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Show FLAMES SWEEP OREGON II BUSINESS DISTRICT OF ASTORIA COMPLETELY Wit ED OUT BY EARLY MORNING BLAZE Twenty-seven Block Lay In Ruina and Flames Destroy Piling Which Supports Pavement In Oregon City Astoria Th ebusiness district of Astoria, was laid in ruins by a fire which broke out shortly after 2 a. m. Friday and despite efforts of the local fire department and reinforcements from Portland, swept 16 blocks, causing caus-ing a loss estimated at between $10,-000,000 $10,-000,000 and $15,000,000. According to reports from the fire swept area, Morris Staples president of the Bank of Commerce had dropped dead. Another report said Brennan Van Dusen, a business man, was missing. miss-ing. W. W. Fellman furniture dealer, who had been reported dead earlier in the morning later was found to be safa. The entire district from the river front five blocks south to Exchange 'street aad east and west between Fourteenth and Tenth street, had been wiped out at 7:30 o'clock and the flames had extended beyond Exchange street at that hour. At 8 o'clock the fire had swept over twenty-seven blocks. The flames had eaten under the pavement on Commercial Commer-cial street, burning the piling on whic" the city had been built, and firemen were unable to cope with this development. devel-opment. Patients were removed from St Mary's hospital, oil the windows of which were shattered by explosions of dynamite or gasoline tanks. The Astoria Astorian, occupying a new building on Commercial street, distant from the devasted area, began moving mov-ing out at 8 o'clock. The Astorian's building is concrete but sparks were thrcatenng the roof. Tfie fire at 10 o'clock had swept the entire district between Astor street, at the river front, south to Exchange streete, and north and south between Eighth and Sixteenth streets. Between ! Eleventh and Twelfth it had penetrated penetrat-ed as far as Franklin street. At 10:15 o'clock the fire crossed Sixteenth St. at Commercial street. |