The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-28
Last evening the store OF schwabacker

Pioneer place, Was burned 1T n loss of
f<2,.C0G. The fire. which Is supposed to
hare resulted from the spontaneous COM
tustion OF Oils or other such materials.
caught in the basement abont o'clock
anti burned for more than four hours.
Though the fireInen worked with great
skill! and energy, the entire structure was
Quilted and most of the stock destroyed.
ihe building, four stories high and of
brick, fronted fifty-four feet on the west
tide Of Commercial street ard ran back ,0S
feet. l.. stood twenty-siE feet below Yes
la evenEe, and back of the National Bank
OF Commerce, which occupies the corner, q
Big wing :an out and frontcd twenty
FIVE feet on Ycsler avenue. The
ss:ldirg, completed in the fill of 1s90-af-
t.: lie great fire of 1889 had swept over the
spc:-ccst $4,000. The stock of hard
wa-a. groceries and general merchandise
eas worth 1925, 09o-riaking n total of
!1',ooo for both stool. and building. The
f:noGnt saved from the general wreck will
rot amount to over $c5,00), and possibly
hoi even to that sum bat nearly all of the
"Hs tCs'Ecu Dy IiSur3uce.
the i-s. intimGtion of the fire was given
Tex moments before d clock. James r.
asyasn was preparing to leave the store
Sher an excited clerk came rushing up
nom the basement and shouted:
'ihe basement is afire! For heavens
sake turn in an alarmr"
Hayden smashed With his fist the glass
IN the auxiliary alarm box near him and
.aen ran out on the etreet and called to
W. A. Harrington, who was passing, that
the store was on fire. Harrington turned
N another auxiliary alarm from the North
rrn hotel, while Moritz Koch pulled one
10 from across the street. and as the
Jews spread half dozen more alarms
wsre given. In consequence of all
MS excitement n confused alarm reached
'hc fire department headquarters, but.
ssverthelcss. the engines were soon on
had. The fireboat SnoquaImie also
steamed 70 her place promptly, and did
sp.sndid work.
anen tho bells rang the streets were
'oh oil people returning from their work.
asd nn enormous crowd gathered very
rapidly No one could be mt a loss to To-
ca.c the fire, for wreaths Of smoke were
Coming out of every crevice in the front of
tee building. The excited clerks and nor
te's were rushing to and fro on the ground
floor, opening the fire plugs there and try
ing 20 save few odds and ends.
The smoke grew a little thicker and
blacker-and then the engines were pant
:eg ct the street corners near and
tbs hose carts were dashing IN
aad down the neighboring streets
jasirs the lines of limp hose. Blue-coated
policemen, waving their clubs, drove the
crowd OF eager men and boys back from
the front of the store to the sidewalk oppo-
ate. Chief Kellogg and his aids shouted
their orders, and the firemen gathered in
niue Knots OF three and four to hold the
noz.es.
Ia a minute or less the hose began to
I'LL, and the first spurts of water fell in
'"oat OF the store doors. At the word of
command The hremen swung their ayes
snd forced open the matches which led
from the sidewalk into the basement
thick column of hot black smoke beIcbed
from the opening, and the men fell back
foot or two.
Then the water rushed in a torrent on,
through the smoke, and with duh roar
bea. INTO the furnace below. One hatch
alter another was opened. the iron-framed
lights IN the walk were beaten in. and
t~o' 'Aree, iour and finally five streams
were tlooding the flames
From the fireboat lines of hose wa-o LA
Into the alley in the rear. the great iron
of tremen pushed their wav
into the smoke. The h,sema,,
was heavily arched, and the floor above
cemented TO hold the weight of Goods
and the pillars sustaining the stories
above. These arches made J; dltficult ~
get At the fire, but at the same time the con.
struc.ion held the flames in the basement
for nearly an hour, though the stuff stored
there was oakum, rope. oil and other in.
hammables. The smoke and steam rose
through the elevator shafts and came out
"i every Granny III the building. bur the
water was directed around the bases of the
shafts so well that until after Z O'Clock no
fire appeared above.
The iirehoat threw seven streams into
the rear. hCt in spite of the floods from
these and tae water pouring into the front
hatchwsys the smoke became blacker and
more abundant. Boys carried p.tchers Of
wafer 10 the blinded men who stood brave
ly ~ the nozzles; and frequent shifts were
necessary 10 relieve the men irving TO
carry the hose into the steaming nit below.
Sometimes the smoke would completelv
enve.ope them. and again draft the other
Way would lit the smoky cloud and shoy
the red slare of The flames cracking unlcr
The arches.
For threc-quarters OF an hour there WAS
Goubs as To whether the ire wonld nor he
confined below the first noor. but The
steady increase OF smoke finally nut an
end 20 that hope. Preparations were made
for the worst The crowd was ordered :,
fall back still further, and the people IN IN.
buildings adjoining began to move ont
.heir goods. The books and light f,lrni.
tG~c were carried out Of the National Rank
Of Commerce. the guests NJ the No-:he~n
ho;e, took out their trunks. and Levy
Bros, whose tobacco store was i'll the
Terry-Dcnny building, occupied by the
hotel, brought M half dozen drays IL
carry out their stock.
As about s;l5 several small explosions
like rife shots were heard. and then both
in the front and in ;he back of the build.
ing q regular !usi.iadc commenced. rs II 4
regimen. had Begun sk,rmish and va.
triEg steadily, each man a. fast
IS he could load. The noise
was caused BY the discharge q.
about l6,tso cartridges carried II stock
the lively .A.iie, wL.eh lasted for an nouE