The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-10-22

Aberdeen, Oct. 17.-Four lives lost,
nine business blocks in ashes, city in
darkness. and score of people injured,
one and perhaps two of whom will
probably die-such in brief is the story
of the disastrous fire that visited Aber-
deem yesterday. The fire began at 9
o'clock in the morning and ragged with
terrific vigor until 2 p. NJ. when it was
finally subdued.
The scenes OF excitement during the
fire were without parallel In the his
tory of the city. AT first it was thought
the fire was merely an incipient blaze.
and the crowds that rushed to the bust
ness center merely watched the prog
ess of the devouring flames as several
structures melted before them. The
east wind blowing down the harbor
freshened, and it Immediately became
evident that the confagration was
threatening the existence of the entire
city.
Rush to Save Goods.
Indescribable confusion at once pre-
vailed. Wagons, draygs, rigs, convey
ances OF every kind were pressed into
service by panic stricken business men
who swarmed through the principal
streets in front of the roaring mass of
flames and united in terrible fight
against time to save what little proper
ty they could.
Aberdeen 10 city of sawmills. and
all Of these providentially escaped the
fate of the business section. Hundreds
of workmen from the mills, reinforced
by the thousands of spectators from
the residence districts. which, fortu-
nately were not threatened, came to
the assistance of the fire stricken belt.
Despite willing hands the speed of the
fire was too great, and very little was
saved from the doomed structures. The
streets leading to the residence portion
Of the town were soon blocked with
miscellaneous assortment of goods from
stores.
The fire department made heroic
efforts to check the flames, but without
avail. Mayor West, early in the day
asked Montesano and Hoquiam for
help, and both of these cities responded
with their entire fire departments,
which arrived at Aberdeen early in the
afternoon. With these helps and with
the further assistance of dynamite,
which was freely used, the progress of
the fire was finally stopped. 1t had
ragged for five hours and had left the
city without single business block of
any size.
Loss May Reach 100000.
The amount of the loss is problemat-
ical. A leading insurance man, whose
word is fanctioned by several prominent
business men, estimates it is not less
than $4,000, 900. He says that the en-
tire insurance on this great loss is not
more than 100000 or 100000. 1t
will be ten days or two weeks before
the exact loss and the insurance can be
determined
AS soon ~ the fire was under control
order and system took the place of chaos
and confusion that had prevailed. Men
were appointed to police the burned
district. Those who were rendered
homeless we're taken care of by chart
tably inclined people of the city, and
the wounded ard dead were cared for.
The four fatalities occurred at the
Mack block, = rambling three-story
structure which for years, it is said,
has been looked ubpon as fire trap.
Here Charles Rolf, commonly known
as "Peg Leg Charley" and Samuel
Kirkup, a veteran of the Mexican war
were burned to death in their rooms on
the third floor and Daniel Webster a
porter finding his escape cut off by the
flames ieaped from the third story.
AS Webster leaped his foot caught on
the window sill turning his body partly
over until he struck the pavement on
his head and shoulders. A cornice fell
on Colin Mckenzie q volunteer fireman
breaking his back.
Big District Burned.
Nine solid blocks, which included ev-
cry business house in town of promi.
hence, a large number of dwellings, the
opera house, the Central school build
ing, the Edison and Olympus theaters.
the Crescent hotel, the Pacific hotel,
the new fire department headquarters,
the council chamber, the fire alarm sys-
tenn, every law Office and hospital
were included in the burned district.
There were four fatalities from fall
ing walls and suffocation and many
persons slightly injured. All of the
buildings burned, except,the kaufman
block, were of wood, and only vacant
areas Of land here and tte ere prevented
the entire town from being fuel for the
adnaa