The Indianapolis journal., 1903-10-17
PROPERTY LOSS $l,ooo,oo'
INSURANCE SMALL BECAUSE THE
BUILDINGS WE'RE FRAME.
Hotels. Schools, Opera House. Fire De-
partment Headquarters and Other
Structures in Ruins.


the main business street, which is built
mostly of wood.
The Dead
CHARLES RALFO.
DANIEL WEBSTER.
CALVIN M'SENZIE.
UNKNOWN MAN.
The Injured
JOHN STEEN, kicked in the head by
runaway horse.
j. d. HANSEN, head and body bruised.
A. BRETBERG, head cut.
II. w. LACY, kicked in head by runaway
horse.
JOHN MILLS, of Hoquiam, foot injured.
WILLIAM OGLESBY. partly suffocated.
The fire, which was the worst in the his
tory of the town. destroyed ten business
blocks and residences. Not more than one
half the loss is covered by insurance, for
the reason that the insurance companies
have refused to carry any greater risk on
account of the infammable material of
which practically all the buildings in Aber-
deem are constructed. Every business man
in the city is a loser either by fire, water,
removal, breakage or loss by theft Not
anticipating that the flames could get be-
yond the fire departments control, many
before starting to move out. The streets
were soon strewn and Uttered with all
kinds of material and the rush and haste of
teams and people in every direction caused
great confusion
The fire started in the old Mack building
on Hume street, owned by Oscar Crane
which had been regarded as fire trap and
dangerously constructed building. 1t was
three stories high and was occupied by nu-
merous single men who cooked their own
meals, chiefly on oil stoves. 1t was in a
room in the third story where the flames
started, and the building was a mass of
flames when an alarm was sent in.
From the Mack block the fire spread to
of the fire department. Great volumes of
flames shot into the air and the heat be-
came unbearable block distant. In a
short time the flames had jumped across
the alley to Walkers saloon, and every
building in the block bounded by Heron and
F and II streets. including Kaufman S
brick building, went up. Word went along
every business street to prepare for the
worst, and as far up as the Commercial
block there were hurried preparations to
get out of danger.
On the north side of Heron street the
fire jumped from the Anderson block to
the State Bank, and every store from that
corner TO Hays's Bank and all the buildings
in the block bounded by Heron. G. Wishkah
and III streets were burned, including the
Central School building, Pfund's jewelry
store, Fullers store Brecker's grocery. the
City Council chamber, Wheeler Bros
store, Lucart's candy kitchen and the ex-
press office. George Wolfe's dry goods store
in the Weatherwax block went next and
then came the destruction of the Crescent
Hotel. The flames then jumped across III
street to Patterson & Loclxe'S Office. then
through every block to the Pacific Hotel,
and this newly-constructed hotel also was
destroyed. The fire next spread to the splen-
did residence of Edward Hubert on WISH
kah and I streets The opera house, all the
| material and buildings of the new hos
| pital association and the residence of B.
d. Dudley next went.
In order to stop the further progress of
| the flames dynamite was used on several
| Of the buildings, upon which the flames
were advancing. Telephone messages
| brought the fire departments of HoQuian
| and Montesano to the scene and they did
effective work. All sorts of reports con-
| cerning the death or injury Of well-known
business men were current. While four
| persons met death the accidents were COM
| paratvry few.
Aberdeen has a population of about 1000
| and the chief industry is numbering Sew
| eral large savmills are located near the
| town but the fire did not reach them.
When the flames had completely envel-
| oped the Mack building the spectators were
| Mortified by seeing Daniel Webster, a we'll
| known character, appear at one of the win
| dows. Before a ladder could be raised tC
| him he jumped. Almost every bone in his
| body was broken, and he died after being
| taken to the hospital.