, 1891-12-02
ROASTED ALIVE!
Fatal Results Of the Big Fire
Last Night.
The Eastern Orsgon's" De-
Struction on the Gridiron.
One Man Burned - The Crew in
Panic are Forced to Jump
Overheard An Awful
Scene at PerciyaIs
Wharf.
One Man Burned The Crew in

Burned and charred beyond recognition,
the body of one Of the crew Of the steam
ship Eastern Oregon, which was burned to
the hull last night, was taken from the
forward part Of the boat this morning. The
Eastern Oregon is the property Of the Ore
gon Improvement Company, and arrived
here at A O'Clock yesterday, from the repair
shops at Seattle, to go on the gridiron for
the purpose of being painted. In the for
ward part of the boat were stored 400
pounds of paint The boat had been placed
on the grldiron and as the tide was out the
crew Of about &c men were at work on the
hull while the remainder, to the number of
dozen, had turned in. The origin of the
fire is attributed by some to the boiling
over of paint in the galley, and to others
by an explosion. AT any rate, when the
flames were first discovered the captain
was experimenting the work on the hull.
lie with others rushed aboard to arouse the
crew. One man frantically rushed toward
the flames, but the captain followed to his
rescue. The widest excitement prevailed
and regular panic ensued. Already the
heat-was intense, the flames eating every
thing in their way and blocking passages
Of exit The men were terrified TO
make matters worse, before half
the number had got ashore the gang
plank gave away. There was no means Of
escape from the burning ship and had
there been the men were too excited tofind
it. As last resort many of them jumped
to the mud flats forty feet below, and ten
minutes from the time of the alarm the
wharf contained a half dozen men with not
a astitch of clothing on beyond shirt. They
were taken to Percival's Office on the dock.
and Hugh Kempler, George Thompson
and Mr. Perciyal each contributed from
their wardrobes. Such outfits as a straw
hat, white shirt and a rubber coat were the
only garments many could secure until
they were taken to Young's hotel
In the meantime, the hame-swept ship
illumined the sky and brought crowds and
crowds from all parts Of the city The
alarm was turned in from Third and Main
and it was not long before three streams Of
water were playing on the burning mass.
Theopen condition of the boat, however,
gave the wind full sway. The heat was SO
intense that it got up steam in the boiler
and the fog horn blew continuously in
most doleful tone.
The captain and crew lost all their per
sonal effects. For while it was thought
that one of the crew was missing, but the
captain felt sure that all were out This
mornings find, however, revealed the fatal
result. The body is supposed to be that Of
the third cook who went by the name of
Charles lie was German about 81 years
Of age.
The flames spread fore and aft, ana
finally the house gave way. Aft was
stored little over 30 tons of coal and tile
strongest efforts were made to keep the
flames from this, which were partially sue
cessful.
At midnight the firemen were working
vigorously, when the house fell in and
started the flames afresh, at the same time
causing the paint to burn more vigorously.
Fears were entertained for the safety of
Percival's wharf, valued at $4,000, but
heavy rain set in and the fire was finally
got under control. The breaking Of the
gang plank, the rapidity of the spreading
flames and the fact that most of the crew
were at the hull prevented the utilization
Of the boats fire brigade and the men were
forced to stand and see the ship and their
effects swept away.
The Eastern Oregon was built at Chester
Pa, in 1888, was 200 feet over all, and her
burden was 400 tons. She was formerly
the City of Polatka, and piled along the
Atlantic coast from New York City to
Florida She was purchased by the Ore
gon improvement company and has been
on the Tacoma Whatcom run. She had
just been thoroughly repaired.
At 3 o'clock this morning tha fire angina
was Withdrawn and two streams from the
hydrant on PerciYaFs dock PLAYED on the
ruins all night, This morning stream
was kept going forward in order to decrease
the intense heat.
The scene last night was a beautiful
though thrilling one. The upper por-
ton OF the boat had yielded to
the flames and fallen in a shapeless mass.
On the bridge was an officer directing the
movements of several men who held the
hose The wind whistled and the flames
roared, but above the din could be heard
the voices Of the officers and men who were
working SO valiantly to save the ship.
The members of the fire department.
worked long and courageously Nearly
1900 feet OF hose were brought into use.
When the flames abated somewhat the
firemen gathered IN Percival's office to
get warm. They were drenched and
soaked, some of them with but the
scanty clothing on that they had
grabbed at the sound Of the alarm. The
Gold Bar restaurant furnished cans of hot
coffee, and the men were cheered intern
ally by donation from w. a.. Botkin.
Not stitch OF clothing on many Of the
liremen was fit to wear today, and this is
evidence enough Of why the city council
should provide for the department com
plete outfits of rubber clothing. Efforts
will be made to remove the damaged ma
chinery as soon as the mass is cooled The
body of the burned man was removed to
the undertaking establishment of Harmed
manded the boat, is well known here. and
! has been on the Sound for seventeen years.
The pilot, F. K. Layton, lost valuable pa
pers. He has been with the boat during
the past sixteen months. The total loss to
the boat is about $125,000, She is well in