The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-09-15
ST. HELENS
LAID WASTE
By B FLAMES
Nearly tn. ;. .'.'.''''' { ,',''.. .'''','
ofthe Town Destroyed Early
Yesterday Morning.
With Great Loss.
Whole Block Is Burned and Dam.
age 10 Property Is More
Than $4,000.
STARTED IN TAYLOR HOTEL
North Part of Town. Where
Court House IL Located. Is
Saved by Hard Work Of
FireMen.

Most OF the business portion OF st
Helens, county seat OF Columbia coun-
~, was wiped out by fre early yes
terdny morning. causing n loss OF over
$4,000. The f!re was discovered in the
old Taylor hotel. corner OF cowlltz and
strand streets about n IN. and an
alarm rung. The north part Of the
town including the county court house
was saved, thanks to gravity water
system and pumping works which the
city has
The entire block OF buildings burned
IA wood, and as the Are started In the
north end OF the block, with north
wind blowing. Il soon became apparent
that II was useless 10 attempt 20 save
any portion In the direct line OF the
Are. The supply OF water wns, OF
course. inadequate for effective work,
but by directing II to buildings not In
line with the blaze great deal OF
property was saved from distraction,
The fire spread from the Taylor no.
tel, including DIR. Ross pharmacy TO
the general merchandise store and post
Office OF NJ. C. Gray, which Is Il total
loss. amounting to about $4,000. There
is no insurance. and It's wipes out the
earnings OF years by hard work and
close attention to business on the part
OF Mr.. Gray and his wife.
Then the residence OF Mr.. and Mrs.
w. II. Dolman was totally destroyed.
Senator George w. Mcbride and wife
were at home here, and the senator lost,
besides his personal apparel library
that had belonged to his father and by
which he set great store Senator
Mcbride, owing TO the fact that he had
been suffering from sickness had bare
ly time to escape from the burning
building.
Next In line was the oriental hotel
a large three-story structure, which
furnished an immense amount of fuel
for the flames. The law Office of w
II. Powell and the abstract office OF
Il. f. Quick soon followed,
Mr.. Powell had recently purchased
pc extensive law library Of Judge +.
Moore, and these and many other
Iluable law books were destroyed,
btalIng probably $1,000 Mr. Quick had
he only set OF abstracts In Columbia
bunty, valued at at least $4,000, and
hough they were inside safe, II is
Feared they are ruined He has part
ner, Mr.. Holtot. who is In the employ
OF Prael, Hegele & Co, OF Portland.
South Of this, until the sawmill was
reached the property was Of compara-
lively small value including num-
ber of large but dilapidated buildings, |
and the old school house intended for |
use as warehouse by Captain Good
OF the steamer America. The next
thing OF importance was the sawmlll OF
Muckle Bros, and this, including the
dock, Ia n total loss. The general mer-
chandise store Of ryart & Muckle and
their warehouse ri cd on portion OF
the docks, and this was saved in a most
remarkable manner b. the presence of
the steamer America, which enaMed
the men to keep a small stream plying
on the side Of the buildings most ex-
posed to the blaze. In all the burnt
district the store and warehouse sta}d
alone, Three residences and building
used for blacksmith shop and lodge
hall constitute the remainder OF the
losses.
Had It not been for the earnest ef-
forts of the citizens, the block In which
the court house is located would also
have been destroyed, II this had been
the case. with the destruction OF Mr..
Quiok's abstract books, the loss to the
property-owners would have been ir-