The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-08-21
purcnasinsiour Blaze Is Subdued
rtnent ut Midnight
as An. 'her.r Difficult Fight
FIRE WALLS HOLD FLAMES
PREVENT THEIR SPREAD
Grocery Company Loss $50, 900,
Fully Insured - Government
Loss $4,000, Equipment for
!, National Guard Companies
May Locate He.
A. v. Reike
a. &H.

Fire of unknown origin broken out
in the warehouse Of the Yakima
Grocery company before 10 o'clock
last night, ragged fiercely for more
than an hour, and was finally got
under complete control at midnight.
The total loss to the grocery company
was estimated last night by Thos.
Carlyle and Arthur Coffin at $4,000,
covered by Insurance. The only other
loss sustained was by the govern
ment which owned equipment for
two companies of national guard,
Z valued at $4,000. This was thought
to be almost total loss.
The work of the fire department
was done under difficulties including
lack of pressure in the mains, and
Arrangement of floors and partitions.
and only the presence of substantial
fire walls with fireproof doors con-
ftnced the flames to single portion
Of the warehouse, and prevented
their spread to the stores of half a
dozen firms doing business on Yaki-
ma avenue.
Pumping Engine Scores
b. The big 80 horse Webb pumping
0uBlue SCOTeu once more, anu is given
large credit by Fire Chief Dawson for
the departments success in getting
the fire under control The first
streams were put on at 10 o'clock.
from hose attached to the hydrant at
First avenue and Yakima, and car
ried over the roof of the warehouse.
The flow Of wafer was insufficient,
to make much impression, as by that
- . III
through the roof and the interior of
that portion of the warehouse, filled
with, goods in wooden Boxes was a
furnace. ft a. '"'
For some little time no connection
was made for the pumping engine,
then it was finally Connected to the
hydrant lying between the Northern
Pacific switching tracks. The hose
line was carried onto the roof south
of the main warehouse, and with five
men at the nozzle the pump WA
started.
Another difficulty was experienced
in the tin roof, which did not 60 to
pieces until everything underneath it
was well burned. A spray nozzle was
soon put on the line from the pump
and through hole cut in the tin eff
were warned to get off, as the fire
had come through to the east end and
was burning underneath them
Extra Floor flinders
One of the fire doors was opened
and from the door the men worked
in. a floor suspended some five feet
from the roof and piled with goods
was all ablaze, and in some places
I'M off Witt W.
ter. The second of the two fire doors
opening onto the loading track stuck.
and made it necessary to work en-
tirely from one side.
BY II, o'clock the first; line, which
had been kept working over the roof
from the west side. was pulled down
and run over the roof from the ave-
nue., where the men could shoot d.
rectly down over the edge of the fire
wall. This stream, combined with the
powerful spray of the pumping en-
CINE, which was running most of the
s-tlme at capacity. 500 gallons min
Me~ soon began to have its effect.
and by midnight the men were put
ting out Pickering blazes here and
there.
Big Crowd i'm Attendance
night crowd was turning home, but
ready for diversion, the fire attract
ed several thousand people, who
crowded Yakima avenue, First ave-
nue., and the Northern Pacific yards.
Strings of box cars on the side tracks
and the roofs of the sheds of the
Grab Creek Lumber company pro-
vided ample reserved seat space,
which was all occupied for an hour
and a half.
Fire lines were esta blished bv the
police on the avenue and strict watch
Hept over the entrances TO the build
ing.
"A number of the employees of the
grocery company were on hand, and
gave assistance to the department
Two Years Since Big Fire
BY peculiar coincidence, the fire
last night started within about one
day of exactly two years from the
time of the big fire in 1910 Accord
ing to the report in the Yakima Her
aid for Aug. 10. 1910, the the fire
started at 1:40, from mysterious un-
known cause, and completely destroy
The building, getting entirely beyond
the control of the fire department
The. loss to the Yakima Grocery COM
pany was estimated at $114,00O with
Insurance of $4,000. The Yakima
Produce company suffered loss OF
$4,000, and four other firms minor
lcsses.
National Guard Loser
Except for the records of the two
companies of national guard, Z and
g. officers of the companies esti-
mated that the equipment of the COM
panies, including $50 rifles, uniforms
tentage and camping outfits, would
be q total loss The locker rooms oi
the companies were on the south side
of the firewall. over the burning
warehouse, and before they were
reached by the fire fighters were
I Blazing throughout
Forty Thousand round of ammuni
Hon was included in the equipment
The flames were al the boxes when &
1fne from a chemical was put in and
me fumes did the business