The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-17

The entire rIsrf OF the YsEier mill az the
.oxyu Of yesler. on a spur or the Lake
shore road, was destroyed by IRE iast
uiFht. together with nearly the whoie
stock q luraber. the wharf ana eight cars
~ the Lake Shore read. The FIRE burned
SO nerceiy that the flames were visible
,b~ottghouf tho city and for miles around
and n was thought that the whole town
~ YesIer had been destroyed THO foHt-
Iu,eIllgeueer reporters were sent 10 the
scene ard telephoned the particulars on
their return across Lake washington
Fire was discovered at ii O'Clock ~ we
night Waterman IN the dry Kiln the
Waterman blew tho whistle and IN Few
minutes a large crowd had gathered, blt
the FIRE spread with wonderful rapidl'F'
and IN a few minutes the entire mui was
ip flames The Ere then spread 10 the
yard In which -as stacked heatS 4'V''''''
feet OF lumber.
About this time a wind from the south
sp-aua, 10. driving the men away from thu
Humber back among the houses on the fill.
The tlnbeTG began 70 fali ami broke the
water pipe. leaving the men helpless
The flames ii this point were ieapIns n
10 the air fully seventy-five feet and the
heat WAS terrific Standing on the tracks
we're six logging cars and two box ears
belonging - the Lake Shore road. two ~
Sawhch were loaded ready IN snip r.aSti
one had logs aboard and the others were
snfnfN. As AHf fHyftA- AtNAhf'#f1 WIZ 'f'AA g.
81 away these eight ears crashed down IN
10 The lake About the same time the
boilers and engine were heard 70 fal
In about thirty minutes there was moth
ing left Of the mill bat a few smoking tim
bers The flTs confined itself then TO the
immense piles OF lumber. and gradually
ate It's way toward the office
steam was gotten up IN the building used
for the manufacture of ice by the Union
Ice Company and two good streams Of
water were soon playing on tho surround
ing buildings. and two large piles Of lum-
Der in the extreme north end OF the yard.
When the first men turned out they tried
TO carry out the saws. hut were unable
20 save anything. and turned their atten-
ton 10 checking the fire. but were unable
20 do anything there.
There was a small fire apparatus in the
mill but Il was quite inadequate.
Sc rapid was the progress Of the fire
that one Of the men. IA. Butler. at work
on tho wharf was cut of from escape
and had to jump into tho water He
seized a boom chain and hung on until
he was rescued.
At o'clock the fire was under control.
chiefly for lack Of further food, and the
excellent work OF the two streams from
the Ice plant saved two piles OF lumber.
The Ice plant had not been In operation
for two months and &. r. Strong. who was
I'm charge OF II showed remarkable zeal.
getting Il 20 work in an hour. The post
office building would surely have been
burned had Ii not been for these two
streams
when the fire started tho wind was brisk.
after half an hour It died down. else
flying emhers might have caused the de-
struction OF the whole town.
The Yesier mill was built about nine
years ago az n cost OF 500 COO although II
could have been rebuilt now for $50,00a II
had a capacity OF 5000 feet in twelve
hours and employed thrty-slx men II
Was a twe-story structure with the cav
NH on the upper floor and planning mill
and engine room on the lower floor. II
contained two double circular saws. an
Nils edger. two large wood planners.
sticker. shIngle machine and iath ma
chine. n Corliss engine and a Noyle en-
zine. two large boilers. an Allis steam set
work with twin engine.
The office with all tho books and &C
counts was saved. The dry kiln contained
"a large quantity OF cedar lumber and
shingles. being part OF an Eastern cr-
der on which the mill was working. The
r1itl had also recently received an order
To- Ja.N0 feet 81 mr. from Minnesota.
The mai belonged 10 tho Yestcr Tun-
Der Company and was Leased 30 the Great
Western Lumber & Supply COMPANY. With
headquarters tn Seattle composed u
DueIle Bros and r r. Smart Tho Yesle-
lumber Company g. owned by J. u Low
man au1 the Yesler estate
or the ieoa 0oo feet ~ lumber In the ward
only 1900 90 9oao vas savvd. The total
loss is about s0o0. ana Foreman A. ,.
Anderson save the insurance aa 81 con an
The mill held ny the yeslsr Min Company.
The Great Western Atiil Company hal
leased the mill for year ard had been
running e Tor ahout three months
There IS no doubt that the tire caught
from tho dry kiln.
Mrs. Strong who lives near ~. was
awakened by the cracking 81 tha famcs
ana when she looked out the ire was
burning fdrlossly.
The fire spread with amazing rapiiitv
and the flames leaNed high ga tho air Tha
illumination of fhe stN was visible even
IN Tacoma. and seen from Seattle tho
heavens were ariow When tho Ere was
a. its height the lake. ora whose hor lrr
tho mUl stoc3 VAS chopnV. aud The aVrs
danced in the nEht. making e beautiful
scene. soon pieces cf butri0E tulber
float.d out on the water giving the SEM
hlanrc - burning sea- The area ~ tho
tire WAS three arrcz