The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-31
SIX BUILDINGS GO.
Rapid Morning Fire on Wash
ington Street.
A POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFE.
The Property Destroyed il variously
Estimated at From $4,000 to
S25,OOo-Narrow Escapes.
i. POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFE.

Almost the entire block bounded by Washing
ton and Main, South Fifth and South Sixth. was
destroyed by fire between / and o'clock this
morning. At Ills the first alarm was
from the Campo clearinghouse. inhab-
tied by Italians. The place was filled
with people, and so quickly did the wooden
building burn that they had barely time to
escape, several of them jumping from the win
dows as well as from the adjoining building.
The lower part of this was occupied by the First
Chance saloon and the upper story by the Bre-
WORT, also lodging house. In fifteen
minutes the entire Washington side
of the block was threatened and general alarm
rung out. At the same time the flames sprang
out from the building to the right OF Campe's, a
frame building OF two stories occupied by Shing,
Shong & Co. There was large quantity OF fire.
works and other explosives stored there, and
perfect fusilsde was kept up for fully fifteen
minutes
To the east of the Brevoort house was the great
livery stable of n. NJ. Teater Co., known as the
Montana livery and feed stables. A large force
of men had barely time TO drag out six horses
and large number of buggies and wagons, the
last OF which was already in flames. The thin
partition offered no resistance to the force OF
flames, and the engine had barely arrived on the
spot when q great fame burst through and the
store of hay was ablaze.
Firemen climbed into the windows OF the
Brevoort and endeavored to check the fire
there, but their efforts were futile, and
by las that building was doomed.
Several men were busy throwing bedding
and furniture from the windows, but
were driven out by the dense volumes of smoke,
but before they emerged from the windows the
cornice was blazing and the ladders
had to be removed. One fireman, who
could not be recognized, stuck TO his post
ON the roof of the Brevoort until the excited
crowd, which numbered several thousand peo-
ple shouted to him to come down. The ladder
was SO hot that he could barely touch 1t.
By 2 O'Clock all hope of saving the
north and west side of the block was abandoned.
The most strenuous efforts to save the Montana
stable were utterly unavailing, and the
heat on both sides became so in
tense that it was almost uncomfortable
at any distance at which a stream of water
could be effectively thrown. The hose from
engine burst and the stream had to be
shut off, but the stream thrown was
like garden sprinkling in face OF
the mass of flames which belched forth from
every opening and shot up high into the heavens,
lighting up the city for miles around.
Only the width of South Fifth
street saved the buildings on the west side,
one of which, . two-story dwelling with
verandah, was manned by a force of volunteers,
who dashed buckets of water over the front.
1t was feared that man was burned to death
in the Brevoort house, and q woman in the
Campo house, but their names could not be
learned. A woman was taken in ashrieking and
hysterical condition to police headquarters, cry
ing that her two children were lost, but this
proved to be wrong. The only one
known to be missing is an Italian who
was asleep in the Campo house, but
none of the dodgers could tell his name, and as
so many swarmed out and fed in scanty cloth
ing 1t was impossible to trace him
At 1885 the signal sail out" was given from
the bell-tower, and then it was seen that the de-
struction had been confined to six buildings.
Nearly the first man on the scene was Captain
I. W. Peer, who was at police headquarters, two
blocks away, when the noise of pistol shots
alarmed him and he ran to the Campo hotel,
where the fire started, and endeavored to
burst open the door. He finally succeeded in
doing So but a sheet of flames rushed out and
forced him from the sidewalk to the middle of
the street. At the same instant woman rushed
from q side door with her hair singed and
cried:
any two children; they're burnedv'
She attempted 10 rush back through the
flames, but was caught by Captain Peer and
taken to police headquarters by another officer.
A moment later blind man who begs on the
streets came stumbling from another side en-
trance, attired only in his night clothes. He
reached the street and fell down. An Italian
caught him up and carried him away.
AS the flames leapsd upward, a negro cook
about 50 years old jumped from the second
story of the First Chance lodging house, adjoin-
ing. He fell on both feet, but
sank to the ground. It was thought
that he had broken both legs and
his left arm He lay In the street for q while I'M
til carried to police headquarters. woman
into the room that had been occupied by the
negro. She fell on her side and blood spurted
from her nose and stained her white night gar
ments.
Mike Dupee, an Italian, next was seen rush.
ing out of the flames. The hair had been
burned from his head, and patches OF burned
flesh dropped from his hands and face as he
ran down Washington street He was led into
restaurant, and several walters put quantities
of -four on his burns.
The last persons TO leave the First Chance
house were Jsps. named Oar Paca and Jim Frto,
who were both badly burned.
Mrs. MeKutchon, wife of the steward Of the
steamer Eastern Oregon, was hurt while
escaping from the First Chance and was
carried into a room in the rear of the Columbia
saloon, on Yesier avenue, at the corner of Fourth
street The corner saloon had sign with First
Chance on one side and Last Chance on the
other.
One of the most exciting incidents Of the FIRE
occurred at the front entrance of the Montana
sheet of fame, fed by the combustibls
hay, burst out OF the front door
TO q distance of twelve or fifteen feet Two
companies OF pipemen, led by Chief kellogg,
dashed up 10 the door In the face OF the tongue
of the IRE and by well directed streams OF water
drove back the flames. The building, however.
was too far gone TO be saved.
The confusion OF the scene was heightened
by q crowd OF Cinnamon who, before the FIRE
had envslopsd the entire row, dashed in and
out the buildings, carrying out bundles
OF tea, opium and other Chinese
wares All that was saved was piled
up into . mound in the middle Of the street
until the spreading OF the flames forced their
removal TO a further distance. Two or three
sneak thieves were foiled by the police while
attempting 70 carry Of some Of the plumber
At one time the heat became so intense that the
fremsn found ii necessary to build barricade
OF barrels 10 protect them from il, while fight
ing the flames. This did not protect them long
however, and they were forced 10 retreat further
back and work from distance.
Charles stanton, OF engine company No. 4,
was among the frat TO do front duty
after the arrival Of his engine. He went
sixhs into the banning xixst cAsaea saloon and