The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1904-01-29

Leavenworth's third fire in seven
years occurred on last Sunday morn
ing at 4:30 o'clock. Six business houses
were consumed, all of which were
occupied. The total loss will amount
to approximately fifty thousand
dollars. Plisch & Bliss and John
Bjork we're the heaviest lossers.
The fire started in Adams g. Burke's
hall, which was occupied by the Wen
.atchee band boys who gave dance on
Saturday night which broke up, sup
possibly, at l2 o'clock, but in fact about
"one o'clock. Just exactly how the fire
originated is not definitely known.
John Adams, one of the owners, said
all was safe when he locked up. j. Nell
son says when he first discovered it, the
entire interior of the building was
like roaring furnace. A number of
people think the place was set on fire
from beneath. Just how it originated
will never be known. The first to dis
cover the fire were the Great Northern
car inspecting crew, John Nelson and
Jay Wyckoif, who gave the first alarm.
At the time the writer got there about
five o'clock, the American hotel which
adjGins the hall on the west was on fire
and of course without water or fire
fighting appliances of any kind it was
idle to think of saving any of the build
ings in the path of the flames as they
were all frame and of course dry.
When the fire reached the Overland
hotel half hearted effort was made to
save it but with little water and no
organization it was not possible to do
much. When one stops to think how
easily not only the Overland hotel but
Blooms market and Plisch & Bliss's
building might have been saved, had
the town been provided with some kiad
of fire protection it would appear as if
the town could be indicted for criminal
negligence.
A Spectacular Display
Considered purely from the pictorial
eQualled in this state 1t was theatrically
spectacular masterpiece. The people
looked upon it with an appreciation OF
its tragic character. Those who took
mp positions on high elevations and
some distance away saw the buildings
converted into pillar OF flame that
seemed itself to be on the point OF top
pling. Such was the effect of the
Hickering mass of lurid light that
played around it from the base to a
point far above the roofs. Those who
oteAl. their station so that the broad
stretch of the valley was before them,
seemed TO be in the midst OF blaze,
II : included every building within
vie =, for flames danced in every
sIheiow in reflected beauty, and the
sky gave out the hues of a tropical
sunset thousand times intensified.
a Picture of Utter Ruin
BY six o'clock the people who stood
without the fire lines along the street
were regaled with view of ruin such
as is seldom seen in a small community.
Only two chimneys remained and only
for moment when they too toppled
over aud nothing but black shoulder
ing ruin remained and for the third
time the people OF this city have been
warned that first class system OF
water works for fire purposes must be
had and at once.
While the Overland hotel, which was
the largest and highest was burning
the Great Northern depot was threaten
ed, The Jap section hands were kept
busy shovelling snow on the roof and
thus kept it from catching fire until the
fire burned down, and in short space
of time was out of danger. At the
same time L. H. Laden, Jay Wyckoh
and Harry Curtis were working ike
Trojans to save the store room belong
ing to the ear department, situated Just
east of the depot. Jay Wyekoii was on