The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-06
THE FIRE AND AFTER.

The story OF the fire will never lose In
terest for those citizens of Seattle who
witnessed the scene which began in the
afternoon of June 8, 1883. For hours men
worked to save their property and that
OF others, but many were dazed by the
extent of the misfortune which had over
taken them. and when night fell they
had suffered an experience which be-
comes the lot of few. The whole city
was engufed in the calamity: there was
a common loss and a reciprocal SYM
pathy. To some IL meant utter ruin: to
most 1t meant beginning life again in the
morning under entirely changed condi-
lions.
But the fire lasted only a few hours;
Seattle as seen by tens OF thousands. was
the Seattle OF tents and ashes which last
cd more than year after the flames had
died out-the sorn-up streets, the charred
sidewalks, even where they were not de-
stroyed. the yawning. ugly holes in which
were piled debris, and the tents. Every
little building was packed with men
eager to get space in which To do bust
ness, banks We'd with each other for
stores which had been given mp before
to BARRIERS and fruit sellers: hundreds of
thousands of dollars were stored in fiimsy
wooden buildings. The wonder is that
fire did not again burn up like fash
the rows of canvas stores stacked with
infiammabie goods. One row on Second
street. between James and Jefferson, was
a mere collection of shacks reached by a
sidewalk mounted on stills eight feet In
the air. On Third street along the front
CT Yesier's fine residence was another
row OF stores which were no more sub
stantial than dry goods boxes. Tents
stretched up and down Front and Second
streets. the streets were densely crowd
ed by people hurrying to and fro. build
ings were being rushed up on every side.
teams filled the roadways. and there was
a roar OF hustle and business from early
morning until late in the evening. After
the close OF working hours the streets
were again thronged by the restless thou
sands who had locked into the city to
work or invest Real estate changed
haEIS On tslt Si1tN3.b HH1 dt the par,
an exorbitans price paid for corner lot
only excited another buyer TO offer still
higher price. Such frenzy possessed
people 10 buy that town lots were sold at
SO n piece-where. they neither knew or
seemed to care.
1t was not Ike scene In reai life; and
IL seems stranger now that II is recalled
than II was when II appeared. Visitors
came from all parts Of the United States
20 look on in wonder and curiosity.
Steamers were crowded and tna bay pre-
scented lively scene Hotels were packed
aud In the early m0aths cots III Railways
were - premium. Rents were fahu-
lous. bat everybody for az least ninety
DAYS thought he was making money
I-aborers we're paid 8 ard 81 day.
bricklavers 81 p day. teams ranged from
s. to So a day. ard nobody stopped 20
count the cost. fer money WAS coming
into the city by the million.
These who care 20 phIiosonhlze on these
incidents aat those scenes may do SO,
perhaps with profit. but they we're Won
dertul days. ard 10 nau who witnessed
the scenes regrets that. since trey must
occur. he save them.