The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-18
A MIDNIGHT BLAZE.
Destruction of Several Stores
and Stocks.
DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT $40, 600.
Fire Breaks Out Near the Corner Of
Railroad Avenue and Main Street
Theories as to the Cause.

| In some manner unknown fire broke out
| In small lodging house in the rear OF the san
| Francisco Exchange saloon, No. ZIG Railroad
| avenue, at II o'clock last night. and before the
| fire department could get the flames under con-
troll the house in which the fire occurred ana
/ the adjacent buildings had been damaged 10
| the amount of $4,000 to 10000. All the build
! ings damaged by fire were cheaply constructed
| structures of corrugated iron and wood.
| The small lodging house where the fire was
first discovered has long since gone into disuse'
| and only lot oil bedding and hunks remained.
| The room was generally kept locked up and 1t is
| said the key was kept in the San Francisco sa-
| loon, which is owned by Dan Mcnamara. ON
Ger George Cave first saw the fire. 1t was IN the
| alley way between Washington and Main streets,
| and the flames were tapping up the roof OF tine
| iodging-house with great rapidity. he rusneo
| to fire box No. Al and turned in an alarm
| BY the time the alarm had finished sounding
| the flames had communicated to the roofs OF the
| adjacent buildings both north and south, ana
the heat was so great that the flames threatened
| to jump across the alley and lick up the
| ironed window-casings Of the New England
| house and absorb the brick. The st. Emo
house and the Astor house, on the corner Oh
| Main street and Railroad avenue, both three
story corrugated iron buildings, were on nre
before the lower buildings intervening caught
The light, dry broad and shinged roof fur-
nished excellent fuel for the flames and the
Those further away on the hills thought that IL
was some of the six and seven-story bricks ON
fire, so great was the illumination. The fierce
running of the fire engine horses also tended 10
increase the excitement ever evident among
Seattle people when the fire bell rings ana
great light can be seen, and in remarKapy
short time the streets in the vicinity OF the nre
and the roofs OF adjacent big buildings were
thronged with men and boys who heartily
cheered every act of the brave firemen
The freboat was soon on the scene, ana nao
two immense streams ofwater on the nre. Inc
boat locked at the foot OF Washington street
and worked her pumps, while engine NO
sent salt water TO the fire from slip short
distance from the boat. Engines No
and 8 also had water on the
flames, but though all did well and rendered
good service it must be admitted that the hre-
boat, with her two great streams, did the great
est part OF the extinguishing.
In the San Francisco Exchange saloon was
restaurant divided only by thin partition. At
the time the fire broke out n. Maloncy, all EN-
ploye of the restaurant, was in the place Hc
says the saloon WIGS running wide open ait
night He could hear half dozen men IN
there talking. Suddenly he was startled TO see
the partition on FIRE. Running out he saw that
the saloon was deserted, and the place was
filled with fierce flames. At the same momen'
he heard the sounding OF the tire bell.
Engine No. 2 from the west side and NO.
on the Main street side both got streams
on promptly but about III
powerful stream from the sncquaimie pea'
down the flames wherever II reaeneo
and by 1880 what threatened 70 pe la.ge nle
was practically extinct For half an hour after
ward. however, the firemen were kept
busy hauling out blazing bedding from
the two lodging houses There was
no loss of life except to a small pup which the
occupant of room in the st. Elmo left behind III
his room. One man swung himself from tue
second story to the ground but he quickly
linped of and was lost sight OF in the dense
crowd.
Three theories are advanced as to the cause OF
the fire. One is that a lamp caught FIRE in one
of the back rooms of the Astor house or st. Elmo
house, and was thrown out oil
the window, starting the fire on the
roof of Sam Hoeslich, on Railroad avenue. An
other is that 1t began in the kitchen OF the
Alta chophouse, on Main street, and was thus
communicated to Hoeslich's store. The third 10
that it started in Sam Hoeslich's secondhand
furnishing goods store. He was seen by POST
INTELLIsENcER reporter. He said he had only
been in the store q few weeks. ne
knew nothing of it till he saw the flames
from distance. He was insured for
$500 His store is completely Quilted, and was
the first TO be destroyed. BY the time the first
engine reached the spot IL was mass OF names,
but the firemen turned their attention TO the
adjoing three-story building at the corner, the
Astor house.
The ground story of the Astor house was oc-
cupied the Seattle Mug, run by Codrick q
Howe. 1t was opened week ago. They sue
cecded in getting out their bar and glass liquor
case, but little else was saved. Their loss is
$500. The building is in litigation, the rent
being collected by Dr. Jordan.
The heaviest damage, beyond that to Hoes
lich's store, is to the Astor house, Seattle Wine
saloon, st. Elmo house, and the row of stores be-
low it. These are the Alta chop house, Bridges
cigar store and small barber shop, all on Main
street. On Railroad avenue the small
store occupied as cleaning ana re-
branch, and the Eastern Olympia oyster house
are more or less damaged. The saloon building
was owned by Isaac Parker and was run
| by Phil Brooks, although ii was known
| as McNamara's Es Molloy and j. Sey-
mour, who are employed there, heard sound
| OF falling glass, and Immediately afterward
| noticed that fire was raging They express
| the belief that burning lamp was thrown on
the roof but this is traeeable only to the sound
| OF broken glass.
The Aston house was run by a man named
| Iarkin Next to this on Main street is the
| ST. Elmo house, run by Peter Grub, and the
| building, which was two-story frame, was
| owned by rancher named Davis.
| The next building, small, one
| story structure. was occupied by Martin
| Zodihs restaurant, Bridges & Thorburn's cigar
| store, and several small barber-shops. This
building was not injured by the fire, but was
| flooded with water, so all the goods had to be
| removed, aud considerable damage was done.
The losses were estimated about as follows:
McGaff & McGrath, $500, no insurance; Dan
| McNamara, 30, with $500 insurance; Isaac
| Parker, $3.50; Dr. .Iordon, 5000; $
| IIoeslish, $3.50, fully insured; CO.
| drick & Howe, $500; Larkins. 5000;
! Peter Grubb 5000. with 81 900 insurance. Davis,
| 5000; Martin Zodih 500, no insurance: Bridges