The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1908-06-18
Fue Destroys Property Of
Seattle Box Co. This
Morning.
FHemen Driven Back BY
the Heat and Fire
Burns Out.

Fire destroyed about 900 900
worth Of property on tho tide flats
early this morning
Starting in the boiler room 81
the Seattle Iiox company. al Fourth
av i and Spokane av. the flames
consumed the building and stock.
burned up equipment aud lumber
OF the American Pic Driving Co.
wiped out 5eo feet Of the Spokane
av. bridge and 900 feet OF the
Northern Pacific railroad "Y- ~.
daeed 10 Junk a boxcar filled with
nails and boita. and partially de-.
stroyed the south side Of the Fourth
aV. bridge
George March. a Waterman az
the hon factory, and Pred Caiien.
rus. a Waterman employed b the
Seattle Lighting Co. were eating
lftneh Ia room adjoining the
boiler room of the box factory
shortly after midnight. when March
discovered flames issuing from the
furnace room.
March Immediately turned In an
alarm 20 fte hcadqaartess The
box factnfy. which was a three.
story frame balidlnE. sas = mass of
flames In . few minutes. and BY
the time the tire apparatus arrived
u ~as impossible TO approach close
enough 10 control the flames.
Pumping water from The hay. the
firemru worked under a big han.
dicap. After few minutes work
with the the OF hose stretched
l-from the bsy. the hose became
eioxKrd with mHd 4 fire hydrant
close to the burning bor factory
could not b. used. 10 intense was
the heat
The tide vas ehblng when the
eonfiaKratlon started and aooa the
firemen were compelled 20 ahift
their lines OF hose from the hAf aud
pump city water from a great dis.
lance.
As soon a. the fire was dIscov.
cred. March hastily aroused 20
iaharers. wha acre HisapinE IN q
one-efory building nrar the Dor
factory Within a few minutes
after the labor.rs Isff their quar-.
ters. great sheets u flame swept
over the building. Il was partially
destroyed. March led four hoarxss
from a barn adjoining the tah-srern'
camp. bat two OF the animals.
I frightened b the rearing flames.
dashed hack into the barn and wers
burned TO death.
The firemen. working under Fir.
Chief Brinxhsrst and second A.
sistant Fire Chlef Nariowe. turned
their attention. to saving The tF~M.
ti~s and bridges when II uAa seen
that the box factory ~aa doomed
Handicapped By the poor water
supply. the firrmeu gained control
only after 400 feet 81 the spokane
Az. bridge vas consumed and
similar stretch ~ the Northern Pa.
cifie y" was destroyed. A rail.
road spur running into the
Yards Of the box fartoFy wss burn.
Cd up.
lieutsnsnts Disagree.
Two nemtenants Of the fire de.
partment engaged IN an alteration
a. to the better method Of fighting
the flames and their conduct xill
be Investigated by Fire Chief Bring.
hurst Councilmen Arnold Zbinden
and James Conway are said to have
Witnessed the controversy and. IL IL
said. viii b. asked By Chief Bring.
hurst to give their version OF the
squabbir
The Seattle Boz Co. Of which
Michael J. Mist IL president aud
J. N. Mist IL treasurer. place their
loss at about 0.000. About g. 900
Insurance Was carried. The factory
employed about 20 persons.
Tho American Pile Driving com.
pauy's loss totals about 5000 The
damage to the Spokane nv. bridge
and the Northern Pacific railroad
will reach RE GOO