Evening journal., 1894-09-24
THE DOCKS ALL ABLAZE
Portland, Or, FIas a Fire That
Does $500, 600 Damage.
THREE MEN SUPPOSED TO BE LOST.
Coal Bunkers, Freight Sheds and Loaded
Freight Cars Burned For Half Mile
Along the Wharves-Grain Elevator Con-
tanning Much Wheat Destroyed.


Along the wharves-Grain Elevator Con-
tanning Much Wheat Destroyed.
PORTLAND, Or, Sept. a4.-The most
disastrous fire in the history of this city
broke out in the dock OF the Pacific Coast
Elevator company and ragged for three
hours, destroying property valued at near
ly $500 600. All day long heavy wind
had been blowing and nine alarms had
been turned in. The fire department was
scattered about the city loolslng after the
small fires when an alarm from tho eleva-
tor was rung in.
The scene Of tho fire Is across the river
from the main part Of the city, and It was
at least 15 minutes before moro than one
engine could respond TO the general alarm.
When tho engines arrived, the fire was
beyond control, and In half an hour from
the time it started the docks for half a
mile were on fire. Nothing could be dono
but TO let the fire burn itself out.
The fire started in the dock below the
Pacific Elevator Company main build
ing, and the wind soon drove the flames
to tho elevator itself. The flames shot
into the air 200 feet making a beautiful
sight in the twilight. The coal bunkers
Of the Northern Pacific Terminal company
ON tho west were next attacked and soon
were a seething mass of flames. On the
east was tho Oregon Railway and Naviga-
tion company's wharf, 400 feet in length,
and this, too, was soon on fire.
Thoro were no means Of gottinQ water on
the fire except from the river, and the
flroboat is an improvisod old scow and Of
very little service. The elevator contain
cd nearly 500, 0e0 bushels Of wheat.
The now plant of tho Portland and
General Electric company which had just
arrived from Lynn, Mass, was standing
in the yards Of the Terminal company on
the cars, not having been unlonded. The
plant occupied an entire train, and tho
machinery was Of the most expensive kind.
A Freight Train Burned.
Most OF it was destroyed and the ro-
mainder badly damaged.
Two hundred freight cars, so OF which
were loaded, were destroyed. The Oregon
Railway and Navigation docks held /, 800
tons Of freight, consisting Of wool, salmon,
general merchandise and cement, all Of
which was destroyed, together with the
dock There were stored on tho dock
about ~, 600 cases of salmon from tho
lower Columbia river and Puget sound
valued at about S40 600 and was partly
insured.
Nearly every available locomotive at the
terminal works was set TO moving freight
cars out Of danger, but the fire burned 50
rapidly that they could not be moved
away. Sparks went across the river ana
sot tlrs to the buildings in the bonoyard
but the flames woro oxtinguished before
any serious damage was done.
The largo steamboat Willamette Chief,
moorod at the yard, took fire and was
burned. She was used as towboat and
was valued at about S45 GOO.
Three men arc supposed TO have perish
cd in the elevator. Charles Anderson. a
man named Brown and one named Muir
ray were seen at an upper story window at
the elevator, and it is thought all were
/ burned.