The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1894-09-27
DISASTROUS FLAMES
Destroy Railroad and Other Prop
erty in Portland.
LOSS A MILLION AND A HALF
The Most Disastrous Fire IL the History
OF the City-Thre Lives Lost and a
Half Mile of Docks on Fire.

PORTLAND. Or, Sept 23.-The most
disastrous fire in the history of this city
broke out at 4:30 this afternoon In the
dock of the Pacific Coast Elevator
Company aud ragged for three hours.
destroying property valued at nearly
II, 800 900. All day long heavy wind
has been blowing, and nine alarms
we're turned in. The fire department
was scattered about the CITY, looking
after small fires, when the alarm from
the elevator was rung In. The scene
of the fire IS lower Alblna, acr. ss the
river from the main par. Sf the city,
and 1t was at least Is minutes before
more than one engine could respond to
the general alarm.
Half n Mile OF Docks on Fire.
When the engines arrived the fire
was beyond control, and in half an
hour from the time 1t started the docks
for half mile were on fire. Nothing
could be done but to let the fire burn
itself out. The fire started In the dock
below the Pacific Coast Elevator Com
pany's main building. and the wind
soon drove the flames to the elevator
itself. The flames shot into the air 200
feet. The coal bunkers of the North
Pacific Terminal Company on the west
were next attacked and soon were
seething mass of flames. On the east
was the Oregon Railroad d Navigation
Company's wharf, 400 feet in length.
and this, too, was soon on fire.
There was no means of getting water
on the fire except from the river, and
In Hrnl 10 t.... "a
and OF little service. The elevator con-
tanned nearly half million bushels of
wheat. The new plant of the Portland
General Electric Company, which had
just arrived from Lynn, Muss., was
standing in the yards of the termina
company on cars, not yet having been
uulpaded. The plant occupied an en-
tire train, and the machinery was OF
the most expensive kind. The most of
IL was destroyed and the remainder
was badly damaged. Two hundred
freight cars. so of which we're loaded
with wheat. were destroyed. In the Or
egon Railway a. Navigation Company
dock there were hundreds of tons OF
freight. consisting of wool, salmon,
general merchandise and cement, all
of which was destroyed with the dock.
There was stored on the dock about
1000 cases of salmon from the lower
Columbia river and Puget sound,
awaiting shipment to the east. 1t was
valued at about $500 and was par
TALLY insured.
Every available locomotive at the
Terminal works was set TO moving
freight cars out of danger, but the fire
burned so rapidly that all could not be
moved away.
Three Lives Lost
The sparks went across the river and
set on fire the boneyard, but the fire
was extnguished before any serious
damage to the yard was done. The
large steamboat Willamette Chief
moored at the yard took fire. and
burned. She was valued at $45. 900.
Three men are supposed TO have per-
ished in the elevator. Charles Ander-
son, man named Brown and one
named Murray were seen at the upper
story window Of the elevator. and 1t Il
thought they were all burned.
The Losses.
The losses, as near as can be ascer
tanned at this time are: North Pa
cific Elevator Company, $500, 900
Portland General Electric Company
, machinery, $50, 600; coal bunkers o
the North Pacific Terminal Com
pany, 100000 Oregon Railway ant
Navigation Company, one dock, freigh
, cars and the steamer Willamette Chief
$3.50, 600; merchandise on the docks
5000, 600. The insurance carried will
reach more than 5000, 900. The Liver
pool and London Il Globe lnsuranc
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