The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-08
WHOLE ROW BURNED.
Fire Department Lets a Little
Blaze Make a Big One.
WATER POURED ON THE OUTSIDE
Corrugated Iron Buildings on West Yes
Ter Avenue Destroyed About
o4O,oO0-Light Insurance.

The row OF corrugated iron buildings
owned by the Yesler estate at the south
east corner of Yesler and Railroad avenues
ard covering an area Of Ito feet by 30 was
Quilted by FIRE which started in the Feiitz
Bros. awning factory at rs West Yesler
avenue, and about the center of the row,
last night.
The fire was discovered at 1o:40 and the
cont" bell was not tapped until 1890.
The loss is not heavy one considering
the amount Of ground over which the fire
spread. 1t will not amount to more than
$40. 0OO and may fall far short Of that sum.
The insurance rate On the row was almost
prohibitive. being about ~ per cent, and
but few of the losses are at all well covered.
Chief Hunt was not at the FIRE. 1t is
said he was out of the city. Assistant
Chief Sullivan had charge of the depart
ment. The lack Of discipline and need OF
leader was apparent from the moment
the companies commenced to arrive and
was made painfully so as the FIRE gained
Roadway, while streams were poured onto
the outside iron shell in an impotent sort
of way. leaving the seething caldrons
within untouched. The engines and fire.
boat pumped oceans of water. most OF
which was poured onto the outside of the
buildings as though the sole mission
of the department was to save the CORFU
gated iron. That is about all that the de-
psrtment did save. That the fire was badly
mismanaged was the general verdict of
the bystanders, and this opinion was
shared by more than one of the fire COM
missioners who were present. The men
didn't go into the buildings and face the
fire. They had no one to lead them there.
They stood of at long range and pointed
the service pipes at the buildings. Then
the water ran back into the Sound
Who discovered the FIRE first will prob
ably never be known. Officer Sanstrom
was at the Northern Pacific depot when
an Italian came running to him breathless
and yelling in wild tones: There is
big fire On Yesler avenue" Sanstrom
reached box 43. At the corner of Yeslcr and
Railroad avenues. before there was any
outburst of flames and pulled in an alarm.
Before the big gong had ceased striking,
box 43, Mt the corner of Main and Rail-
road, came in followed by box IS.
While Sanstrom stood watching the
flames increase in volume in the rear of
the store E. II. Frank, who is employed
In the Great Norther cigar store. came
running down the street and tried to get
into the store.
At this moment ii seemed as if sea of
flames had suddenly broken loose. Smoke
came pouring from the Willard house at
the corner OF Yesler and Railroad avenues,
the next building to the west, and the two
stories of the building occupied by Felitz
Bros tent and sail loft commenced to
smoke. The thunder of the fire appara-
tus. the whistling of the fireboat as it came
into the Yesler dock, the running and yell
ing of the crowd all tended to make q wild
and exciting sight
Chemical engine No. was the first
piece of apparatus on the scene and in
moment had a stream inside the factory of
Felitz Bros, where the flames were then
the hottest.
A moment later hose was laid from the
plug across the street by the men on hose
wagon No. ]. and the fight was fairly I'M
der way. The other apparatus then ar
rived in bunch, and engine No. was
stationed at the slip. foot Of Washington
street. while engine No. 2 took q position
on Railroad avenue. just south of Yesler
avenue. Only one stream Was taken from
the former on account of distance, and tw O
from the latter.
While the apparatus was getting into
line the flames made great Roadway, and
doomed up above the buildings in mighty
clouds of smoke, and now and then a
tongue of flame would dart from a window
In the Willard house
The ire was working fast into the hotel
and general hubbub and confusion fol-
lowed. The twenty-one rooms were filed
with dodgers. most of whom were in bed.
They came rolling and tumbling out. 1t
was, In fact. grand chase to see who
would get out first with his baggage.
The building. two-story structure
seemed to heat like wax and through an
open window at the Railroad avenue side
could be seen man struggling to get a
pile of luggage out. His form was some
times lost in the smoke and again could
Be seen nearing the window.
Come out for Gods sake" yelled some
men In the crowd who evidently knew
him. He throw the clothing out of the
window and then made rush for the
stairs. The smoke Was stihing, and he
had TO come to the window again. "Jump
out: It's your only chancer' every one
yelled, and obeying their instructions he
let himself out OF the second story window
and dropped He struck with q thud, but
was picked up aud taken to one side by
his friends. I'm all right" he said. in
response TO an inquiry. and gave his name
~ Joe Johnson.
During the excitement at the end of the
Willard house the iremen were running
lines. and soon three-inch line was ready
Tor work from the treboat. One hundred
pounds pressure was put on. aud with a
subdivision of the main line into two
streams. the water was directed against
the walls OF the awning factory.
The flames were gaining ground. and As
they lighted up the sky crowds came from
ever direction. The police. force under
command Of Capt. F. T.. Sims, ran lines
across Geslcr avenue above the fire and
across Railroad avenue below, thus giving
the fireusen all the room they wanted and
keeping the crowd from interfering with
their movements In the least In this par
ticular the management was mos, excel
lent.
When the hrsmsn got 10 work on the
awning building the tire split on them
and worked rapidly against them both to
the east and the west Assistant Chief
sullivan sent in second alarm, and COM
pany No. 4 responded. Before the addi-
uonal company arrived there we're three
streams from the engines. two from h.
drsnts and split stream from the iireboat.
The first signs OF getting the best OF the
tire SIS when the Willard house seemed 10
he safe from further injury. The hore was
false, however. for in the alley back Of the
row Of buildings q very bot and
a. HF~h