, 1890-07-24
HUMAN FlENDS.
Incendiaries Do Their
Deadliest.
DIAB0LICAL EFFORTS.
The City Saved by Her
Pluoky Defenders.
SAD SCENES OF DES0LATI0N.
The Loss Will Foot UP 100000
Heroic Work of Our
Firemen.
SAD SCENES OF DESOLATlON.

What now appears TO be a most des
perate and dsstardly attempt to burn
the city OF Spokane was made about
o'clock this morning.
Fire was discovered in the row of frame
buildings at the north end of the Mon
roe street bridge. owned by the Wash
ington Water Power Company, almost
in the same place where the $50 600 fire
OF last winter occurred.
Before the fire department arrived ON
the scene the whole row of buildings, to-
gether with the bridge, were in flames.
The scene was awful In its magnii-
cencc and illumined the entire night
wi tn a light 80 brilliant that in half an
hour the river banks on both sides of
the river were black with people, anx-
iously awaiting the turn the fire might
take.
When the department did get to the
scene of the conflaeration they were
handicapped by an insufficient supply
of water and had to devote themselves
to the preservation of buildings further
out Monroe street,
The Monroe street bridge, the cable
roads power house and the buildings,
including all Of the shanties on the river
bank adjoining the lumber yard,
were totally destroyed, the loss
aggregating slOO, coo.
When the flames were at their height
messenger with blanched face dashed
through the crowds calling at the top of
his voice for the chief.
"The devils are setting fire to the
town." was the cry raised by hundred
men, and glance across the river
showed another large fire.
A hose cart was Immediately dis
patched to the scene of the new danger,
which was located at Second and Lin
coin streets, where the flames had
already obtained full sway among a
lot of frame buildings. Rumors of all
kinds were afioat. and men with stern,
determin faces worked with will,
helping the tremsn; men who would
have felt AS lttle compunct ction at string
ing up a suspected incendiary, us at eat
ing their breakfast.
The origin of the second fire, in the
negro lodging house kept by Julia
Glenn, bears very suspicious marks.
Three attempts were made to fire the
Concordia ball, and just rs the last at
TEN pit was reported it was announced
that the water pipes on the island had
burst.
Then indeed was fear and grim
settling down to the inevitable, appar-
ent on the faces of all who heard the
intelligence.
The bridge was still burning tiercely,
and the flames threatened to attack
the buildings on this side of the river,
both fires still burning, and not a drop
OF water
Prompt action on the part of Mayor
Clough, however, relieved the pressure
and the little pumps at the G. and c.
mills were started, and the last efforts
OF the fire kingMere vanquished.
The pipe that burst on the island was
an old one, with crack IN it, that
Superintendent Weymouth had bound
with wrought-iron bands. and thought
was safe.
The store of the Spokane Hardware
Com pnny, on Monroe street. was broken
open and picks were taken from it to
tear up the cable track on this side of
the river, and prevent the flames from
running up il.
The h,e department were untiring in
their efforts, and in spite of \ lamenta-
BILE lack of water, the work of the fire.
men was very effective, and the city can
thank its firemen and not itself, for
with inadequate means and poor water
supply, they fought nobly and saved
millions of dollars worth of property.
The instances of individual heroism
were many, aud to the heroic efforts of
c. L, Cohran, who, sitting on the roof
of Oliphant Il Spencers warehouse
with wet cloth over his face, are due
the preservation of the building and
stock
bThe Monroe street bridge Is a total
loss, anu through the gross negligence
of some one, 1t was allowed to slowly
burn itself 10 ashes. 1t was the first on
fire, and after all else was smoldering
ashes, the flames still eagerly hurried
on their destructive way.
There wore several rumors of people
being burned TO death in one OF other of
the lodg ne. houses; but careful investi-
cation failed TO substantiate any Of
them.
THE SECOND STREET FIRE.
A Total Loss Of Nearly Twenty-Three
Thousand Dollars.
While the fire on the North Side
was ut its height aud the entire de-
partment was engaged In fighting
the flames, number OF pistol shots
attracted attention TO another fire
on Second street.
FLAMES were seen issuing from the
roof of a twostory frame building
ON the north side of Second, about
midway of the block between Lin
coin aud Posts streets.
LII. 4