Los Angeles herald., 1891-09-04
THE DALLES In RUINS
One-Third of the City Laid
in Ashes.
Losses Aggregating About One
Million Dollars.
One Thousand People Rendered
Homeless BY the Flames.
A Furious Gale Prevented the Citizens
From Saving Their Homes-The
Mayor Appoints a Commit
tee to Solicit Aid.
A isociated Press Dispatches.

THE DALLEs, Ore., Sept. 3.-As the
result OF yesterdays disastrous fire,
about one-third of the residence and
business part of The Dalles is in ashes,
and perhaps not less than 1000 people
are left homeless. The fire started
about O'Clock in a one-story dwelling.
Before the engine began to work, the
fire had spread to the houses on each
side. For hours after the fire started
the wind blew a gale from the north
east, and the town was completely at
the mercy of the flames till the wind
calmed down about O'Clock, and gave
fighting chance to the citizens to save
the entire city from ruin. As many as
eighteen blocks are in ashes.
The Vogt block, the opera house, the
Methodist, Baptist and Congregational
churches; the large implement ware
houses and stores of Gibbons, Meal
lister & Co., Filloon Brothers and Il. P.
Fitzgerald, and the handsome brick
900 residences, all succumbed to the
devastating flames.
Every building between the railroad
track on the north, the bluff on the
south, Madison street on the east, and
Laughlin street on the west, save the
depot buildings and two residences, are
gone, and nothing is left but dreary
waste of ashes and the charred trunks
of handsome shade trees. The region,
too. bounded by Third street, Washing
ton, the bluff and Union street, is
cleared out, save only the brick school
house and the residence of George
Ruch, and these were only saved by
superhuman efforts.
Not much less, if any, than a million
dollars worth of property has gone up
in smoke.
Fortunately, the Cosmopolitan and
Umatilla houses were Isaved, and
these two hotels furnished shelter last
night for hundreds whom the fire had
rendered homeless. Others found lodg-
ings in the homes of their more fortun-
ate neighbors, and still others spent the
night on the bank of the river, keeping
watch over what little they had rescued
from the flames.
1t is impossible at this time to make
any correct estimate of the amount of
insurance on the property destroyed.
Many who were we'll off yesterday morn
ing are today ruined or badly crippled,
while many poor people who had no in
surance lost all they possessed.
The only serious accident, so far as
has been learned, happened to Joseph
p. Fitzgerald, son of E. p. Fitzgerald,
who was seriously burned about the
arms, hands, breast and face, while
making his escape through the flames
in his fathers residence. AS he did not
inhale any of the flames, he may re-
cover.
Early yesterday evening the mayor
placed the city under martial law, in
charge of the sheriff and city marshal.
About thirty citizens and members of
the Oregon National Guard, under arms.
paraded the town all night for the pur-
pose of protecting the property saved
from the flames, and scat
tered almost everywhere, but which
it was found impossible to
transfer to place of safety. A num-
ber of suspicious characters were thrown
into Jail for the night, and were released
this morning and ordered to leave the
city. This morning the mayor revoked
his order placing the city under martial
law, and appointed relief committee
to receive contributions for the needy.
In response to the call of Mayor Mays
the relief committee met this afternoon
in the court house and appointed COM
mittee of leading citizens to solicit aid
for those who are in need. 1t is found
that there are number OF families en-
tirely destitute, and immediate aid must
be had. Secretary M. A. Moody has
already received several contributions.