Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1899-02-22
COURT HOUSE FIRE
Marion County Narrowly Ayerts a
Tremendous Disaster
Splendid WORK Of the Pre- Department
Saves a Hundred Thousand
Dollar Building.

by the vigilance of ightwatchmar
ThOs. McNary, a Dire was discovered
ia the county surveyors Office Of tho
Marion county court house a.
O'Clock Tuesday night.
By thy prompt, vigorous and enici'
ent work " the Salem lire Cepartuent
the flames were eXtinguished aod the
building saved with but slight dam
age.
The lire undoubtedly caught from
defective llue 10 one ~ the parti-
ton walls that are only three
bricks In thickness, Que brick being
left out that forms the fue. THIS Is
thiDly piastered on the inside. a
wooden brick Is inserted 40 interval,
of about four feet To which the base.
boards are nailed The theory " this
tirc IN that such a wooden brick was
inserted ~ AZ 10 be a part of the ln.
side wall 0f the chimney, which
burned Uut Tuesday afternoon and sci
the brick, The Dashboard aud floor aud
caused this hre. The himes mounted
up the northeast corner Of the survey
Or's Office. crossed under the nour.
burning through the ceiling aud floor
oyer the sherlii's 0nlce and began a.
climb up around the window In the
southeast corner Of the sherln's office.
Only the utmost promptness OF the
IRE department, and the exact sizing
up Of the situation, and the hUsemen
locating the flames aud get.
tlug water directly on the spot. saved
the beautiful white temple OF Justice
After Thos, McNdry sent Ia the
lire alarm he notified all persons In
the building, who were Treasurer
Downing, Deputy Clerk WIN. Bushey
aud sheriff Durbln, whose lami'y
I've on the basement n1Or. In the all
we're three men and twn little runa-
way boys from McMinyille, who /
leggod piteously 20 bc let out, but ~
we're 10 no danger whatever, Shorin |
)urbin kept all the prisoners ls their I
ellis lie displayed great coolnes, ia I
ooklng after his family aud hls .
harges.
Durbln soon realized that he had tu I
emoye all Yaluables from his ONCE
kept the records NJ 1893, 1897, aud I
he delinquent lists which are Kept Ia
he vaults, The shorn's oiilce aud
lving rooms were badly soaked aud
moked but not seriously damaged.
The sherlii's Office effects are stored
D the county court room. out business
all transacted as usual boy that
iicial. His losses personal aud
'iicial may amount 10 SjOO. Sheriff
'urbin, Deputy Goliath. Treasurer
'owning, Clerk Han. and Deputy
'ushey led the brigade 40 helpers
om the bystanders Who rescued AN
he county property that was 10
anger except the contents ot the
.reyof's otice, whore the greatest
'nger occurred The onicinl records
the onice arc however preserved IN
ct
TIM TOTAL Loss
Ili reach several thousand dollars. i
% cannot be easily estimated. Man, f,
The original maps "a the surveyors I
.lce, some Uf them quite valuable. AS b
e oh original donation land claim
ip which was burned, d
Nearly all the surveyors lnstru :
outs, macy hue blue prints. aud A.,
her copies ace either soaked with y
'ter or dcstroyedr The original sur.
of The city ot Salem was found
'ked aoi s'lled and is preserved by
e clerk.
"unty Judge Terrell has summoned al
mmisslouers Miley and Day., and
'y wll hold a special session of Che
ace Thursday 90 consider What M p.
'rs are necessary aud ofdc- them
.de a,
omaiN or rHE FlRE -
arctul examination of the Mae, / =