The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-28

frightened the crowd, many of whom
feared injury from a stray bullet. But
the firemen moved little closer, for there
were indications tina. the flames had
found their way into the upper floors.
Several of the streams which had been
playing through the matches were now
turned through the window. The big
plate glass fronts crashed and changed,
and the lighter glass ratified down in
shower as the water struck il.
At about 40 there was no longer the
slightest doubt that the whole inside of
the building was doomed, for the enor-
nous volume of dark smoke from the up
per windows was suddenly flashed with
light, and the blaze ieaped from the win
dows and broke through the roof
Then all the streams were played in on
the flames. the main object evidently being
10 keep them so far as possible from the
south wall and thus save the Northern
hotel
On the fourth floor. piled near the win
dow, were heaps Of paper bags, which
caught IRE and were then blown out over
the street. The air was thus filled with
burning scraps of paper. which. FORUM
atelv, did no damage beyond setting fire to
the neighboring awnings
At precisely O'Clock there was a ire
mendoCs explosion. which shook every
building in Pioneer place. Windows were
shattered in the Northern hotel adjoin-
ing. and in the big blocks opposite. The
panic-stricken crowd fell back, and a
frightened team Of horses ran away, the
fremen were thrown down, and from the
burning building came shower of red de-
bris
The cry went up: 1.-THE building has
fallenl"
But 1t had not. When the smoke lifted
several iiremen bleeding at the nose and
ears were led away. Chris. Miller, driver
on engine No. 3, who was holding q noz-
zle, was dragged across the street with
blood streaming from wound in
the right side OF his head 1t
is believed that a stray bullet tore
furrow in his scalp. lie piuckily
resumed work, but soon became too weak
TO stand. and had to DC sent home George
Berryhill, driver. who was on a ladder
on the 4esler avenue side of the building,
was thrown to the ground, but, wonderful
to state, he escaped with only painful
cut III the head. The explosion also made
terrific report in the rear of the
building, and q lot of men who
were carrying goods out of the sheetiron
building adjoining, on Yesler avenue,
leaped as if for their lives dropping their
bundles and scramD!ing over one another.
One fellow who was in the alley in the
rear OF the Northern staggered as if over
come by the shock. He reeled and knocked
down boy who was starting to run away.
The lads leg was hurt, but not seriously.
shutters q haSa ind
near the corner of the building were
blown open and knocked down men who
We're assisting in handling the hose.
Both were scratched about the face, but
neither was seriously injured. A
spectator who insisted on get
ting dangerously near in spite of
the warning of Fire Commissioner Ka-
haley was struck on the side of the head
by piece of falling glass and sustained a
cut in the ear and Jaw.
The fine dicipline of the fire department
was admirably shown after the explosion.
for in spite of the bruises and wounds. and
spite OF the danger from the walls, the
men rallied instantly, and bravely carried
the hose to the front again. The ladder
was raised on the truck and water poured
in from there.
the Northern hotel was doomed. for the
roof had caught and the party wall was so
not that man could not hold his hand in
1t from the hotel side But Assistant
Chief NARROW and several firemen carried
line OF hose up to the roof from the rear.
the hreboat pumped the water through
them, and the hotel was saved. with com
paratively small loss from water.
that the fire would spread
no further, but for two hours more the
engines worked on the ruins which still
burned obstinately. At 1920 the "out"
bell was tapped, though several streams
were left to play on the embers.
The Commercial street front of the
building is a total wreck, with the floors
all fallen in, but in the wing on Yeser
avenue the floors yet remain strong
enough to hold the buried piles of stuff
lying on them.