The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-08-22
LEWIS CHALLENGED IA DISASTROUS FIRE
$4,000 Worth Of Prop:
arty Went Up in Smoke.
fIRtMtN COULDN'T GET WAFER

WaIIa WalIa Mattress company's
Plant and D. MeEachern's Black
smith Shop Destroyed.
Walla Walla's need Of gravity
water system or a more eficient sys-
TEN of fighting fire was given force
full demonstration this morning.
While firemen vainly attempted to
screw the suction pipe onto hydrant
at First and Alder, fire rapidly eat
up the plant and stock of the Walla
Walla Mattress company at East AMI
Alder. and threatened destruction to
| adjoining property valued at thous-
ands of dollars.
The inability Of the department to
get water until after twenty minutes
had elapsed from the time the alarm
was turned in from the burning build
| ing, will be the cause of rigid in
vestigation. Councilman Smith, OF
the fire and water committee of The
| council said during the progress OF
the fire: Every hydrant in the city
was supposed to have been carefully
| examined and placed il condition
yesterday, yet this morning when the
| enginemen attempted to screw the
suction pipe onto the First street
hydrant, connections could not be
| made and it was necessary to remove
the engine to Palouse and Alder. Ten
minutes more were lost before y
| stream of water was turned on the
building, which by that time was q
roaring furnace, unapproachable.
Buildings adjoining and across the
street began smoking from the ex-
treme heat and the efforts of the
| firemen were turned on to these.
Volunteers aiding the firemen by
| pressing garden hose into service sue
ceeded in saving the w. D. Smith I'M
dertaking establishment, but were not
so successful in their efforts to save
the blacksmith shop of D. McEachern
| adjoining the mattress company's
plant. and it burned a few minutes
afterward, together with two old
shacks in the rear.
| Started In Picker.
R. M. Holmes, member of the mat
tress comparr-. stated that the lire
originated in tie picket, which he was
operating at IT, time, and is supposed
| 20 have been caused by spontaneous
combustion. Flames shot out of the
machine so fierce that it was impos-
sible to check them with the water
supply available in the building and
an alarm was turned in.
In the meantime the employees OF
the plant aided by rapidly gather.
| ing crowd, succeeded in removing
several hundred dollars worth Of stock
| stored in the front part of the build
ing. Dense smoke soon put an end to
the efforts of the men and the work
of removing the tools and stock OF
the McEachern blacksmith shop was
taken up.
The Walla Walla Mattress com
pany's plant and stock was valued al
$500. Insurance amounting to abou,
$500 was carried on the entire plant
l The building which was a one-stOry
wooden structure was owned by
Thomas Durry and his loss will foot
up $4,000.
The burned blacksmith shop which
was of wood. was owned by DR.. A
h. Dice and was valued at $1,000 fully
covered by insurance. Mr.. McEach
ern said he was unable to estimate
his loss until he took an inventory o.
his tools and stock saved. He was
very grateful, he said, for, the promp'
work of bystanders in saving >hi'
stock.
In Need Of Something.
The Intellectual efforts of the fire
men to connect with the First stree
hydant and the subsequent delay IL
getting water, was the cause OF SONS
pertinent remarks on the part o
members of the council, and evel
Mayor Hunt, who viewed the fire a
close range, said:
THAT alone should demonstrate
that Walla Walla should have grav
ity water system. With today's ser
vice what would have happened hat
there been q wind"
Councilman Smith was much exas
perated at the delay and said that
rigid Investigation would follow t.
} place the blame where 1t belonged
Somebody is to blame for today
blunder, and it will be the duty o
the council to place the blame wher'
it belongs. The hydrants are suppos
! ed to be kept In perfect working con
J dition and there Is no excuse for tn
delay which resulted in the loss o
much valuable property"
all Will Rebuild.