Fire Ravages Olympia’s Government Buildings
The Surveyor General’s office, the Land Office, and a historic church are destroyed in a devastating overnight blaze.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
At 1:30 a.m. yesterday, fire broke out in the office of the Surveyor General and Land Office on Main street, and before water could be obtained, the entire building was wrapped in flames. Nothing was saved in the upper story, and but little in the Land Office. Soon after 2 o’clock, the roof of the Unitarian Church caught fire and it also became a prey to the devouring monster. While firemen worked to save General McKenny’s residence, a nearby stable also burned. Had it not been for those efforts, much of the town might have been lost. This is the second fire in a few weeks, and it is a serious consequence for the Territory, as many public records can never be replaced. Some loafers stood around with their hands in their pockets during the crisis, which angered citizens. It is generally surmised that the fire was incendiary to destroy government records. The loss is estimated at $100,000.
“As usual, there were a number of loafers standing around with their hands in their pockets looking idly on, while cries were going up for help on all sides.”
This 1883 fire in Olympia underscores the fragility of early territorial record-keeping, a common concern in a rapidly growing frontier capital. Today, the area remains the heart of state government, though fire protection has evolved significantly since the days of bucket brigades.
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