
"oots 400 100
~. Alexander shoe dealer 900 None
Trenton house ........ 90. 5000 1000
Pioneer house ......, .,,...., 1000 LOW
mrs. branshaw testnurnn, "o Nohe
piavs "no, h,,iIJsmo' IIJJ' o,I Nv,
tnres GOO0 2OoO
j. Cnynnnuph. house 500 500
Mrs Uirhnr,isou InJring.
house MOO None
John johnson. buildinr a00 500
n Errhs innch counter iOO Nono
i Iing,trom saIoon nnd
buildlnp 300 obO0
Iouis Bockmnn building.
IoIginv.hnus. and sniopn ono sOo
,,u,,,,, ,,,.,,,',.
nhh"l' "I,',I
N'hons '"e '''"ny "Ivio"I""'u"o NV
~. 1c"'s "' VIZ NV W., Wv 'esNue " o.
NJ. w. Ve as n,ao'o,. ,ahg .,hn w Wn,'n'', htn,,
~DaaoV ~ " o'',, W. i.or'u .''''''e''
'.ae W. "ne,"u ,"''rs M'Io m
nv ny" "e's"s p"'oe "'''.o' woman
ho'uihg hh INFANT i' het nri'is ath 'hiru
story window IN .he floneeT mousse
Bafper ran up tho STAIRS a''loihihg 'he
mouse until nc teao'eu 'he uIlIu story
where no iounu an "'ley eiGht iee' "i"e
ma iorty ieet ueep uetweoh tle Two
houses without an ins'ahts hesitation
ne spI"ns "e.vss wv e""'"' ""' N'"S"'