The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-30
The Fire Fiend Returns and
Finishes His Cruel Work.
ONLY 4 FEW CABINS LEFT.
-Four Men Killed and Several Thou.
sand Persons Made Homeless.
Incidents Thai Resemble Those OF the
seattle Fire-waser Docs No Good.
Dynamite Fails, and tho Peopac
on the Hills watch Block Amer
Hlock Go.

horfors were repeated tAreefold in the de-
ssEaction oy seeond fire this afternoon.
10 an increased anscs,nt OF property de-
stroyeSi on Saturday the are OF to-day adds
loss OF life and leaves from Sesa to saso
people homeless IN city OF desoiasion.
~fta no homes 20 cffer and no food 10 sup
ply the daily wants. The business por.
SElppie Creek IN ashes. The business nor
ton of the city lets standing tonight in
less than would cover city block Tho
fssaence section - confined 70 what wers
formerly the suearbs On the niacers OF
East and West Old Town to the northeast
and a portion of Capitol Hill ON the south.
When an alarm OF IRE sounded from the
Portland hose, at Ia o'ciack this aftxr-
noon Il was quickly responded TO, notwilh-
standing that the firemsn. ono ana all.
we're thoroughly exhausted by the work oe
Satursiay and tho tension under which
they had lived since. Smoke was rolling
frcm under the cornics on the Movers
avenue and Second street sides Of the
building. and the alley to the south was
fnii OF flames. Almost instantaneousiy tho
building was blazing from a dozen places
IN front- Streams Of water we're turned
on quickly. ard the firemen fought fes.biy
Tor few minutes in an attempt TO nut
out the fire.
The sight was ono 70 make the crowd
that gathered turn sick at heart. with
ruch headway as the fare had gained h
looked impossible TO save the town. The
wind was blowing almost due north. and
IN IT'S track lay the heart of the business
section. All the water turned upen the
flames had no appreciahle effect. The fire-
men were unable TO mako the least i'm.
preston upon the Portland. which I'm q
very few minutes was a mass OF flames-
To the north. across Meyers avenue. was
the big furniture establishment OF tha
booth company. to the east the fo,sr-storys
brick Masonic hall block The alarm. fhn
arrival OF the hose carts and the cleaning
out OF the Booth concern was almost In
Simultaneous
The disaster of SATURDAY. was fresh In
the minds OF all. and the FIRST Indication
was to remove everything possible bevonf
the reach of the flames. Wagons siar.esf
through mobs OF yelling men and hys-
fertcal women. Bennefe ayenue hecama
again a mob OF craxcd men, who saw
the earnings of a lifetime I'm peril. II was
evident that the old burnt district was
the one division OF the city where the fire
fiend could be Knocked with safety. ausi to
that rendezvous the wagons were sent as
fast as they could he loaded and driven
on. In fifteen minutes from the time tho
alarm sounded flames were showing from
the cornice of tho Booth establishment.
The fire had spread to the west on Meyers
avenue. taking the Chicago cafe adioin-
ing the Portland. Cartridges in the Wright
hardware store. in the Portland block.
N01W fd9ng nys1u4de. ard 4eSsrx Hve-s
nuA was q furnace. To fight the fre from
this point was beyond human power. To
the west of the Booth building tho I'M
mense lumber stock IN the E Paso yards
was catching. and tho firemeu had the
block bounded by First and Secofd- Bers-
nett and Meyers avenue. for . field
Buildings in advance Of the IRE were
blown up In a futile attemrt TO check IL
speed All about the burning block the
streets were taypmed. Charges OF nfty
pounds and more OF powder were put In.
The explosion threw the debris high into
the air and In falling II felied men risht
and left. At o'clock the row OF business
houses along Second street was af1rs.
The Green Tree block had bean blown up.
and yet the fire had crossed the alley by
way OF the lumber yards. and the build
tnss facing the Bennett between Second
and First were afire In the rear. Al ED
the Palace drug store. at Second and bef-
nett streets. was wrapoed IN names. a,sA
a fierce night was being made To keep tho
fire from crossing Hernatt street to the
Palace hotel. The fire had not crossed
Second street yet. One building after an
other was blown up.
Al s.go the old part Of the Palace hotel.
on the north side OF Bennett street and tho
west side of Second. was blown up, but tho
fro was In the middle OF the block 10
the north wsre many room houses and tho
residence portion. To the east across Sec
and street was the heart OF the business
section. 10 save which masteriy fight had
been made on Saturday. III the hre cro1srn
second street 1t could not be seen wnare
any portion OF the business section OF erip-
r,.. Crock could be saved. Commencing Mt
second and Bennett streets was the Pniiin
block ON the northeast and the Bi-Nethiiile
Arfr f-af ~
!. could not be for ofeseen how anything east
ana north IN the line Of the wind could bc
saved.
t,,nk n, the southwest. Should either catch
II could not be sayed-
Al sspe the flames were crossing Second
street and the Bl-Metsilir bank was blown
up ia an effort TO stop II there But the nrs
spread In spite Of all. and In Few min
utez Bennett street between Third ana Sec
ond was burning fiefceiy on bo,h SIDES
Her. was the center Of the towns bunness
life. The blocks melted down 70 Third from
second. while to the north the tall lodging
houses on Carr avenue were falling ore by
one. There seemed no possibility OF check
ing the FIRE at any point. To the west ft
has climbed the hlll on 10 tho placer and
was burning home after befne.
Ats1s the fire had burned Itself out. ex-
ce,s, in a few scattering localities. In tho
tant institutions left after the nrsf dis
ssisr.
Tho FIRE departmert was powerisss- Tbs
water ss3tflfy held strong n long A. II could
DO used to any advantage, but the big res-
ervosr on Church hfii. In tho north ara
above the city. was lowered 70 within few
feet Of the bottom by the drain. which
flooded the streets. though It's effect on tho
fir. was small. Dynamite was the most
powerful ally Of the frenen- but even it
failed 20 check the spread Of tho fire st any
essential point
The reservoir was IN open ground. Many
focked to u from the residences portion
70 the north OF the city. and the scene
about IL was one that beegars description.
Below the sre WAS burning over fully nf-
teen blocks OF buildings. and fts swift ar-
proarh. strss. By street and house by
hsssse could be wasched- Smoke rolled
high frfo the heaysrs. IKE q cloud OF
Dorm. from a fringe OF flames that iesptd
above their prey. Here and there. about
the hrosad open hillside coming doSn In
s,sr,l. Slope from Mineral and Carbonate
hi,is. In little groups families ssstict with
the Io,6s ffey had carried from the burn
sug homes below. A ttsonaand Of these
distinct nt1ts piles dotted fhs open ground
In plain yie~. A trunk. a mattress. soms
family pictures. whatever vas dearest that
could s-s saved had been carried by tbs
rs.sBsisrs Of che family 20 the open. ubsrs
the frs would not be expected 10 eoxzie.
ard by them stood guard the hDmeicss
wife ard ehslsrer. while the stronger heads
of the families sefs dozn sofnes here IN
th4s cagGfon ~ IRE. trying 10 adj 10 this
pills. Now and then some mattress that