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The Klickitat County News, Goldendale, WA.,

INTERESTING PIONEER INFORMATION

The Fire Of 1888

EDITOR'S NOTE: Many accounts of the fire of May 13, 1888 have been published, mostly from memory as taken in interviews from pioneers. This week, The News publishes the authentic account as published by the Goldendale Sentinel of May 17, 1888. The paper was published in The Dalles by John Mitchell who owned and operated The Mountaineer, a pioneer paper there which preceded The Daily Chronicle. The paper consists of about one page, it's smallness excused by the editor who explained the situation in a paragraph. The entire plant was ruined by the fire. The same paper also tells of the Tribune's cessation and its merger with The Sentinel.

The Business Portion of Goldendale in Ashes - Loss About $200,000

At about the hour of two o'clock on last Saturday afternoon, while a large number of the citizens were out of town, the alarm of fire was sounded, and in an instant every man, woman and child who had remained at home were in the vicinity. The fire had evidently originated in a box stall in Dickson's stable (the old Miller stable) near the southwest corner. James Dickson was sitting in the office of the stable at the time, and hearing a roaring noise as of wind blowing and knowing the day to be perfectly calm, he ran out and immediately discovered that the barn was on fire; the flames were just creeping up out of the box stall toward the hay overhead, and hastening to the back of the barn he seized a bucket of water and threw it on the fire almost extinguishing it. He then went for more water but before he returned the flames had climbed to the top of the building and ran through the entire length to the back part, and was breaking through the front part dropping his bucket he commenced to get the horses and buggies, etc. out.
By this time and the people began to arrive, but seeing that the barn was doomed and possibly the whole town, many hastened home to endeavor to save as much of their own personal property as possible, while others went to work to relieve the first house they came to of its contents. Women were screaming and children crying, but at the same time but few seemed to lose their entire presence of mine mind; on the contrary they worked nobly, giving evidence of possessing a almost as much fortitude as the man, and an equal amount of judgment.
A slight breeze came up from the southwest, but not notwithstanding the fire spread about as rapidly in one direction as another.
Those who were present when the fire started were by the time the people from the country began to arrive, completely exhausted. Wagons of the country people were rapidly brought into requisition and much valuable property saved that would otherwise have been destroyed. In some instances property burned up in the streets after having been carried out of a burning building. For four hours the fire raged with unabated fury, and in that short time space of time, seven blocks right in the heart of the town were destroyed, including every business house except Noblett & Hartley's livery stable, Phil Carwell's wagon and blacksmith shop and C.E. Morris' blacksmith shop.
The burned district is embraced within the following limits, which will be understood by those who are familiar with the town: all that portion lying east of the Red Barn and west of R.D. Dunbar's residence and J.M. Barbie's residence and stable; the street that has been blocked by the court house so long, on the south and H.D. Young's skating rink, on the north. However there were seven buildings burned on the north side of the street upon which the skating rink stands.

Meeting Called

As soon as the fire was thoroughly under control a meeting of citizens was called and provisions and shelter was provided for all those who were rendered homeless by the fire. A finance committee was appointed consisting of Hons. W.R. Dunbar, C.H. Curtiss and W.D. Smith to receive subscriptions of provisions and money. From all appearances as long as there is anything there to be had the sufferers are welcome to it.
Twenty five families were rendered homeless and much valuable property destroyed of which it is impossible to estimate the value. The following is an estimate of the losses some of which were covered by insurance but just what amount it is impossible to say at the present.
Bold and Fenton, blacksmiths, $700, James Sarsfield, dwelling house, $30, D.W. Pierce and Co., houses and lumber $900, W.H. Chappell, hotel, $3000, Jacob Hess, building $2500, Cumming and Cram, merchandise $2500, Six Sischel, merchandise $25,000, J.M. Hess, druggists, $6,000, Frank Patton, barber $500, C.R. Van Aelstyn, grocery $3,000, Bennett and Harvy, building $600, A. Schuster, butcher shop $400, R.D. McCulley, dentist $300, O.D. McFall $6,000, Victor Gobat, jewelery $2,000, Mrs. L. Hall, household goods, $300, Hiram Wing, residence $2,300, Peter Nelson, dwelling $1,200, T.L. Masters, dwelling $400, John Lear, house $200, W.R. Dunbar $500, Justin Scammon, dwelling $700, Dr. Boyd, dwelling $700, Occidental Hotel, $900, B. Snover, store buildings $1200, O.D. Sturgoss, merchandise $200, J.T. Eshelman, dwelling $960, Dr. Stowell, household goods $500, Wm. Millican, merchandise etc., $2500, Master and Benson $4000, Mrs. Whitney, building $500, Janince Coffield, building $1000, J.W. Washburn, building $400, A.O.U.W., fixtures $200, French and McFarland $600, Ike Goodnoe, currency $400, W. Wigat, building $700, Rev. John Uren $200, I.O.O.F., fixtures $400, Masonic Lodge, fixtures $600, Klickitat county $6000, H. Dustin, books $100, Tribune office $600, Frank Lee, household goods $200, China Wash-house $200, Dudley Eshelman $200, Smith and Dunbar, buildings $900, Sentinel offices, presses, etc. $3500, Dickson's stable $300, Hatling and Co., building $600, Dr. L.M. Willard, sundries $500, W.H. Ward, building etc. $1200, H.D. Youngs, buildings and furniture $7000, D. Cram, building $600, Downer and Shoper, machinery $900, Sam Lear, dwelling $500, L.B. Courtney, dwelling $600, Charles Marshall, dwelling $600, M.E. Church $1500, M.E. Parsonage $500, Presbyterian church $1000, John Hess, building $300, W.A. Wash building $200, Hugh Sutherland $100, tom Butler $200, Misses McLin and Phillips, millinery $100.
John Hollet was burned out four weeks ago in the country, and has probably not lost much this time.