The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-16

seTssrc, - iOud In his expressions Of ;riie-
nation against the parties who had the ex-
pIosives stored that caused The explosion.
he says Il was nothing but tnitro-glycerine,
for no other explosive could have caused
such damage.
There is no paid Ere brigade here, and,
while the volunteer have worked nobIy.
they were not always as well directed as
they should have been.
The man who was killed, John Mccan-
non, was . years Of age. livery stable
employee and Free Mason.
Dense columns Of smoke are still ascend
ing, and, though water is being poured
INTO the ruins, ever and anon q bright
nafne shoots its forked tongue upwards,
again threatening disaster TO the surround
ing buildings
Telephone communication will probably
be established tomorrow. and once more
business will resume its wonted course.
An inquest viii be held tomorrow and then
the whole story will be told.
It Is limited by those fully conversant
With the details that an effort win be made
on behalf Of the crown prosecution to en-
deavor TO Discover whose fault ii was that
sncn highly explosive material was
stored. and it is within the
possibilities that a charge or criminal
culpability viii be preferred against the
guilty party. The explosion occurred in
the very midst of the uproar and confusion.
inere was q scatter among the crowd on
the nil above the fire, and for while there
Was rain Of beams. pieces Of glass. iron
Work OF various descriptions and other
heavy material. The force Of the explosion
was felt and did damage as far east on Co
iufnbia street, as at Z. s. Halls book
store large pane OF glass was
shattered in the second story
Of the bniIding. The utmost consterna-
ton reigned for few minutes. as it was
not known whether more of the deadly
explosive was still untouched by the sur
rounding flames or not The explosion
resembled the discharge Of heavy piece
Of ordnance.
At Vancouver, thirteen miles away, the
news Was first received about 10 O'Clock In
the morning, and as is usual in such cases.
tue report was grossly exaggerated. the
story being told that the whole town was
IN Hames. As early as o'clock in the
morning, one Of the Vancouver fire engines
had been telegraphed for. but the order
was countermanded. No one seems 10
know who countermanded il, but every
one says the Masonic building could have
been saved had the original order been
carried out.
At So'clock in the morning the New
Westminster Ledger got out > special
edition with three-coIumn report Of the
fire. but at that early hour full particulars
could not be given. The city churches
were practically deserted until the even
ing services, and then in many Of them
reference was made In the sermons to the
IRE, while prayers were offered for the life
OF the unfortunate victim who was not at
that hour reported dead.
The Insurance companies most interested
are the City Of London, Royal Canadian,
PhGnix, Lancashire. Imperial and Etna,
bat ii Is estimated the insurance win not
cover over half the loss. Three Of the
firms, viz: Lyall & Co., 0gle, Campbell 4
Freeman. and II. T. Reid were burned q
year ago and lost severely. The latter
firm made no attempt to save any Of their
stock. They simply locked the door and
handed the keys over to the insurance
agent, telling him to save all he could.
The total loss is estimated to be in the
neighborhood Of $4,000. as follows:
= Trapp 4 Co, hardware, furniture. etc. SIS
000; insurance 5000
! 81. Aorey 4 Co, stationery and printing plant.
&2a1C9 insurance &l5, 90.
J. T. Philips, clothing, $2Sooo; insurance
ogle. Campbell 4 Freeman, loss &soooo to ss5,-
o0]. insurance twc-tbiras.
D. Lyail < Co., stationery, pianos, etc. loGs
$4,000; insurance S9o.00: some salvage
u ,000 insurance. Their safe containing . large
amount OF valuables may be safe.
Z. Rosseau d. Co., boots and shoes, &l5,OOe; In
surance 81 COZ
Murray 4 Greig. papers, etc. loss sII.ooo; In
suYance &200
A. N. Herring, drugs, $1,000; insurance ST.
Ooo
L F; Brown. wines and liquors. loss sl5.ooo:
partially insured
Masonic lodge building and fixtures. loss s1oo.-
0o; insurance SIS, 5,0oe. Odd Fellows lodge
$500 no insurance. Knights OF Pyfhias, $500:
no insurance.
Bonchier, Croft & Mauletse, real estate, loss
500. fully insured.
Tunbulf Co, contractors. loss $500; no in
surance-
Westminster Southern railway, slo,ooo: insur-
ance $500.
Land registry Office provincial governmert),
loss s, 900 and some valuable papers; no insur
anee.
Henry r. Reid Co, hardware, loss $4,000;
only partially insured.
Bell Telephone Company. loss on building
frame. $500, plant 5000; insured, but amount
not known
In addition 10 this list il viii take Sc. 900
to replace the plate glass destroyed by the
explosion.