Northport Business District Left in Ashes
A catastrophic fire destroys multiple hotels, saloons, and shops in Northport, marking a significant loss for the community.
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.
The fire at Northport, Stevens County, last Wednesday night destroyed the International Hotel, William Smith's frame building, I. A. Clark & Co.'s store, residence and livery stable, Hepp & Anderson's hotel and saloon building, Gamble's butcher shop, Brandt's laundry, Jessse Bailey's residence, and U. C. Meyer's restaurant. The financial losses are significant, with many businesses reporting thousands in damages and several lacking any insurance. Tragically, one person perished in the International Hotel: a miner named Ossage.
“The fire at Northport, Stevens County, last Wednesday night, destroyed the International Hotel.”
In the late 19th century, Northport and similar boomtowns were built of wood and heat, making them perpetually vulnerable to fire. Today, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the fragile infrastructure of early Washington frontier settlements.
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