For the past two weeks bush fires have been burning around Yale, especially West of town. Toward the close of the week it was believed the worst was over; but not so for Sunday's western breeze spread the fire rapidly toward Yale.
By the middle of the afternoon the alarm was given that the Powder Works, one and a half miles to the west, and situated alongside of the Railway track, was in great danger. The fire engine was placed upon a flat car, and awaited the getting up of steam by the locomotive to move to wherever the most good could be done. An explosion occurred which caused parties to doubt the assertion that all the powder had been removed. Pretty soon a much heavier explosion took place, which broke a number of windows in Yale and done some other damage. By this time the greatest excitement was visible, and ladies and children accompanied by a few men, might have been seen wending their way toward the east end of the town, to get away from the Powder Works; quite a number passed over Yale Creek bridge to get to a place of safety.
In the meantime the wind was blowing fierce, the fire continued to spread rapidly, and smaller reports continued from the Powder Works.
Mr. Onderdonk's residence, and a number of others along the Emory road appeared to be in danger, and many articles of furniture, etc., were removed to be prepared for the worst. However, fortunately toward evening the wind changed and the fire that seemed so threatening in rear of the cemetery and Mr. Onderdonk's, nearly as far as Mr. Alway's barn, was checked and hopes began to be entertained that the worst was over. Notwithstanding the fire was raging along the side of the mountain all night it done no great harm down where the houses and fences are. By next morning (Monday) the smoke from the fire darkened the air, and the fire had disappeared from sight.
When the car with the fire engine reached Alway Creek it was found almost dry, and the houses near by being out of danger, the engine passed down to the Powder Works, but, too late, to do much good, for by that time all the buildings had been reduced to ashes. The railway bridge close by, west, was on fire and put out by hand, after half a dozen of the ties had been badly burned. The two wagon road bridges a couple of miles west of town were destroyed.
The Powder Works location was a mass of ruins, and Mr. Olsen's residence, a short distance the other side, was reduced to ashes, entailing a heavy loss upon Mr. O. and his family, as well as Mr. Morris and a few of the men that stopped at Mr. Olsen's; he had gone to Hope the day before, and only returned on Sunday's boat to witness the ruins.
The destruction of the Powder Works throws a number of men out of work at present. At the time of the fire there were stored in the Powder Magazine 360 cases, equal to about 9 tons of giant powder, which was, also, destroyed.
A horse belonging to Mr. Olsen was tied up near the west end powder house, and he was killed, a hole made in the side of his head, etc. We have heard the loss to the Company, variously estimated, from $10,000 up to double that amount.
Mr. E. Morris' statement is: that about 2:30 p.m. Sunday sparks were noticed flying around from the bush fires near by; he and other workmen put out a number of sparks that fell in the yard of the Powder Works. As soon as he saw the fire nearing Mr. Olsen's house, and knowing he was absent, and his wife sick and children exposed he hurried to the house. Some of the men had gone to Mr. Hayes' house, as at first the fire was in that direction, while Messrs. Redgraves, Leighton, etc., were busy around the Powder Works. Mrs. S.L. Redgraves was in the little dwelling a few rods west of the magazine, and when the explosion took place at the nitro-glycerine house, near the bank of the river, she was thrown out of a window into the road, but Mr. R. soon came to her aid and she was able to leave and get to a place of safety. Mr. Morris assisted Mr. Olsen's family to get a few things out of the house, the greater part of which soon burned upon the track. The family thus escaping accompanied Mr. Morris along over Gordon Creek bridge, and soon was heard the second explosion, that of the Magazine, where fire was noticed breaking out at the roof as the parties named had passed near by.
At one time it was reported that the Acid Works had caught fire and burned down. Fortunately Superintendent Ashworth had taken precaution and a flume was running water from Gordon Creek over the roof of the main and most exposed building, and this kept the whole place wet and beyond the power of the numerous sparks flying around to do any great harm; as the engine was kept busy pumping water upon the small building, hence the Acid Works are all right to day. Mr. Ashworth's house was, also, well protected from the fire, and received no great injury.
In the absence of Mr. Onderdonk at Victoria nothing is known here respecting the erection of another Powder Works establishment. However it is to be hoped a better and more retired location will be found than the last; ever since the works were put up the people of this place have been uneasy, fearful of a terrible accident, which in all probability they now feel thankful to have escaped from. Most of our people had a big scare while some have met with loss: the large glass was broken in Mr. U. Nelson's store window, and crockery destroyed, loss $150. Mr. McCartney, druggist, had window glass broken and some bottles, loss $5. The windows of Messrs. Douglas & Deighton somewhat broken; also, a large glass in the Cascade Hotel window, while a few others met with some damage.
