The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-10-17
A MILLION DOLLAR FIRE.
FLAMES DESTROY THE HEART OF
 ABERDEEN, WASP,
Ten Business Biooks wiped ou,--Every Business Man in the City Lo..r-N ot More Than one-Halfo of the L oss Cow cred by 1nsurance-Four Persons Killed.

Aberdeen, Wash, Oct. 16.--The most destructive fire in the history of this
 town to-day wiped out ten business blocks and residences, causing a loss of probably one million dollars. Not more
 than one-half of the loss is covered by insurance, the insurance companies
 having, refused to carry any greater risk on account of the infiammable
 material of which all the buildings in Aberdeen are constructed. Every busi-
 ness man in the city is a loser either by fire, water, removal breakage or
 loss by theft. Not anticipating that the flames would get beyond the fire de- partment's control, many waited until | the fire was close upon them before starting to move out. The streets were soon strewn and filtered with all kinds I of material and the rush and haste Of 1 teams in every direction caused great confusion The fire started in the old
 Mack building on Hume street, which had been regarded as fire trap. It
 was three stories high and was occupied by numerous single men, who cooked their own meals, chiefly on oil stoves. It was in room in the third story
 where the flames started and the in terior of the building was q mass of i flames when an alarm was sent in.
 I From the Mack block the fire spread
 to the fine new hose house and head-
 quarters of the fire department. Great I volumes of flames shot into the air and I the heat became unbearable a block distant In a short time the flames had jumped across the alley to Walkers
 saloon and every building in the block l bounded by Heron and F and H streets, lincluding Kaufnan's brick building, went up. Word went along every bus mess street to prepare for the worst, l and as far up as the Commercial block 4 there were hurried preparations to get out of danger. On the north side of
 Heron street the fire jumped from the I Anderson block to the state bank and 4 every store from that corner to Hays
 bank and all the buildings in the block I bounded by Heron, G, Washkah and H 8l streets were burned, including the Gen. tral school building, Pfund's jewelry .I store, FulIer's store. Becker's grocery,
 the city council chamber. Wilkes's dry goods store in the Weatherwax building went next and then came the destruc- ton of the Crescent hotel. The flames then jumped across H street to Patter- son street and to the Pacific hotel, and N this new hotel was also destroyed. The l opera houuse and all the material and I buildings of the New Hospital associa-
 tion next burned. 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 de- T partments of Hoguiam and Montesano
 to the scene and they did effective work
 Four deaths are known to have result-
 ed from the fire. The fire started at o'clock in the morning and it was ? D. m. before the flames were brought under
 control. Aberdeen has a population ot about 1000 and the chief industry is numbering. ~. -&..