The avant courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1871-1872, 1872-06-27
DISASTROUS FIRE IN HELENA.
The II u. Church md Parsenag- Totally
Destroyed.
Loss About $4,000

! 4.
Yesterday afternoon about 5 o'clock. the
alarm OF fire was given and the uiiwclcome
summons was instantly conveyed from one
end Of the city to the other. A large con-
Course of wide-awake citizens. who are ever
Oh the alert in such emergencies. sO.,n gath
cred IL the scene OF the confagratiOn. which
proved TO be the parsonage Of the Broadway
NJ. +. Church, or ,ath lie stable directly in
the rear. The flames soon burst forth in
great fury. and as the wind was blowing
strongly towards the southeast it was a 70 re-
gone conclusion that the church and parsoi,-
are must 90. The furniture Ut thelsev. Mr..
Van Amla WAS quickly removed. the door Of
tia church broken open, and the seats. organ,
books. sanctuary. chandeliers, and everything
else that could be. were removed 20 the oppo-
site side OF The street. Tie property thus
saved was worth at least ST $40 An effort
was matte to save the bell, hui failed a. the
flames had made such rapid progress that no
one could be persuaded to ascend the stairs
to the steeple. Within ten minutes from the
outbreak OF the fire. it had communicated To
the parsonage. and in ten minutes attt rw ard
the church edifice was in flames. The build
ing being large and high. and the wind con
rinuiug 10 increase. it was soon plctly ems
velopetl; the heat was intense and ii seemed
impossible to save Cilarly Cannon's re sldena
on the opposite corner. and it was o,sly by
the most un.iring efforts and heroic endurance
Ut those brave men VIII fought the fire-tiend
and maintained their posts amid the cil,defs
and fire-brinds that il was saved. Had this
taken fire. the whole row OF COTTAGES above
and on the opposite side Of Broadway must
have also been swept away. 4 line WIS
water from Wooliolk's ditch passed mp I'LL
buckets. This, III the absence Of aHensine.
ant; tire total absence of all other water faeii-s
tiles, served the purpose very we'll.
THE NJ. +. CHURCH
was erected in the fail OF 1867. and was. we
believe. the largest and natsst GO sinaaious
house OF publ worship in the Territory | =
cost. including The parse'a ah,,it Sl3 OOl !.
upeB winch there was All Insurance. of Difly
ST .OO0. A debt OF $l.5O0 has been sta'din.
against the church. tor svverul years past. but
was cancelled last winter by lie Ladies Fair
inauyilf;lFefl fnr that purpose. Ne utter-
stand th.f efforts " i'll tle mate to rebuild it
Immediately. aud this time 81 store q, brick.
Ii is believed that sufficient subscriptions, liz
Guiding the $1,000 insurance can BIZ rai.et..
within few days to accomplish the gooti
work.
THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
This fire which has destroyed much valila-
tble property is supposed TO have originated
Through the cArelesSness OF some little boys
who had been playing with matches or fire.
crackers. Paul. little son OF Rev. Mr..
Van Anda, and two Or thr1s. other little boys
had been iii the stable during the afternoon.
and ii is believed they must have caused it.
as they had both matches and fire-crackers
with them.
The residence cf G. w. Cannon was con-
siderabiy damaged probably u the extent N
81 900. The furniture WAS all removed 10
tn. house ind lnr owned BY Hen. I'M. tav-
anaugh, on the oppsise corner. THIS for
tunafely was but slightly damaged, probably
to the amount Of $500.
Two or three persons werefinjurrsl. though
not seriously. MIR. Ncbeker, Of tllr Surveyor
Generals oiiioe, had his right lex and soot
badly bruised, nd it was tfougll The bore
Was fractured. Tie IL allie to be out again
this morning. however. by the aid Vt
crltches. Henry Wsttenhaeh. 81 the Inter-
national Hotel. was alsD injured by 4 fall.
Several other slight casualties occurred. bur
happily more Oi them Of ii dangerous charae
ter.
Hundreds @of onr citizens worked hard
yea ertlay and some 0f them arr worthy OF
special mention for their conspicuous bravery
Aud noble conduct. bur We forbfar making
ilvitlipns .listinciipis. Let those who were
there Judge for themselves.
The 81. e. Church WAS insured for 81 .000
In the Hart ord. represented hy =. M. Car
pentHr g. NV. CalilOn's residence ms in
sssrs-tl. w. believe iii tile II. Joseph Fire aud
Marine insurance Company, Miller n Adj
eonaa. Agents