The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1908-07-30
PORTLAND FIRE
BURNS FOUR BLOCKS

news that was supposedly autnehtlc
reached heIe late Tuesday afternoon
to the effect that fire was eating its
way into the heart OF Portlsnd's bust
ness district and that it he'd gottes
beyond the control of the city fire de-
partment. The report stated that
twelve blocks extending from the
Union station between Third and Sew
enth streets we've on fire and that it
was rapidly extending. Later when
the evening train from Portland ar
rived 1t was learned that the reports
we're exaggerated, but that the most
disastrous FIRE in the history OF the
city was raging. In all four blocks
we're consumed by the flames, the ori-
gin of which Is said to have been a
blaze that started in hay loft.
The Oregonisn gives the following
graphic account OF the fire:
Fire bIotted practically one full
block off the map OF the North Port
land business district, burned most of
the property off three other blocks
AID threatened the entire district,
late yesterday afternoon. Property
worth approximately s225, 600 was
destroyed, property representing near
ly sl,0OO,0O0 was actually scorched,
and property worth well into the mil
lions was within tho danger zone.
The fact that line of brick build.
ings blocked the course of the flames
until the FIRE department had an op.
poitunity to concentrate its forces ut
the weak points, accounts for the lin.
iting OF the flames to five blocks.
Cause OF the fire is not yet clear.
There are several theories, incendiar-
ism, spontaneous combustion in lott
of new hay, dropping of a match or
cigarette, flying sparks from chin.
ney. The origin was traced to the
middle section OF the Oregon Transfer
compaDy's place at Fifth and tiilsan
streets.
The heaviest loss OF the fire falls on
the Barr hotel, the loss OF building
and contents reaching S95, 600
Among the other heavy losers whose
losses were approxima!ed last night
ale the Oregon Transfer company,
$40. 600; Portland Carriage company,
sl2, 600 and the Overland Transfer
company, $4,000 Scores OF losses
ranging from $500 to $1,000 are re
corded.
The fire popped up with the sud
denness that attends the lighting of
a gas jet. Some smoke was seen on
the roof of the Oregon Transfer CON-
pany's place about A :45 O'Clock. Fiji
| teen minutes later the roof had given
place to a great column of flames.
| Famed by strong wind from the
northwest, the column of flames pass
ed quickly from building to building.
Gaining impetus from the big frame
building and tons Of hay and other
comhustible matter, the fire quickly
leaped across the street to the North
ern Pacific Wagon Works, where there
was another great array of fuel, and
sweeping this, passed on through the
block from Fifth to the blind west
wall of the Union Meat company's
place.
Checked here, 1t concentrated its
fury, as If with an intelligence of its
own, and leaped into the clock north
of Gilsan street and then jumped
Fifth and worked both east and west.
When, at & 80 o'clock, 1t had run
it's course and given away befure a
small liver that had been poured on
from score OF no2zles, sad picture
Of disaster lay all about The whole
clock bounded by Fifth, Sixth. Gil
san and Hoyt streets. with the excep-
tion OF the southern corner, was a
heap of smoking debris. Nearly all
the west half of the block bounded by
Fourth. Fifth, Gilsan aud Hoyt
streets was gone; all frame buildings
we're In ruins between Fourth, Fifth,
Gilsan and Flanders. The block be-
tween Firth and Sixth aud the big
brick Barr hotel being represented by
lettering, blsckened walls, which fell
In later, fortunately without hurting
anyone.
just one thing prevented Portland g
most disastrous fire and what might
have been one of the serious fires OF
the northwest. That was the presence
of big brick buildings on the course
of the flames. No force of hremen
could have stopped the onslaught had
the FIRE not been checked on the east
by the Union Meat company walls and
on the north, at Flanders street from
Fifth to Fourth. by the Oregon Casket
company's building, the Povey build
ing and new brick structure that Is
being erected for occupancy by Chin.
ess at Fourth and Flanders streets.
In each instance the fire struck
against blind north wall and got no
further. This obstacle to tho progress
OF the lire gave the tiremen basis
from which to work, and Chief Camp
bell was not slow to seize the oppor-
tunity. Concentrating his forces, he
drenched the fire with thousands of
gallons of water and chemicals.
There was a thrilling contest here
for mastery of the situation. Still
aided by strong northwest wind,
the flames fought persistently to get
aoi oss Flanders street. Tongues of
fire played on the walls OF the Oregon
Cakset company's building at Fifth
and Flanders, aud veritable furnace
ragged behind the Povey and Chinese
buildings which guarded Flanders be-
tween Fourth and Fifth streets. Once
the fire reached full around in front
of the casket establishment and
caught in the easements. The tremen
played half a dozen streams on the
danger pOint and Won