THE KETCHIKAN FIRE
A human being is a wonderful
creature!
You talk to those who lost every
thing in the terrible fire that came
to us on March 28th and say, “Yes
it was bad enough, but it might have
been worse.” A day after the fire,
Mrs. Peterson had opened her Peter
Pan Shop in the Poodle Dog Cafe
building; Pruell’s Jewelry Store had
located at Ryus Drug Store; Smith’s
Taxi was moved by its owner, Fred
Handy, to the Service Transfer com
pany’s place; Senator F. J. Hunt
and “Doc” Walker were doing busi
ness “as usual.”
It is the Ketchikan spirit.
No one thought that the sharp
warning of the fire siren meant any
thing unusual, and so, many sat on
and finished their dinners leisurely.
But on the Revilla Hotel eorner,
black smoke began to roll out.
Guests hurried to their rooms to
waken children, to get wives out, to
save a trunk. Many who went up
stairs did not have a chance ot get
down the same way. The heavy,
dense smoke of the oil burner com
pletely chojked the stairway, and
guests had to climb out windows,
using the ropes provided for that
purpose.
“Can they save it! C.\n thev save
it!” The lookers-on held their breath
and wondered.
“I heard there was a cnlld up
there.” The statement came to De
puty Marshal Humber, and trie to
his badge of service he broke thru
the door of the hotel into the black
smoke to “do his simple duty” as he
saw it. He crashed thru a hole and
dropped onto the rocks below, but no
one who saw him fighting the fire
later in the evening and night knew
that he was injured.
The spirit of the American citi
zen.
The fire siren sent out the second
call—the third call. Citizens gath
ered in dense throngs to watch the
fighting men. Each man followed
out without delay the instructions of
the directing chiefs. Hose after hose
was unrolled and connected with the
hydrants. I doubt if the men who
worked suffered as much as these
who watched.
“Can they stop it!” for already
the breeze from the north freshene 1.
At last, the dense smoke began to
roll out of the top windows of the
Revilla, and watchers knew that the
building was doomed. The hoses
were turned, directed into the hotel.
Crash went the large plate-glass
windows; a few show cases were
shoved out into the street; a couple
of barber-chairs were rescued; Mr.
Knox got his family out of the top
floor apartment but had no time
to save his $8,000 stock of jewelry
with which he expected to begin
business here.
In the jewelry store, Mr. Snyder
swept watches and diamonds into
some Indian baskets—but had no
time to rescue more. There lying on
his show case was the brand new
overcoat of Billy Bates, the fignting
cashier of the Miners and Merchants
Bank of Ketchikan. Mr. Bates had
left a dinner engagement, put his
watch and money in his vest pocket,
laid vest, coat, over-coat »n the show
case of Pruell’s and promptly for
got about his own belongings while
he fought the increasing menace.
Can this city pay for the devotion
of its firemen
I have always had the feeling that
these members of the volunteer tire
department were just a little better
citizen than I.
On and upward climbed the flames
—first out of the first story windows
the flames flashed. The groan of
the watchers went up, and then a
murmur; “It’s all gone; it’s all
gone.” Trucks dashed here and
there loaded with only the most
valuable articles. The streets be
came full of furniture from Heck
rrjfii’s Department Store for it
seemed that this great business must
also go. The alleyway separating it
from the Revilla was only about :en
feet wide.
“There she goes! Will that
tower fall outward!”
The flames are now uncontrolled,
and leap upward to the sky in great
tongues. They reach toward the
sky as if to quench their thirst in
the damp clouds. But, alas! the
rain-clouds for which Ketchikan is
famous were not to be seen. But
rather it seemed as if a billion eyes
were watching from the clear sky
the agony of this city.
“Look, the roof of the Poodle Dog
is on fire!”
“Will the Admiral Rogers ever
get around!” They are so damn
slow’ ” Language became stronger.
Hearts ached as we hurried the
Rogers.
“I hope-” Well, what do you
hope? “I hope the Rogers can do
something ! ! How manv a citizen
gazed first at the inc.vasirg fire
and the slow-moving ship with the
prayer that it could. Was there a
prayer of thankfulness to God?
At last the Rogers got 1*1 place
and soon the entire crew was at the
pumps, the hose, and when the peo
ple saw the five great streams of
salt water added to the hose (f the
fire fighters already at work, relief
was felt.
But the south wall of the hotel,
would it fall outward? It swayed. It
seemed as if it must fall, and if it
did—my God, end the agony and let
it fall inward. The Poo lie Dog
building lay within fifty fee*:, and
then one line of business buildings,
the Town Taxi, a cafe, a store, a
pool hall, a restaurant, the cannery
building, the warehouse. Could the
fire be stopped there?
Already the Signal Corps men
were taking away everything that
was not needed. Men sat at their
instruments and sent the news to
distant points.
Slowly, the fire drove the men
back. Those on top of the building
retreated finally to the top of che
Tongass building. Great streams cf
water were kept on nearby build
ings. The narrow aperture between
the bakery building and the hotel
building admitted the streams of
water.
Streets were lined with people.
Ropes were stretched and boy scouts
in uniform were stationed to ke'p
people back.
The south wall crashed—inward.
The cupola was now at the mercy
of the flames, and as it burned, the
fire reached its greatest height. In
a few moments, it began to recede.
And gradually, very slowly, we could
see that the men would win their
battle.
The thoughts of the people are
well expressed in the words of a few
men. We cannot enlarge upon them
for words are foolish after a long
night of great daring and bravery.
“The bravery and unselfishness
shown by the fire fighters last night
was remarkable. It was a terrible
fire but even that could not cope
with the spirit shown by the fire
men. The town of Ketchikan also
is deeply indebted to the Captain
and crew of the Rogers and the
Revenue Cutters. Without their as
sistance it might have been a great
deal worse. We owe a lot to our
firemen and we appreciate their good
work.” This is by J. R. Heckman.
“We were, like the others, unfor
tunate in our loss, but nevertheless
we apreciate the efforts of the fire
men and their good work in confin
ing the flames to the one building.”
This by Miss Maud Liljestrand, of
the Peter Pan Candy Shop.
Already we hear rumors about a
great, big, new, fire-proof building,
five stories high to take the place of
the building destroyed. It ought to
be. Ketchikan is greatly over
crowded for hotel space, for hous
ing space. Guests are passing by to
spend their time and money else
where because, literally speaking,
there is no place for them to sleep
in Ketchikan.
This town is ready for two first
class apartment houses; for one hun
dred residences; for at least one
first class hotel with at least 200
rooms.
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