The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-04-21
Flames Rage During Entire Night in the
Busiest Centers of the City Entailing
Loss OF Over $lO, 100000.
Aid From Surrounding Cities Arrives Too Late to Be Of ANY Real
lmportance-seady Wind All that Saves City From Total
Destruction. Sudden Shift Would Have Proved
Generally Fatal.

house Of the w. r. Brock Company, on
the southwest corner of Bay and Well
ington streets. was being subjected to
the intense heat from the burning
Brown building. on the east, and the
Dingman & Moneypenny building op-
pcsite, with scarcely stream of water
playing upon them. The big wooden
watertank on the roof caught fire. but
In some strange manner the building
itself escaped destruction for the time
being. The nre cut its way through
the rear OF Brown Bros building,
which faces on Front street, the first
street south OF wellington.
In brief space OF time Front street.
on both sides. was like a roaring fur
mace. For over half an hour the FIRE
in Front street burned fiercely, prac-
tically unchecked. II then began to
wrk Its way back upon Bay street.
Gordon, MacKay & Co.'S warehouse
serving as fuel. A few minutes before,
the Canadian Rubber Company's plant
started to burn. While II lasted this
furnished the hottest and fiercest con-
fiagration OF the night The flames,
shooting hundreds Of feet into the air
and scattering great masses Of sparks
and cinders on every side. continued
north on Bay street until complete
circle OF fire had formed around the
Brock building on the southwest cor
ner of Bay and Wellington streets,
over which the flames had hurled in
their first dash south. The Brock
building was soon in ashes.
1t was only the intervening park that
saved the Queens hotel. one OF the
finest hostelries in the country. The
guests hurriedly left and everything
portable was removed from the hotel.
The flames leaped across Bay street
In half a dozen places, and shortly be-
fore midnight 1t became apparent that
the whole block south Of East yelling
ton street was doomed.
The Gordon MacKay building. on the
northwest corner OF Front and Bay
streets, which for nearly 20 years was
one of the finest in the city, made
fierce blaze. The Copp- Clark building
and Warwick Bros, and Rutter's were
destroyed at about the same time. The
heat was so great and the smoke and
flying embers so thick that the fire.
men were helpless and, could not get
near enough to the fire to play single
stream on it.
To add TO the terrifying scene came
a bombardment OF explosions-giant
fireerackers and fireworks stored in the
Copp-C Clark building. The fire next
leaped across Front street to the Nc
Pherson Bros boot and shoe ware
house and the adjoining building.
In 40 minutes the flames had leveled
every building between Front street
and the Esplanade, on the west side Of
Bay street.
The fremen, who had been forced 10
retreat slowly on Front street and the
Esplanade. concentrated their forces
and made another desperate stand;
they failed this time. The flames leaped
across the street below and destroyed
Mclaughlin q Co.'s -four mills at the
southwest corner of Bay street and
Front. From there the fire took an
easterly course towards Yonge street
and dangerously near the wharves. On
the southwest 1t burned itself out for
lack of fuel The flames were also
spreading toward the east along both
sides of Front street and the east side
of wellington street
At o'clock the Eddy warehouse. the
Lincoln paper mills warehouse and the
Klelnerle Rubber Co.'s warehouse or
the north side of Front street were
burning.
on the south side the warehouse OF
II. s. Rowland Sons q Co. the Dogg'T