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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (June 4, 1914)
THE MORNING OREGONIAN, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1914. 40 FIRES THREATEN CITY IN ONE AREA I recently discovered in Chamber- Iain's Tablets the first medicine to give me positive and lasting relief. Prior to their use I suffered fre quently from indigestion and consti pations'Mrs. Anna Kadin, Spencer port, N. Y. Volunteers Work While All Ap paratus Fights' on Dock Front Against Flames. EMBERS CARRIED IN WIND 12 . SCENES AT SPECTACULAR TIRE ON PORTLAND WATERFRONT YESTERDAY. . amitj.Mi', i. i. , ii iiiiii.iiii.juiiIiiIiiiiUii .Jin.,. MLiii.,i.liuniiiJ., KvW?::::My 3v-..-;.-.. ::::: ... 'V.o.V.' " .V-' "' ' " FT!TFTTsTralS'MIWsWSBBSBBSSsJWSPWySBSSlHWBMHsTl v?-V;'- " ! K :-: Xfy.-1 :-s- iv:-: '' ' :'--v... ::- ;-.::: y.-:v' -yy&S.-sAf.&s' v- ? ' 1 , x : Xi-;-:-'-:','.?:. -'-v3; ' - , : V i-s ''9---k . ' ;.t; 'r- - . ; , i - v '-T .""tV.w-f ,J x -ii i I i j ' , '-- , -' ---'-- i-.' -,r - rl.i i ixr - ' - ! . , tsi0 ?fiV r.-;ir-es:wzrs. . -:--? i . - i - inw j rM'1" .j? ' . - - - f A J Man j- Slocks Endangered as Car rents (Sweep Burning Bits Into - Resident Districts to Start ' Xfw Blazes at Homes. While every available piece of flre flghting apparatus In the city was fighting the Aig dock fire down at the waterfront, between 40 and 60 small fires started within the area embraced hy Williams avenue, the Montgomery Oulch, McMlllen street and the Willam ette River. The most serious was sustained by a .two-story dwelling at the corner of iWilliams avenue and Cherry street. This house is 12 blocks from the Korthwest Door Company, and by the time fire apparatus could be called from the other fire the whole roof was crackling- and sparks flying: east to the (stores on Williams avenue. One Story Is Lost. Quick work saved the lower story, but the upper floor and roof were en tirely destroyed. The house is owned by A. B. Stein bach and is fully covered by insurance. The house was occupied by C. E. .Veatch, an engineer for the O.-W. R. & N. Company. Most of the furniture was saved. This fire started a. general evacua tion of the houses of the neighborhood and on almost every street people could be seen moving valuables to the front porch, in preparation for a longer move, if the wind should vere again. Ten years ago this neighborhood was threatened in a similar manner when the Victoria dock burned. Cinders, traveled as far as Union, ave nue, nearly a mile from the waterfront. At a point nearly eight blocks away, 415 Ross street, the residence of M. J. Gill, wholesale meat dealer, cinders six Inches square were found. In his back yard. 30 feet square, nine pieces were picked up, all of which were more than three inches long. Mr. Gill's residence was in flames eeveral times, as were all in the neigh borhood. At the corner of Dupont and Ross streets are several houses owned by M. J. Gill. These were on fire several times and were saved by the residents of the neighborhood, who formed vol unteer companies for general protec tion. The damage, in most instances, was elight, but the excitement and dan per was great. With the fire depart ment required in so many places any one of the blazes might easily have started a conflagration. Children Neglected by Crowd. Another residence attacked by the Hying cinders was that of Dr. Clarence McAyeal, at 269 Broadway. Dr. Mc Ayeal was at his o'ffice and his wife and children were alone at home. The children were the first to notice the flames and shouted to passersby, but the rush of humanity was too in tent on the blaze below. Finally Mrs. McAyeal was able to feet a few men to come to her assist ance and the roof was saved with a small hole as the only damage. The residence of John Maxwell, 378 Benton street, was another which was bvning for a while, but was saved. The Northwestern Electric Com pany's service was cut off from this section of the city for a while because of the burning of Water-street lines. 3t was resumed before dark and tne damage did not exceed $2500, according to one of the linemen. Just across from the Northwest Door Company fire damaged the saloon of C. Backstron and the manufacturing plant of A. Loeb. i The loss to the latter was small. Backstron estimates his at about $500, covered by insurance. The building Is owned by the Montgomery estate. The damage was less than $1000 and cov ered by insurance. Small Fires Numerous A partial list of the houses which caught on fire and were extinguished by amateor firefighters, follows: A roof blaze on the residence of Mrs. -Maggie Jones did damage less, than $10o. Insurance covers loss. At the residence of Mr. and Mrs E. Xbnier. 473 Larrabee street. sparks Hew in the pantry window and set the curtains afire. The blaze was extin guished by Mr. Ebmer himself, with slight loss. A blaze in a dwelling at 438 Ross street was put out by neighbors. A wooden sidewalk In front of this house ;ns' u,azuU merrily for a time. A cottage at 248 rupont, owned by M. J. Gill, was saved by a garden, hose end a bucket brigade. George G. Kirkland, at Dupont and Benton streets, came borne to find a hole In the roof of his house, but does not know whom to thank for saving liia property. O. Peterson. 410 Benton street, esti mates his damage from a roof fire at about $50. He was not home when lire broke out and a. son climbed up over a porch and put the Are out with a garden hose. The residence of W.-H. Boyd. 440 Benton street, sustained a small loss Iron) a fire in a gutter. A blaze was extinguished on a resi dence at 347 Ross street. The Bellevue Hats, at Larrabee and Dupont, were touched by the sparks, .which damaged a few shingles. A house at 475 Larrabee street was singed. The tenant is C. W. Bab cock. Just above the Northwest Door Com pany stands the house of John Ander son. Anderson is the squatter who lield possession of Hancock street for years against all the city's lawyers. The damage to his shack and contents amounts probably to $100. Sam Spotifs cottage at 450 Larrabee street suffered $100 damage. ?. A. Palm's cottage was the only one in the block which did not catch on Are. The flats at 462 Larrabee street were slightly damaged. They are owned by A. J. Ross and those who extin guished the blaze say that $150 will cover the damage. The three families In the building were Charles Martin. J. Versteeg and A. T. Davis. Oscar Bantz. secretary of the North west Door Company, lives at 235 Du ront street. Jlis house also caug but tne damage was negligible. V Sparks from the waterfront fire ig nited the roof of A. Olson's house 466 """ on ecu oeiore a ladder could be hoistod to the roof, M. G. Morrow formerly with the Aberdeen Volunteer at! -eiriineni, ciimDed, hand over Jiand, up a .vine at the side of the house and attacked the flames. m.. while two women, one with a kettle of boiling water, the other with an empty bucket, were running frantically wvuiiu vi, mo eeuuuu story veranda City Commissioner Blgelow contrrat., lated Morrow 'on his resource and brav ery. 1 1 rp -o? .7 5L' ; R t ' " l ., iiii.i , ii i 11 IT: T-" r. ... -..v n .. . i-t. to.:- -. WWW. 1 ":'9'imu i. i,u.((,,.. , , titfiisi -f ' - .. . irnmiwnwnw i iimiii in iiii mill, I 1 11 Tn i n r TiitaaTn ir,rinirniw Iter-1 2? xj .: f4:4r J-L -a- - 'L..L. -iv? ,ciiv j.v- r; ? j Success depends largely upon Good Health uk la ywr race for succcsb don't loose tight of thm fact that only through good health can you attain success. The tension you must neoessarily place upon your nerves, and the acriflo ot proper exercise you have to make at times must be balanced in Mne way. Pr. Pierce's Golden Medical Discovery a thm hmlmrtcinw awever vitaKxing pouter. It acts on the stomaeh an errans of digestion and nutrition, thus purifying the blood and giving strength to the nerves. Indirectly aiding the liver to perform its very important work. Dr. Plmrmt'a ColtJmn Mmdical Discovery has been ueeessful far a generation as a tonic and body builder. Sold by medicine dealers in liquid or tablet form trial box of "Tablets" mailed en receipt of 60 one ant stamps. If In failing health write Dr. R. V. Pierce's faculty at Invalida' Hotel, Buffalo, New York. DR. PIERCE'S CREAT FAMILY DOCTOR BOOK, Tb People's Com mo, Seaee Medical Adviser eswly revised up-to-date edition of looa ve-ves, uiwtn bests ef (delicete questioas whick everr woau, sisuleermarried,eaht te knew. Sent FREE in doth binding to en? address OS receipt mt 3 1 ens cent stamp, ts cover cost of n rspgiin end meiliae only. 1. General View ot Fire. Irvine; Dock r In Foresronnd, With Flreboat Alonicmltlei JVorthweat Door' Company's l'lant Wa Between Thta Dock and Alblna Ferry, Which la Seen at Slip 2, View From River ot Flreboat at Work. 3, Spectators on River Bank. FIRE LOSS $200,000 Northwest Door Company's Plant Destroyed. ORIGIN OF FIRE DISPUTED Men Who Perished Forced to Jump Into Ferry Slip and Drown. Flames Burst Like Explosion and Spread With Rapidity. (Continued From First Page.) Irving dock, together with the work of the crew of the fireboat David Camp bell, are credited with savins that structure from total destruction. Al most from the start of the fire a brisk northwest wind prevailed and It seemed to be strongest just about the time the Irving dock caught. Soon after It veered slightly, so the full effect of the sweeping flames was not against the dock, the roof of which was blazing, as was the tower of the north elevator. The flreboat was moored at the north of the dock, and while some streams were directed against blazing piles of lumber stacked in the adjoining mill yard, monitors from the steamer played on the roof and against the burning elevator, with remarkable result. Two sections of the dock suffered consid erably as concerned the roof, and small fire3 were later discovered working their way through (the elevator to the floor of the dock,' but were quickly extinguished. Insurance carried on the dock amounted to about $75,000, and it was estimated that the loss to the building would be between $10,000 and $15,000. Insurance Covers Grain. M. H. Houser, lessee of Irving dock and who had 7000 tons of grain stored there, was protected by insurance ag gregating $200,000, and he placed his loss last night at from $10,000 to $15. 000, most of which was due to damage by water. "We have not been hampered by the fire and the first thing in the morning the steamer Johan Poulsen will return there to complete loading grain for Ban Francisco," said Mr. Houser. The Poulsen had been working at tta dock when the blaze started and her crew let go the lines and she crossed to the other side of the harbor. When Columbia dock was destroyed, Mr. Hou ser lost considerable grain and on that saved it is said about half the value was realized. The bodies of Sterling and Balough were recovered an hour after they had Jumped from the corner of the .North west Door Company's dock. The flames hemmed them in and finally forced them to leap into the slip, from which the ferryboat W. S. Mason had Just pulled out and on which George Os mundson. a ripsaw operator, had es caped In advance of the cornered vic tims. Smoke Cute Ottmundaon Off. ' Osmundson was working on the sec ond floor of the building when he heard the factory whistle sound the alarm. He attempted to escape from the land side, but a swirl of smoke and flame drove him back and he ran to the river frontage. The ferryboat W. S. Mason was backing out of the slip when he jumped to safety on Its deck, Osmundson. although under nervous strain, was able to give a vivid account of the death plunge of his fellow workers. -I heard the whistle and started for the stairs leading to the first floor," he said. "I had gone only a few steps when a puff of choking smoke burst up from the floor. Immediately It seemed as though the whole land side of the plant had burst into a wall of flames. I turned and ran to the dock, where I saw other men running: about. Some ran in the direction of the Irving dock, but so quickly did the flames sweep through the interior of the building when I got to fresh air escape in that direction) was cut off. Two men were calling wildly from be hind Just as I saw the ferryboat. I Jumped as the apron of the boat was passing the corner of the dock. Heat la Terrific. ' "I looked back from the boat. It seemed as though the fire had envel oped the entire building in the few sec onds I had had my back turned. Even from where I was. several yards from the blaze, the heat was terrific I then T i s ' ! ', i' T WMMH.SinBoS i v3 4 - - 1 T Fire Chief DoweU, Whose Arm Waa Dislocated at Yeaterday'a Fire. was able to make out the forms of two men standing on the piling at the cor ner of the slip. They were caught in a triangle, with the fire bearing down on them, leaving the river as the only means of escape from the flames. "In a moment I saw them jump to gether into the slip. One man swam a few strokes and sank. The other man aged to reach the piling, but he gave up and I saw him sink. The flames at that time were burning In and around the piles at the water's edge." . O. M. Nelson, 805 Amhurst street, was on the ferry slip when the fire first broke out, under the office of the Northwest Door . Company. "I saw one man leap to the deck of the ferryboat as it pulled past the piling of the dock," he said. "Then two men Jumped into the river. They had no other chance, as the flames swept along the walls of the building with the velocity and roar of an ex plosion, I think three men Jumped, but I am not certain, as It was all so con fusing. I first thought to save them, but the heat of the fire scorched me and I ran back to safety." Superintendent Saya $150,000 Lose. Superintendent Depenning said there was a large amount of stuff being turned out at the Northwest plant. In cluding a carload of window sash for Bay City, Mich. He placed the loss of the plant at close to $160,000. Construction of the plant began In 1898, the first piling being driven Feb ruary 15 of that year, the day the bat tleship Maine waa blown up. Harry Jaeckel, one of the harbor patrol launch engineers, said he was coming down the slip immediately af ter the fire started and saw three mea running about the mill dock, where the flames were closing In on them. Ster ling and Polash slid down the piling, while the third one jumped to the ferry. , "The fire was so hot that the men clinging to the piling frequently low ered themselves beneath, the water and were visible only so long as they could stand the scorching heat," said Mr. Jaeckel. "They finally struck out to ward the other side of the Blip and. when about in the center, went down, fhey were struggling at the time and apparently were affected as much by the heat as their inability to swim." Dock Company'a Loss Unknown. F. . T. Greer, secretary of the Irving Dock Company, said last night that It waa impossible to. make a definite esti mate of their losses. Besides the damage -to the dock and elevator, he feared. that valuable machinery con tained in the elevator would be almost a total loss. "I went over the property as thoroughly as possslble last night, but could not ascertain the extent of the damage," said Mr. Greer. "1 am afraid that the piling under the dock was damaged. As the property Is leased to Mr. Houser, we had no financial interest in the contents. Our losses are fully covered by insurance." The Irving Dock Company is made up of the following stockholders: Gay Lombard, W. A. Lombard, H. B. Lom bard and Mrs. H. L. Nyman. Mr. Lom bard, the president, is in Spokane. The stockholders of the Northwest 4 uaor company are jsam uonnell, Rich. ard Connell, J. De Penning, Oscar Bantz and the 12. A. Lynda estate. Sterling's Body Is Recovered. The body of Sterling was recovered when the harbor patrol boat, in com mand of Captain Speler, arrived at the dock. Sterling bore bruises about the face, as though he had been struck by some object when jumping Into the river. The pulmotor of the harbor po lice was employed and efforts made to resuscitate him. Internal hemorrhages, however, minimized the effect of the instrument. City Grappler Brady, of the harbor police, who was on his way home when the fire broke out, was notified of the drowning of the men and hastened to harbor police headquarters.. He was taken to the scene of the drowning and soon afterwards recovered the aec ond body. For nearly two hours a group of volunteer assistants worked on the body with pulmotor. hot cloths and massage. Their efforts were futile, however, and reluctantly he was given up as dead. Miss Lucie Schmit. a teacher In the trades school and a Red Cross nurse, was passing with a launch party and vol unteered her services. Dr. J. A. B St Clair. U. S. N.. and Dr. Curtis Holcomb loaned their aid and, with Harbormas ter Speier and operators of the pulmo tors. tried for more than an hour to restore Sterling and for two hours in trying to bring Balough back to life. Woman Calls for Help. J. C DePenning, superintendent of the Northwest Door Company, de scribed the start of the fire and the speed with which the plant was de stroyed. "I was sitting In my office dictating letters to my stenographer. Miss Olive Trefren, when I heard someone out side call "fire." There was a fire alarm box in my office and the first thing I did was to break the glass and send in an alarm. I then reached for a fire extinguisher and ran outside. A small blaze had started Immediately under the office. Misa Trefren ran calling for help. I gave the extin guisher to a man and rushed to the engineer and told blm to shut down the machinery and blow the whistle. "When I started back to the office entrance the fire had almost cut off my escape. The engineer followed me and all we could do was stand and watch the flames sweep through the build ing. A brisk wind waa blowing from the northwest which fanned the flames and made quick work of the mill. I closed both safes before leaving the office. ' I hope the records and books are preserved." Unrnina; Debrla Blamed. 1 "The fire started from the old fire permitted to be kept up just across the ferry slip from our plant. Ever since the destruction of the Columbia Docks we have had men and hose lines guard ing our property. I have remonstrated with all the city authorities over the burning of debris from that fire so close to our plant. I have appealed to Mayor Albee. Chief of Police Clark and the Fire Department but to no avail. A few days ago I turned in an alarm and the department responded and put the fire out. I learned that the owners had been give a permit to burn the de bris and the men in charge called me down for turning in an alarm." L, O. Ross, who represents the Lewis estate, owners of Columbia Dock No. 2, said last night that there wag no pos sibility of the fire having caught from sparks from the old fire at Columbia Dock No. 2. He said the old fire had been smouldering in the grain, but that he had been Informed by K. O. David, the watchman, that there were abso lutely no sparks coming from the old fire. Watchmen had been kept there day and night to guard against a spread of the fire. Mr. Ross was at the scene of the fire last night and narrowly escaped being mobbed by worklngmen, who will probably be thrown out of employment as the re sult of the fire. Mayor Albee was on Irving dock about the time that the fire was gotten under control, and, -with his secretary, W. II. Warren, made "an inspection of the interior and walked through the passageway between the dock and the yard of the Northwest Door Company, watching the work of the flreboat David Campbell. Fire Chief Injured. Fire Chief Dowell dislocated his elbow when he slipped from a chemi cal wagon as it started to the fire at Williams avenue and Cherry street. He struck on the pavement on his back. His elbow hit a streetcar rail. He was taken to the St. Vincent's Hospital by the Ambulance Service Company. His injuries are not serious. The big waterfront lire adjoining the scene of yesterday's conflagration oc curred on March 12. At 4:15 o'clock in the morning flames broke out in uoiumoia aoctc xso. 2, at tne xoot ot ai bina avenue, destroying It and Mont gomery dock No. 1 and damaging the steamers Cricket and Glenroy. The total loss was $643,600, of which $400,000 was grain owned by M- H. Houser. The Are had many spectacu lar Incidents, including the burning of the steamer Cricket as it floated down stream. It was from this burning ooat that Montgomery dock caught fire. The cause of the fire was not definitely ascertained. Women Eligible to Party Committees CHICAGO, June S. Chicago women voters are eligible to membership on precinct, ward and state central com mittees under the terms of an order entered by Judge Owens In the County Court today. Fast Summer Trains To Astoria and HMD r ii as- 1 1 r 1 11 v r 1 1 f ill a I I Vvf I I 11 u i I r I -t A 1 I SEASIDE GEARHART O-M A. M. SEASHORE LIMITED, ON AND AFTER SUNDAY- .TUNE 7. Arrives Gearhart and Seaside for DAILY luncheon; returns after dinner, arriving Portland 10:25 P. M. 2 00 P. M. SAT. WEEK-END SPECIAL,' NOW IN SERVICE. Arrives Beach Points for dinner, giving Saturday evening and all day Sun day at the Beach; returning leaves Beach Points after break fast Monday, arriving in Portland 12:30 P. M. OBSERVATION PARLOR CARS COLUMBIA RIVER SCENERY LARGE, COMFORTABLE COACHES These fast trains make quick trips for visits of a day, week-end or season at the ocean. Arrange now for seashore vacations for yourself and family. CLATSOP BEACH IS THE PREMIER NORTn COAST RESORT. First-class hotels, cottages and camps. Mountain water, sea foods, surf and plunge bathing, golf, tennis, Towing, riding and motoring. OTHER TRAIN CHANGES SUNDAY 6:30 P. M. train runs through to Gearhart and Seaside daily; train now leav ing Portland at 8:10 A. M. will leave at 8:40 A. M., for Astoria, Seaside and intermediate points. gg ROUND Hp TRIPS $3 SATURDAY-SUNDAY LIMIT MONDAY. $4 EVERY DAY LIMIT SIX MONTHS. $15 FIYE ROUND TRIPS for ixnrriDtrAii use. BUSINESS MEN USE WEEK-END SPECIAL WITHOUT LOSS OF OFFICE TIME Parlor Car Seats, Tickets and Details at CITY TICKET OFFICE, FIFTH AND STARK STREETS NORTH BANK STATION, TENTH AND HOYT STREETS i