The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1906-04-19

ueuldl uOtel Was OeS tTOyeu ny
flames which swept unchecked
across Montgomery street and at
tackled the block bounded by Mont
gomery, Suffer, Bush and hearney.
The new Merchants Exchange
building was a mass of flames from
basement to over.
The Union Trust building AMI the
Crocker Woolworth bank we've both
ablaze and the Chronicle building
and other buildings in that block
are threatened. Shortly after 10
o'clock the fire was eating it's way
southwark from Portsmouth Square
to Kearney and California streets.
The entire section fronting the
west side of Kearney was soon a
mass of flames.
All buildings adjoining the Hall
of Justice were ablaze aud firemen
were striving to save the structure
by using dynamite. At that hour
flames had eaten their way west
ward in the residence section as
far,-as Cough street, but by dyna-
hitting block after block the firemen
succeeded in checking the fire for
a time.
Ats o'clock this morning the linn
it's of the fire were Nineteenth st.
On the west, Townsend street on
the south and Broadway on the
north; everything between these
streets and the water front is de-
vastated. The fire is approaching
the new $5.00O,000 Fairmonnt hotel
on Mob Hill and threatens the
whole district. On the south at
Third and Townsend the passenger
station of the Southern Pacific was
burned and the fire is rapidly reach
ing toward the water on that side.
The fire Is spreading at all boun-
daries except the west water front.
Dynamiting continues.
Citizens have abandoned their
homes and took to the hills, gazing
in despair at the scene of destruc-
ton.
Fire has swept the Mission dis
trict, leveling the homes of $4,000
in this one section alone The EN-
porium, the city's biggest depart
ment store. on Market street, Is a
mass Of ruins. Late yesterday af-
ternoon the buildings in the vicinity
of the U. S. mint and post office
were blown up in hopes of saving
these. The effort proved useless
and the magnificent structures in
Guiding the city hall fell before the
onrushing flames. At o'clock the
Bailey and Lacosta building on
Clay street fell in. killing three
men and seven horses.
The magnificent church and col
lege of st. Ignatius at the north
west corner of Van Ness avenue
and Hayes street, is destroyed with
a loss Of over 81 100000; the church
contained priceless paintings and
frescoes.
From present appearances it is
probable that 20 or more insurance
companies will be ruined. Man.
ayers Of the larger companies are
of the opinion that they will be
able to meet losses. In any event,
all insurance companies doing bust
ness in this city have been hit a
staggering blow from the effects of
which they may never recover.
The scene at Mechanics pavilion
during the early hours of the morn
ing and up until noon, when all the
injured and dead were removed be-
cause Of the threatened destruction
of the building by fire. was one of
indescribable sadness. Sister, broth
ers, wives and sweethearts search
ed eagerly for some missing dead
ones. Thousands hurriedly went
through the building inspecting the
cots on which sufferers lay in the
hope OF locating some loved ones
that were missing. The dead were
placed in the old portion of the
building and the remainder was de-
voted to hospital purposes. After
the fire forced the nurses to desert
the building, eager crowds follow ed
them to the Preside and Children's
hospital, where the search for miss
ing relatives was renewed.
All OF San Francisco's best pla,
houses, the Majestic, Columbia ant
Grand, are masses of ruins. Tn
earthquake demolished them for al
practical purposes and fire complet
ed the work of destruction. Tn
Rlalto and Casserly buildings ar
burned to the ground. The TIE
minal hotel on Market street fe
and buried 20 persons under the d,
brls, all OF whom We're incinerate
and there Is no possibility Of lear