History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I, Part 90

Author: Lyman, William Denison, 1852-1920
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: [Chicago] S.J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1134

USA > Washington > Benton County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 90
USA > Washington > Kittitas County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 90
USA > Washington > Yakima County > History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I > Part 90

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

At once the public commenced carrying out stocks of goods, though it

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seemed to be a long time before the realization came home to people that noth- ing could save the block. So swift was the march of the fire that it was for the most part in vain. Stores with brick walls succumbed as well as frame buildings. Doomed was written everywhere. The first hose laid was burned before it could be removed.

SWEEPS ONWARD

At Harris Avenue, the first cross street to the eastward, the fire could have been checked had it not been for the wind, but it crossed easily, attacked the laundry (which, however, escaped destruction), the creamery and the State Bank, the latter a brick building, and fought with wicked insistence for the big frame high school building. Here the janitor, Van Martin, and the presi- dent of the class of 1918, Harold Cox, to his everlasting credit, won the battle. Climbing to the roof they used long lines of small hose. Three times serious fires broke out on the shingles but the two fighters were there instantly. Num- berless sparks tried to claim their prey but valiant work and kind fortune smiled on the taxpayers of School District No. 25 to the end that they won. Not only did they win the schoolhouse but undoubtedly every resident on the north side of Third Street owes his home to the saving of the schoolhouse. However, the small grade building on the corner, formerly the Baptist Church, was not so fortunate and burned to the ground. With it went practically every school textbook in the city excepting those of the Hazelwood School, stored there, which J. N. Spicer, principal of that school, with help, carried out in safety.

THE CATASTROPHE

Under skies lurid with the sickening yellow brown smoke the fire now outdid itself by jumping the entire block to the residence section. The homes of Mike Miller, H. J. Spratt, Tony Casey and G. I. Wilson on Third Street caught from cinders and to the southward the Trucano Building and every residence east of it burst into fire. The wind whistled its challenge and the cry went up from three thousand parched throats and aching hearts, "The city is gone." The gale veered southward, saving the north side of Third Street, and with one mighty plunge a score of homes were swallowed up in the awful holocaust.

DYNAMITE USED

In the meantime the mines had been shut down, all power and juice shut off from the N. W. I. plant at Roslyn, and Roslyn was on its way en masse to help its sister city, led by its valiant fire fighters. They had been summoned at the outset by Chief of Police Bunker, who phoned Chief McCain the laconic message : "We're lost but help us save what we can." When the fire crossed the second block from Pennsylvania Avenue and jumped Wright Avenue, the fire fighters went for dynamite, which was readily obtained from the mine powder houses, and under the guidance of experienced powder men, the deadly work was begun. Building after building which it seemed would be better in ruins than standing was blown up. A fifty pound case of Monobel powder

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did the work and soon the city was resounding with the deep boom of the de- tonations. It affected the situation little, however, it seems.

MINERS' HOMES CATCH

A sea of flame engulfed the densely populated section to the cast, inhabited almost entirely by miners' families. On many lots two or three small frame houses stood and they were the finest of fuel. Frightened but brave women and children assisted frantic husbands and brothers and friends to haul out their belongings into the streets only to see them curl with heat and finally fall into ashes of twisted wreckage while they themselves fled for safety.

It was a pitiful sight that made the stoutest heart quail to see these poor people lose their all and with a few personal effects seek a quiet spot in the unburned districts. Automobiles whirled up and down the streets carrying away as much property as possible and every form of conveyance was used, but it was an unequal battle. Cross street after cross street was jumped, fire- men gathered their hose and got out of the way when they saw the situation was hopeless, and the freaky gale veered to north and south, cutting a swath three blocks wide at the last.

At Bullitt Avenue the fire crossed First Street, licked up the string of frame buildings, including Schober's grocery and bakery on the corner, and swept over Peoh Avenue to Ballard's meat market. Pricco's large bakery, across the street, was completely burned at this point. A block farther the old established sawmill and lumber yards of Miller & Short, one of the city's largest pioneer concerns, so needful to rehabilitate the city, fell finally into the maw of the fire, despite every effort to save it. Every foot of lumber in scores of piles was lost absolutely and the mill site is marked now only by the stark skeleton of the huge blower chimney and a junk heap of machinery. This was the last straw, it seemed, when lumber is so scarce.

JUMPS THE TRACKS

At the independent mine sidetracks there is a wide vacant right of way on each side, these tracks running north and south like cross streets. Here the fire fighters took courage and hoped to stay the flames, but disappointment was their lot. Over the hundreds of feet of bare ground the cinders flew and caught and clung on more miners' homes and swept onward, seemingly bent on clearing a track as far as fuel could feed the fire. Two blocks farther the edge of the city was finally reached and there the scattering houses proved a barrier which finally held. At its extreme east point the fire was stopped eight long blocks from Pennsylvania Avenue or at Columbia. This was on the north side of Third Street. Between Third and Second Streets, south, the fire was stopped half a block nearer and on First Street it was still a little nearer, showing the variation of the wind. Columbia Avenue, however, practically bounds the district on the east. When stayed, it was only four o'clock. from which some idea of the rapidity with which the fire burned may be obtained. The distance covered by the fire from Pennsylvania Avenue to Columbia is

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4.350 feet or four-fifths of a mile and the burned area is seventy acres. From Wright Avenue east the width of the belt is three blocks.

ELLENSBURG HELPS

A message was also sent to Ellensburg by Chief Bunker early in the fire's progress and by special train the steam engine from that city, manned by its crew, was shipped at once. It reached Cle Elum about half past two o'clock and went into service immediately in the eastern end of the city with good effect.

RELIEF WORK STARTS

At four o'clock a called meeting for relief work was held in the Cle Elum "Echo" office, attended by a number of citizens from Cle Elum, Roslyn and Ellensburg, and presided over by Mayor Balmer, who laid off fighting fire at his greenhouses in the extreme eastern end of the city to be present. Due to this prompt action it was possible to afford much temporary relief before dark.

A committee, consisting of Woods, Reese and Enright, was named to survey the food supply, another consisting of Charles Duerrwachter, James Wright and J. C. Johnson to notify the people that relief was being made ready and a general executive committee was named by the mayor. This commit- tee originally consisted of Mayor Balmer, chairman; Simon Justhaam, John F. Morgan, J. F. Wagner, H. B. Joyner nd William Merriman, all of Roslyn; Frank Carpenter, James Walcott and H. B. Averill, of Cle Elum; and A. W. McGuire of Ellensburg. However, this committee was later enlarged to a membership of twenty-five and badges of authority issued. Headquarters were established at the city hall and the presses of the "Echo" were set to grinding out a proclamation by the mayor, which was widely distributed.

SHERIFF ON THE SCENE

Deputy Sheriff Taylor arrived early from Ellensburg with a few men and on No. I Sheriff Garrison brought up fifteen deputies to patrol the fire district. The executive committee decided not to call for troops at least at once but the governor was wired the main facts of the situation, first by Prosecuting Attorney McGuire and later by Mayor Balmer.

A transportation sub-committee was named with Aaron Reese of the Sun- set Auto Company as chairman and also a food committee headed by M. B. Doolittle, who went to work without delay to take care of people. The Sunset Cafe, in charge of Mr. Czerny, its former proprietor, was opened as a relief feeding station and long before dark the work of relieving the hundreds of destitute and hungry was vigorously under way. Chairman Greenburg of the Cle Elum Valley Defense League was also put into service early in various capacities and as rapidly as possible Mayor Balmer extended his field of opera- tions with the most competent help he could obtain as volunteers.

ROSLYN DRILL SQUAD OUT

The volunteered services of the recently organized drill company were

---- --------- I

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accepted to help guard the city and under Captain Bates went on duty as deputy sheriffs before dark. They served all night faithfully during the critical period, some twenty of them, armed with loaded rifles. Streets were closed through the district except to those showing properly signed passes.

ONLY PARTIAL DARKNESS

Thanks to the swift and most welcome service of the N. W. I. Company's electrical department under Superintendent Brooks, enough wires were hooked up to furnish the city with house lights before nightfall, which was a pleasing surprise in view of the tangled and burned condition of the wiring. No street lights were possible, however.

It was a desolate scene that the red glowing embers of the great fire showed when finally darkness settled over the city. Gaunt ruins arose like skeletons through the drifting smoke and haze and the fireswept ground resembled a great encampment of many flickering fires. The guards paced back and forth in light and shadow carrying their guns and over all sombre silence lay after a violence that would compare well with a battleswept field the night after.

RED CROSS ARRIVES

Following telegraphic communication representatives of the Northwest De- partment of the American Red Cross arrived at midnight from Seattle. They were F. P. Foisie, chairman of civil relief work, and associate members David F. Tilley and Earl Kilpatrick. After a session with the executive committee they ordered 2,000 blankets, 200 portable stoves for cooking, and cooking utensils from the coast for immediate shipment and accepted the offer of the Adventist Society for tents to come from different camp meetings just ended in different parts of the state.

TELEPHONE WIRES OPEN

The Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company deserves great credit for opening its station here early in the evening, which had been practically burned when the fire struck the State Bank Building. Long distance communication was first established east and west, this being an important junction station, and this enabled committees to get into personal touch with outside people. So rapidly did the wire men do their work that Wednesday morning the remain- ing business houses in the city were also connected up, as well as many residences.

ELLENSBURG FOOD MEN HELP

During Tuesday evening the Ellensburg canteen committee of the Red Cross under Chairman Reynolds offered its services to Cle Elum and was put to work with the local food committee to make sandwiches and prepare coffee for Wednesday's breakfast among the homeless.

OFFERS OF HELP

One of the first telegrams from outside cities to arrive was from Ole Han- son, mayor of Seattle, who wired as follows:

(49)

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Seattle, Washington, June 25, 1918.

Mayor of Cle Elum, Washington :

Seattle stands ready to help your stricken city with anything you need. Wire me at once how we can help. Fire Marshal Bringhurst leaving for your city on midnight train to represent Seattle. Wire answer care Post-Intelligencer. OLE HANSON, Mayor of Seattle.

Others received were :

Olympia, Washington, June 25, 1918.

Hon. Arthur McGuire, Prosecuting Attorney Kittitas County, Cle Elum, Wash- ington :

Your message received and I have directed Adjutant General Moss to im- mediately get in touch with situation in Cle Elum and render every possible assistance. I have placed matter of relief entirely in his hands. Get in touch with him. Also keep me advised.

ERNEST LISTER, Governor. Olympia, Washington, June 25, 1918.

The Mayor, Cle Elum, Washington :

I have directed Adjutant General Moss to render every assistance possible to Cle Elum and its people. He will get in touch with you. I desire to extend my sympathy to you and through you to the people of Cle Elum and express to the people that the balance of the state may be able to make your burden much lighter by the prompt response that will be given in the meeting of your immediate necessities.

ERNEST LISTER, Governor. Ellensburg, Washington, June 25, 1918.

Mayor Balmer, Cle Elum, Washington :

Two trucks loaded with potatoes and other vegetables are now on the road. More to follow tomorrow.

SAMUEL KREIDEL, Mayor. Seattle, Washington, June 26, 1918 ..

Mayor, Cle Elum, Washington :

We desire to extend on behalf of Seattle business interest expression of sincere sympathy with your community and assure you that we stand ready to do anything which may be serviceable in helping to meet your trying prob- lem. This organization is prepared to cooperate with the mayor, the governor and the Red Cross or any other properly constituted agency serving your needs.

SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND COMMERCIAL CLUB. Seattle, Washington, June 26, 1918.

Mayor Balmer, Cle Elum, Washington :

Accept deepest sympathy yourself and citizens in this sad calamity. Have despatched two representatives, officers, to assist you in conducting relief work throughout city, arriving today.

COLONEL T. W. SCOTT, Salvation Army. Yakima, Washington, June 26, 1918.

Hon. J. A. Balmer, Mayor of Cle Elum, Cle Elum, Washington :

For and on behalf of the citizens of Yakima I extend the sympathy of all

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to you and your people in your recent disaster. We are ready and willing to do all we can to assist and lend comfort to your stricken ones. Yakima is with you and in what way can we best serve you?

FOREST H. SWEET, Mayor. Seattle, Washington, June 26, 1918.

Mayor Balmer, Cle Elum, Washington :

Sorry to hear of the misfortune to the city of Cle Elum. If I can help in any way notify me.

JAMES BAGLEY, State Mine Inspector, Alaska Building.

HELP FOR MERCHANTS

Upon request the state food administrator, through his assistant, Mr. Beck, of Seattle, Wednesday morning offered relief to local merchants by eliminating restrictions in the way of purchasing supplies. This relieved what might have been a serious situation since the majority of the stores of the city were burned completely. Closing regulations for stores are off for the time being and those needing supplies of any kind may buy at any time outside of regular hours.

BURNED AREA

Block 7, O. T .- All burned but First National Bank and Kinney Building.

Block 8, O. T .- All burned but Cle Elum State Bank and Cle Elum Laundry.

Block 9, O. T .- All burned.

Block 24, O. T .- All burned.

Block 2, Hazelwood addition-All burned.

Block 9, Hazelwood addition-All burned.

Block 12, Hazelwood addition-All burned but one house.

Block 19, Hazelwood addition-All burned.

Block 22, Hazelwood addition-All burned north of alley.

Block 23, Hazelwood addition-All burned but one house and Hazelwood School.

Block 18, Hazelwood addition-All burned.

Black 13, Hazelwood addition-All burned.

Block 8, Hazelwood addition-All burned.

Black 3, Hazelwood addition-All burned.

Block 23, O. T .- All burned but the northwest quarter of block.

Block 10, O. T .- All burned but seven houses.

Block 11, O. T .- One building burned.

Block 17, Hazelwood addition-Four houses burned.

Block 25, O. T .- East half north of alley burned.

Block 24, O. T .- One-half burned.

Block 1, Hazelwood addition-North half burned.

Block 10, Hazelwood addition-All burned north of railroad.

Block 11, Hazelwood addition-North half burned.

BUSINESS HOUSE LOSSES

Oblak & Maver, cigar store; Rose Theatre; George H. Moss, notion store;

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HISTORY OF YAKIMA VALLEY

Charles Hugg, confectionery ; Garver's notion store; B. DeMark, tailor shop: M. W. Davies, jewelry ; A. Curto, glazier ; Cava's barber shop; Costello & Duffy, clothing : Ira Mathus, produce store: A. J. Schele, grocery : Horseshoe Cigar Store ; J. E. Werlich & Son, hardware; J. V. Hoeffler, law office; T. M. Jones, general merchandise; T. M. Jones, undertaking parlors ; C. J. Trucano, hard- ware; Cle Elum Creamery, Robert Reed, proprietor; Haines & Spratt, hard- ware; Miss Haltern, millinery ; Deonigi Mercantile Company, general store ; Bettassa & Rou, bakery and store; Torino Cigar Store, Charles Buttignoni, pro- prietor ; John Pricco, bakery and general store; Joe Schober, bakery and gen- eral store; A. Oberto, soft drink place; Dotteschini & Dongoro, soft drink place; Wayne Ballard, meat market ; Muss & Ballone, soft drink place ; Cerollo & Odonin, soft drinks ; Mike Amobile, shoe shop; A. Crestanello, general store : A. S. Paul, planing mill: Miller & Short, sawmill and lumber yards ; Telephone station, partly burned.

OTHER PLACES

Masonic Temple, cost $10,000, 1914: Foresters' Hall; Eagles' Hall ; City Public Library ; Second Ward Fire Station; Catholic Church and Rectory ; Pres- byterian Church ; Greek Church.

EASTON DOESN'T FORGET

From Johnson Brothers at Easton the following generous contribution has arrived, a mighty good showing from a little town, along the line of food sup- plies only : Ten sacks potatoes, eight sacks of flour, two sacks of rolled oats, five cases of milk and one sack of beans.

THORP HELPS

The farming village of Thorp has sent up three loads of farm products which have been highly acceptable to the relief headquarters.

YAKIMA'S CONTRIBUTION

Through the Yakima Red Cross organization the following was sent to Cle Elum, arriving yesterday morning : Three cases of butter, six cases of eggs, one case of sausage, four cases of bacon, two cases of lard, two cases condensed milk, two cases of coffee, one case of ham, and eight cartons of bread.

Under the leadership of Mrs. H. M. Gilbert, members of Yakima's women's clubs organized a relief movement Thursday and with marvelous speed as- sembled two truck loads of clothing that were sent on the afternoon trains. The remainder came on the night train and filled the Cle Elum relief head- quarters with joy upon arrival. All day yesterday and today this clothing was distributed and it was of unusually good quality, much of it new. Yakima's contributions have won for that city a warm place in local esteem which will not soon be forgotten and the generosity of the gifts was only equaled by the promptness with which they were delivered. Yakima proved to be a true friend in need.

"CLE ELUM ECHO" EDITORIALS-REBUILDING OUR BURNED CITY

The problems of reconstruction are with us and will be for some time to come but in this as in all other great tasks, the old axiom holds true: "Well begun is half done." That a more substantial and hetter Cle Elum will arise from the ashes of last week's catastrophe we can safely predict. Cle Elum has

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the resources behind it to warrant not only the rebuilding of all destroyed prop- erty but better buildings, and a larger city in every respect. The great fire marks the passing of the pioneer period in our history; we now enter the real constructive and development period. As the gateway to the richest bituminous coal mining field in the Northwest, and perhaps the largest uncut timber district on the eastern slopes of the Cascades in this state, a prosperous future should be assured us. As the commercial center of the upper Yakima Valley and a railway center on both the Northern Pacific and Milwaukee Railways, our business and residence advantages are exceedingly good. Therefore we should build and are warranted in building on a permanent basis.

The best evidence that we know of our business situation is to be found in the readiness with which wholesale houses all over the state are willing to replace stocks here on a generous credit basis. Cle Elum's credit is good. Neither of our banks suffered seriously from the fire and both are disposed to do everything within safe financing to reestablish business and encourage first class construction. Together they represent around a million dollars in assets. Leading all business construction stories is the announcement that M. P. Kay has now acquired the entire corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and First Street, covering 105 feet of frontage on Pennsylvania and ninety feet on First Street, and promises the erection of a modern two-story block. One block farther down First Street, Joe Schober and T. M. Jones, both pioneer business men, have already begun the erection of fifty foot front concrete buildings. Prac- tically all of the business houses burned out will reenter business.

The reconstruction of homes is our chief concern, followed closely by the erection of public buildings and the improvement of our water system. Several hundred thousand dollars are required to rebuild and reestablish the homes destroyed. A considerable portion of this the unfortunate losers themselves will be able to furnish under proper encouragement, but most of it will have to be borrowed. The financing of home building operations is the urgent need of the hour because it takes time to put up these houses. Building material is exceedingly difficult to get in quantity ; workmen are scarce. Cold weather comes early in the mountains and without comfortable homes, the people will not remain here. So we must get busy and keep busy.

The generous offer of the Northwestern Improvement Company through General Manager Andersen to put lumber in quantities down here at cost for these home building operations is the most important single step yet taken in solving the home problem. It may restrict, if taken advantage of, private enter- prise to some extent but its importance to fire sufferers is too great to permit it to be lost to the people. There will still be left the business district, public buildings and the normal expansion of the city for private lumber dealers, in addition to which not all home builders will take advantage of the company's offer for various reasons. We think there is no desire to hurt local business men or mill owners around here in any way, but there must be a realization that a crisis exists. It is only with a realization of this condition and the fact that an enormous amount of lumber must be gotten here hurriedly that the company made its offer and it will not stand good long. The elimination of profit is the company's affair solely and for this policy all who suffered from

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the fire in losing homes will be very grateful. The Northwestern Improvement Company is able and willing to assist its own employes in rebuilding and is simply extending its assistance to others because a distressing condition prevails in a town wherein it has heavy interests. Should this cooperation now be taken advantage of it may lead to further substantial help and bring the big company into closer sympathy with the city's general interests. It's a good time to get together.

The mayor has named a ways and means committee of citizens to advise with city officials in taking hold of the entire situation and it is up to this body now to closely consider all problems arising from the fire disaster and solve them the best way possible. The Homebuilders' Loan Association is on the right track with an excellent plan of organization, but not much progress has yet been made. It should be pushed with vigor into action or else dropped quickly so that the people may know how to plan and may figure on getting needed loans from other sources. Action is what we need to get the rehabilita- tion of Cle Elum under way before people become undecided and dissatisfied and while we may yet interest the outside world in helping us. We need that help because no town of this size can adjust itself to a loss of $700,000 to $750,- 000, the largest item in which is in the complete destruction of homes, upon its own resources excepting in a slow and painful way.

MINERS COME TO THE FRONT

It is an assured fact that shortly thousands of dollars subscribed by miners of this state and others, for fire relief work in this city will be gathered through the activity of the United Mine Workers of America. They have had probably 160 members, nearly all family men, burned out here, involving several hundred of their people and they purpose to extend them every possible and reasonable help. The funds will be carefully expended where actually needed under the supervision of their state officials working with the local unions.

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History of the Yakima Valley, Washington; comprising Yakima, Kittitas, and Benton Counties, Vol. I, Part 90

Author: Lyman, William Denison, 1852-1920 Publication date: 1919 Publisher: [Chicago] S.J. Clarke Number of Pages: 1134

Author: Lyman, William Denison, 1852-1920
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: [Chicago] S.J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1134