The Fire at the Granger Cottage
A modest $1,000 home is reduced to ash in a Sunday afternoon blaze, marking yet another loss in a series of local misfortunes.
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.
A dwelling owned by George W. Granger was totally consumed by fire Sunday afternoon. The fire originated in the kitchen, and when discovered, had gained such headway that it was impossible to save the structure. The loss is estimated at $1,000. Granger, alias Granger, was brought before the police court some weeks ago on a charge of failure to support his wife, and the case was turned over to the authorities concerned.
“The fire originated in the kitchen, and when discovered, had gained such headway that it was impossible to save the structure.”
This brief report of a house fire in 1889 reflects the precarious nature of early property ownership in Seattle, where a single domestic accident could erase a lifetime's accumulation of wealth. Today, the focus remains on housing stability, though the threat has shifted from wood-frame fire hazards to the volatility of the modern real estate market.
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