The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1898-09-17
LARGE FIRE IN DAVENPORT.
Two Rows of Buildings i'm the Bust
ness Center Are Burned.

Davenport, Sept. S.-The worst fire
that has swept through this busy town i'll
many years came last night. 1t was close
after midnight when the first blaze was
seen and for two hours a royal battle
was waged between the leaping flames
and the badly scared citizens. The fire
started in room of the Dale hotel near
the corner of Spring and Harker streets.
How it started is mystery. a merchant
tailor was sleeping in the room but can
give no explanation of the fire. The Dale
house was a two-story frame, dry as q
finder box. When the alarm was given
the flames were leaping from the upper
windows and breaking through the roof.
The hotel was already doomed.
Almost in an instant the streets began
to fill with half dressed men and women,
rushing from all directions to fight the
fire. The hand engine was brought out
and quickly manned. Men came running
with hand grenades, pals, ladders and
axes. A bucket brigade was formed. Men
climbed to the tops of buildings and
others carried water to them to drench
the roofs.
Next to the hotel on the north, at the
street corner, stood the big brick store OF
VIM. Finney & Co., filed with nearly
$4,000 worth of general merchandise.
This was already on fire and burning so
fiercely that it was almost useless to even
hope to save a part of the precious goods.
He AwoI<e Too Late.
While the crowd was still rubbing the
sleep from its eyes, those near by were
struck with horror to see man Stun
bling out of the blazing Dale hotel. His
hair and beard were scOrched, his face
blistered, his hands burned, his clothing
almost gone, as he staggered into the
street. Help rushed to him, but it was
too late. He was tenderly taken to q
house near by and given the best medical
treatment the town affords.
Who the victim is, except that he was
laboring man, no one knows. He haC
been here but a short time and was lodg
ing in the hotel. He was awakened by
the roar of the flames and the shouts o
the people, but awoke too late. There i
little chance of his recovery.
, Meanwhile the flames were burnin!
both ways To the north of the hote
Finney's store was fast becoming a ruin
South of the hotel. all along Harke
street for nearly full block, to the Bi
Bend National bank, the row of fran
! building was all in flames. John a. Han
sens barber shop, r. Olson's restauran
and Shaw's saloon were beyond saving
But the brick walls of the bank, protect
ed by the water thrown from the stree
. and the roof, withstood the blaze.
Then the fire turned. Eastward froi
the bank, fronting on Morgan street,
c a long row of small buildings, eXtendin
nearly 500 feet. Back of these are war;
houses, an ice house and other building
! Turning at the bank the fire caught
the rear of these stores. Mills war;
> house, stocked with groceries, was d
stroyed, though his store was saved. III
millinery store next to the bank, butcl
- er shop and a small grocery were quite
- before the fire came to Knapp's dru
= store, where the telephone office Is Il
"a Gated. Here it stopped.
The Loss.
It 1t is not yet possible to give an ace
n rate list of losses A rough estimate wou
ct place the damage at $4,000 to $4,000
he Finney & Co. suffered the heaviest loss
k the entire stock, but were protected !
H. about $4,000 insurance. n. Mills gr
,e Gerry warehouse and Shaw's saloon carrie
r. partial insurance. 1t is understood tn
ne Mrs. Marsh, proprietor of the Dale hot
no and the other sufferers were practical
without insurance.
N IT'D IT'D To RIQW ZIP THE CZA1