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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1914 | 7 |
| 1915 | 13 |
| 1916 | 10 |
| 1917 | 5 |
35 stories matching destroy
- The Fire That Almost Stopped the Canal: $40,000 Loss at Big Eddy
A mysterious blaze destroys the machine and steam plants of the Washington Canal project, yet work on the massive irrigation artery continues without pause.
- Burbank Loses Its Only Trading Post
A general merchandise store is completely destroyed by fire, leaving a small community without a local shop.
- Fire Claims Barn and Livestock in Whitcomb
A blaze of unknown origin at the Washington Farm Lands company barn resulted in the loss of a horse, farm equipment, and a significant amount of alfalfa.
- Brush Fire Consumes Hay and Hog Pens at Costello Ranch
A routine cleanup of orchard waste turns into a local disaster when a sudden wind catches the rancher's winter feed supply.
- Tallow Fire Destroys Slaughterhouse
A kitchen accident at a tallow rendering plant ruins the Dircksen slaughterhouse; bucket brigade saves nearby property.
- A Close Call at the Cleaning Shop
Static electricity turns a routine cleaning job into a dangerous fire, destroying a local shop's equipment and wardrobe.
- Narrow Escape from St. Mary’s Inferno
A Kennewick woman survives a harrowing hospital fire in Walla Walla that leveled the historic building.
- Careless Spring Burning Destroys Irrigation Infrastructure
A brush fire south of Richland consumes vital lumber for the Horn Rapids Irrigation company, serving as a warning for local farmers.
- The Price War Destroying Kennewick’s Strawberry Growers
A local agricultural association leader blames independent growers for undermining the market by selling out to commission men.
- The War on Weeds
Mayor Richardson threatens property owners with tax liens if they fail to clear noxious weeds before they become fire hazards.
- Richland Trading Company Store Destroyed by Fire
The town's largest mercantile establishment burned to the ground early Wednesday morning in a blaze suspected to be caused by faulty electrical wiring.
- A Midnight Fire, a Stairway of Flame, and Three Boys Out a Second-Story Window
Mrs. Minnie Andrews' home in Stanton's Addition burns to the ground while the fire department is too far from a hydrant to help.
- Fire Narrowly Averted at Highlands Home
A superheated fireplace tile ignites the floorboards of the Lehnhard residence, sparking a mid-winter emergency.
- Island View Ranch Barn Destroyed by Fire
A workshop and barn burned to the ground while the owners were away fishing.
- Benton City Merchant Loses Everything in Fire
A local family returns from an evening out to find their home and business leveled by flames.
- Orchard Menace Discovered in Kennewick Highlands
A local inspector warns farmers to take immediate action after the first authenticated case of fire blight is found on a Highlands apple tree.
- Freighter Lost to Fire at Pasco Dock
The Columbia Pasco, a river freighter, was destroyed by fire during maintenance work, marking a significant loss for the local river transit trade.
- Defective Flue Claims New Fruitvale Home
A newly constructed farmhouse is reduced to ashes in a district with no fire protection.
- Fire Levels Kiona Business District
A pre-dawn blaze incinerates a general store, hotel, and post office, leaving sleeping guests with a narrow escape.
- The State's Rabies Crackdown
Facing an outbreak of rabies, Washington state officials grant peace officers and citizens the power to destroy unmuzzled dogs on sight.
- A Close Call at the Blacksmith Shop
A blow torch ignites gasoline fumes at Jameson Newell's shop, nearly destroying the facility and two automobiles.
- Fire Levels Farmhouse While Owner Seeks Bread
A minor errand for a loaf of bread leads to the total loss of a Richland home.
- The Suspicious Sunnyside Blaze
A doctor's Ford car is reduced to ashes in Sunnyside while en route to Kennewick under mysterious circumstances.
- The Prohibition Crackdown on the Yakima Cafe
Following a quiet investigation, police raid a local eatery and seize over sixty pints of illicit alcohol.
- Exploding Oil Stove Levels Family Home at Hover
A visiting family loses their entire library and most of their possessions in a fast-moving house fire.