The Yellowstone journal., 1894-09-25
A BIG FIRE
A Million and a Half Approxi.
mates the Damages Done
in Portland, Ore.
Docks. Wharves. Steamers, Cars, Coal and
Freight Were the Chief Items
of the Losses.

PORTIs ID. Ore.. sept. 24.-Ihe most
disastrous fire in the history OF this city
broke out at 30 this afternoon in the
dock OF the Pacific Coast Elevator COM
pany. and ragged for three hours, des-
rroying property valued at nearly 81 go
900. All day long heavy wind had
been blowing. and nine alarms we're
turned in. The fire department were
scattered about the city, looking after
small fires, when an alarm from the ele-
vator was rung in. The scene of the fire
is lower Albina. across the river from the
least fifteen minutes before more than
one engine could respond to the general
alarm.
When the engines arrived the fire was
beyond control. and in half an hour
from the time the fire 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 Northern Paci
fic Terminal company we're next at
tackled, and soon we're a seething mass
of flames.
On the east was the Oregon Railway&
Navigation company's wharf. 400 feet
long, and this too was coon on fire
There was no means % getting water on
the fire except from the river, and the
boat is an improvised old one and Of very
Titles service. The elevator contained
nearly half million bushels Of wheat.
The new plant OF the general electric
company. which had just arrived from
Lynn. Mass. was standing in the yards
Of the terminal company on the cars,
not yet having been unloaded. The
plant occupied an entire train and the
machinery was Of the most expensive
kind. The most OF il was destroyed and
the remainder badly damaged.
Two hundred freight cars. eighty Of
which were loaded with wheat. were de-
ssroyed. In the Oregon Railway a
Navigation eompany's dock there were
hundreds Of tons of freight. consisting
OF wool. salmon and general merchan-
disc, all OF which was destroyed with
the dock. There was stored on the
dock about 1900 cases Of salmon from
the lower Columbia river and Puget
sound awaiting shipment to the east. Ii
was valued at about $4,000. and was
partially insured.
Every available locomotive at the ter
minsl works was set Ia work moving
freight I, aims out Of danger. but the fire
burned SO rapidly that all could not be
moved away. Sparks went across the
river and set on fire boneyard, but the
fire was extinguished before any serious
damage to the yard was done. The large
steamboat Willamette Chief. moored at
the yard. took fire and was burned. She
Was valued at about $4,000. Three
men are supposed to have pcrished in
tine elevator. Charles Anderson, Q man
named Brown and ono named Murray
were seen at the upper story window Of
the elevator. and 1t is thought they were
all burned.
The losses, a. near - can be ascer-
tanned at this time, are: North Pacific
Elevator company. 100000; Portland
General Electric company. machinery.
$4,000; coal bunkers Of the North Paci-
&c Terminal company. $4,000; Oregon
Railroad 4 Navigation company. on
dock. cars and steamer e250.O00; mar-
chandise ON docks o250.O00. The insur-
ance will MOI reach more than 100000.
The Liverpool 4 London 4 Globe Insur-
ance company has large share OF this.