Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-09-01
A DESTRUCTIVE BLAZE.
Fire on South Main Street Sunday After
noon Consumes Two Store Buildings
and Damages Others.

. ana Damages Others.
That the entire southern por-
tion of the business street al Cor.
Wallis is not in ashes, tha k are
due Providence and the cit, ),
efficient fire department. AT
FIVE O'Clock last Sunday after
noon no one who had been a,
tracte d to the scene by the wild
changing of the frebell, would
have given five cents for the
wooden buildings on either side
of Main street between Jefferson
and Adams.
A number of gentlemen were
standing in front of Halps
Bakery, when they discovered a
Igreat volume of smoke rising
over the building recently occu-
Ipied by Young's notion store.
An alarm was turned in and the
department responded promptly
but the fire had gained great
headway before it arrived. 1t
originated in an old shed in the
rear of Dunn's Commission Store
and the barn adjoining was a
mass of flames in a few minutes.
A good breeze was blowing from
the east, and the low wooden
store buildings were soon in
volved. By hard work and great
vigilance, Winegar's livery sta
BILE was saved. Flaming brands
fell on the roofs of the buildings
to the west, and these and the
tower at the water works were
on fire number of times, but all
escaped without damage.
Many people were on the
streets, for the excursion train
had left for Portland only little
while before, and a crowd gath
cred in a remarkably short time.
Men and boys broke in the fronts
of the endangered buildings and
the street was soon filled with |
wares Of all descriptions. The
millinery stores of Mrs. Gould
and Miss Ella Johnson, Dunn's
Commission Store and Berry's
repair shop were soon emptied
of their contents. The loss sus-
tanned by these parties was due
entirely to the rough handling
their goods received while in
transit from counters and shelves
to the middle Of the street. Mr..
Dunn was insured in the Scot
tish, Union and National for
81 500.
The building occupied by Mrs.
Gould is the property of the
Hayes heirs, and it was only
slightly damaged. The build
Just north was owned by VIM. Il
Groves, ana this together with !
he building, the property of
Mrs. Helms, is a total loss.
Zach was worth $500 or $500,
Neither was insured. Mrs. Mil
lie Smith owns the bui1dingl
where Dunn conducted his COM
store. It was not ia
ured, but 800 should repair the
lamage. ]. K. Berry estimates
lis loss at 800, and Miss John-IS :
on's millinery goods were proba- J
,ly damaged in like amount. 8
She was insured for $500. z
The cause of the conhagration 2
S not known. 1t originated in !
N old shed across the alley from \
Ninegar's stables. It is thought z
hat some of the excursionists .
the shed to take drink, IA
nd carelessly. threw down a B
lighted cigar stump. Mr.. Dunn D
rdered some strangers away 3
rom this place early in the :
fternoon. 4
Much credit is due to the fire de- Z
'artnent for confning the flames y
0 such small district. The z
larm was turned in at 4:5o and 2
he fire apparatus was put back z
4 the engine house an hour later.
>or time three streams were :
laying on the burning build
1gs, but the old fire engine
BON leaked so badly that it was
ut out OF service.