The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-25
FIRE.
Flames in Empty Rooms in
Brannigan's Building.
SOON PUT OUT BY FIREMEN.
Brick Block on Commercial Street
Dsmaged-Less Slight. Insurance
Ample-Cable Cars Collide.

About 9:15 o'clock last night fire was
discovered in the rooms on the second
floor of Matthew Brannigan's building, 213
Commercial street, formerly occupied as
the California clearinghouse. The prompt
work of the fire department saved the
building, though several beds were burned
and the rooms badly scorched.
The first floor is occupied by NJ. & K.
Gottstein's liquor house and the upper
floors were vacant for some time until
Brannigan himself moved in with his fam
lily about two weeks ago. The only other
persons occupying the building were two
dodgers on the top floor. When the fire
broke out there was no one in the entire
building and the first evidence of fire was
the smoke coming through the windows
facing Commercial street. The proprietor
Of the barber shop in the Bijou saloon
noticed it and turned in an alarm from
box A.
When the department arrived fire was
discovered in no less than six rooms on
the second floor. Four of the rooms con-
tanned beds, which were all ablsze. The
chemical engine soon subdued the flames,
but the walls were on fire under the plas-
ter. and it took some time to get the fire
entirely out.
In some of the rooms the beds were
found all ablaze and the doors not burned
through, and in one room the bed was
on fire and the door was not scorched.
Brannigan himself arrived short
ly after the chemical company got
to work and said the only way he could
account for the fire was that it must have
originated from an ashbox in which ashes
were kept in one of the rooms. He valued
the furniture at ST. 600 and thought there
was about 81, 600 insurance on it.
The building is heavily encountered and
is held in trust for those having claims
against it by E. F. Blaine. According to
the agreement entered into with
Mr.. Blaine. he was to act as
agent and keep the building repaired
and insured. Last year it was insured for
$4,000, but when the policies expired .
short time ago, Mr.. Blaine had it reinsured
for Sc, oo0-S3,000 in the Hanover Fire In
surance Company and 5000 in the Fire
mans Fund Company. This was all the
appears Brannigan himself held policy
for 50, 900 more in the Fire Association, of
Philadelphia.
Inc udu1dg0 8INOuEtcu 10 prODdDly YbUU
or s8'o on the building and possibly $500
on the furniture. Gottstein's stock was
not damaged to any extent, except tribe
by water.
A loose strand in the cable of the Front
street cable line caught the grip of the
third car in line of cars which had been
stopped by the fire apparatus, drawing it
up against the next car with terrific
force and crowding it up against
the first car. The brakes were all set, but
the whole line was pushed forward several
feet until the front car struck the big hook
and ladder truck and the cable gave way.
The cave of the dummy that collided with
the second car was damaged considerably,
as was also the cave of the car. One Of the
ladders on the truck was broken. Grip
man J. E. Dsoust, who was on the car that
was caught by the cable, said he tried to
get his grip off the cable before the acci-
dent, but was unable to do so.