Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-09-24

PORTLAND, ORE, September 23.-The
most disastrous fire In the history Of
this city broke out ct 4:2O this after
noon In the dock Of the Pacific Coast
Elevator Company and ragged for three
hours. destroying property valued
at nearly Si,5OO, OOO. all day loug
a heavy wind had bean blowing
and nine alarms were turned In.
The fire department scattered about
the city, looking after small fires, when
the alarm from the elevator was rung
in. The scene Of the FIRE is across the
river from the main part Of the city,
and 1t was AZ least dfteea minutes before
more than one engine could respond 10
the general alarm.
When tie englLes arrived the fire was
beyond control, aId Ia half an hour
from the time Il started the dock for
half mile was on fire. Nothing could
be done but 70 let the fire burn Itself out.
The fire started in the dock below the
Pacific Elevator COmpany's main build
log, aud the wind soon drove
THE PLANES TO THE ELEVATOR
itself. The flames shot into the air 200
feet. making beautiful signt In the
twilight. The coal 0unkers OF the
North Pacific Terminal Company on
the west were next attacked, and soon
were a seothlug mass Of names. On
the east was the Oregon Railway aud
Navigation COnpsny's warehouse 400
feet in length, and this, too.
was soon on FIRE. There was
no means % getting water on the Gre
except from the river and the fire boat
Is an impoverished old scow and OF very
little service The elevator contained
nearly half million bushels OF wheat,
The new plant OF the Portland General
Electric Company, which bad just
arrived from Lynn. Massachusetts,
was standing ip the yards OF
the Terminal Company, on the
cars, not having been unloaded.
The plant occupied an entire train, and
the machinery was OF the most expen-
s!ve kind toe most. oi which was d.
stroyed Gdd tho -Te.aatIdsr badly dan-
aged. Two hundred freight cars,
eighty OF which were loaded, were de-
stroyed. The Oregon Railway and Nav
igation Docks held 800 tons OF freight
consisting OF wool, salmon, general
merchandise aud cement.
ALL or WHICH WAS DESTROYED
with the dock. There were stored on
the dock about 1900 cases Of salmon
from the lower Columbia river and
Puget Sound awaiting shipment for the
east IL was valued at about $40, 600,
and was partly Insured.
Nearly every available locomotive a.
the Terminal works was set 10 moving
freight cars out Of danger, but the fire
burned so rapidly that all could not be
moved away. Sparks from the fire
went across the river and set fire
TO the bone yard, but was ertlngulshed
before any serious damage was
done. The large steamboat, Willamette
Chief, moored at the yard. took fire and
was burned. She was used as tow
boat, and was valued at about sI5, 900.
Three men are supposed TO have per-
ishsi 10 the elevator. Charles Anderson,
man named Brown and one named
Murray, were seen at an upper story
window OF the elevator. and It 10
thought they were all burned.
Tne losses. a. near IS can be ascer-
tained at this time. are as follows:
North Pacific Elevator Company. $780,
600: Portland General Electric Com
pany, machinery $4,000; coal bunkers
Of the North Pacific Terminal Com
pany, 1900: Oregan Railway aud
Navigation Company on dock freight
cars and steamer Willamette Chief,
900, 600; merchandise on docks, $780,
900.
The insurance carried will reach
more than s5OO.OOO, The Liverpool,
London and Globe Insurance Company
has large share OF this.