Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-05-15
SPOKANE FALLS ON FIRE.
The Flames Famed by Fierce
Winds and
THE CITY ALMOST WITHOUT WATER
A Number of Lives Lost and
Methodist Tabernacle
Destroyed.

SPOKANE FALLS, Wash, May 10.
AT 2:3O this morning q fire broke
out, in a three story frame building
occupied by Peter Hansen asa saloon
and lodging house on Howard
street, near the corner of Second.
The flames spread with alarming
rapidity, burning both ways, the
conhagration being aggravated by "A
strong breeze. II at once became
apparent that there was serious
lack of water. Streams supplied
from thy city water works hydrauts
would not reach the top of two and
three story frame buildings which
extended from the corner of Howard
and Second to the new Methodist
tabernacle. A ladder was run up
and n hose was carried to the top
in an effort to throw water on
the tops of buildings, but it
soon became so hot that fremen
could not stand it. They had no
sooner climbed down than the fronts
fell in. BY this time the entire row
of buildings on Howard, from corner
of Second south to alley, was in
flames. During all this time new
SiIsby steamer had stood idly by,
there being no available hydrant
from which to supply it with water.
The wind continued to rise and
burning fire brands were carried to
the tops of houses block distant.
The firemen now turned their atten-
ton to preventing the flames from
crossing Howard street, in which
t hey were unsucc :SSiul. I he
fronts of the twO-'tury buildings
across the street, occupied hy Farm
er Bros grocery store, Il second
hand store, Kroft's tailor shop, the
Boston bakery, Il carpenter shop,
with lodging upstairs, were soon in
flames. BY this time the Silsby
steamer was at work and threw
stream which at once checked the
flames. On the east side of Howard
street the flames had reached the
Methodist Tabernacle, where the
fire was checked after the building
was partially destroyed. From the
corner of Second and Howard all
buildings We're destroyed upward
to the Methodist Tabernacle. DR..
J. +. Gandy's one-story frame build
ing on Second street, fifty fee front,
was completely gutted.
LIST OF THE INJURED.
The flames on the east side of the
street having spent their fury, addi
tional streams were applied to the
on the west side that were
in flames, and which were only
checked after buildings had been
gu tied. The firemen did efficient
work, considering the meagre water
supply. }. Costello, lodger in
boarding house, leaped from
second story window and
it is thought has received
serious internal injuries. May May
er, Hattie Thompson, John Seward,
inmates Of the same house, received
severe burns about face and arms.
The charred remains of a man burn
ed in Louvre lodging house were
found in the ashes. 1t is also report
I'd that an infant met its death in
the same building. The fire was
caused by the bursting of one of the
lamps in IA saloon. Exact losses are
not yet known but they will not be
far from fifty thousand dollars. At
four O'Clock the flames burst out
afresh in the Methodist Tabernacle,
and that building was completely
gutted.
[The Methodist tabernacle at Spo-
kane Falls was "A cut limestone build
ing and must have cost in the
Of $4,000. The build
ing was used AS n postofiice during
the other great fire.