The Livingston enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1914, 1885-12-05
The FIRE FIEND
1t Again Visits Livingston Sweeping Away
an Entire Block and Causing Loss
of $780, 900 to 100000.
INCIDENTS AND LOSSES.


INCIDENTS AND LOSSES.
Again the fire fiend has visited us and
this time with vengeance, carrying
away All entire block in the very busi-
ness center of the town, causing an ag-
gregate loss Of between sixty and sew
enty thousand dollars.
About 2:3O Monday morning, Novem-
Der 80, the alarm of fire was sounded by
six shots from a revolver, followed by a
fire signal from the switch engine in the
Northern Pacific yards, which was res
ponded to by almost all the inhabitants
of the town.
The fire was first discovered in shed
in the rear Of the Shrake building, next
adjoining the Bingham building on the
corner of Lewis and Main streets, and
rapidly spread, consuming the building
in which it originated and the Bingham
building adjoining, and made clean
sweep north on the east side of Main
street to the Smith & Hagy building
occupied by Geo. H. Carver & Co. as
clothing store and situated on the corner
of Calender and Main streets. The pre-
vailing wind at the beginning of the
fire was in the southwest and was
blowing quite stiff breeze, and for a
time it seemed evident that the whole
east side Of Main street would be
consumed, but the timely work of
placing wet blankets on the Dono-
van building across the street, and
a favorable change of the wind at the
most critical moment, had the effect to
stay the flames and check the confagra-
tion at the corner of Main and Calendar
streets.
Flying embers from Main street set
fire in B street on the east, destroying
row of four buildings and giving the
Montana Lumber company's building,
the skating rink and several other build
ingS close call.
The fire gained rapid headway from
the start and it seemed evident that
with no means Of fighting the flames
the entire town was doomed to destruc-
tion, and the removing of goods from
buildings was the only alternative at
the time There was great excitement
and many of the goods removed were
handled with such recklessness that they
might better have perished in the fire
and it will be a hard matter to properly
adjust the losses.
How the fire originated is unknown,
but the general belief is that it was the
work of an incendiary for the probable
purpose Of pillage. No other cause can
be assigned as the building in which the
fire started was unoccupied and unin-
sured, and not single property owner
could possibly have profited from over
insurance. For some time past the town
has been overrun with tramps and
FOUNDERS, and the sooner the committee
of safety, of which there is an organiza-
tion here, invites them to leave the bet
ter. This is a matter that should have
been attended to before but prompt ac-
tion even at this late day will have a
salutary effect.
Following is list of losses carefully
estimated, with amounts Of Insurance.:
J. A. Savage, dwelling, loss 81, 200; in
sured for $3.50.
II. w. Bingham, store building, stock
of furniture, residence and household
goods, loss $4,000; insured for $3,25O.
A. A. Richards, stock of groceries,
dwelling and furniture, loss $500; in
sured for $1,000.
Livingston Lodge A. F. & A. NJ,
lodge room fixtures, loss $500; no insur-
ance.
S.R. Shrake, store building, loss 81, 500;
no insurance.
NC Matthiessen, store building, stock
of groceries and fire proof warehouse,
loss 81 ,25O; insured for $3.50.
J.H. Green, store building, loss 81, 500;
no insurance.
C. H. Mohr, saloon fixtures, loss $500;
insurance $3.50.
NJ. Roth & Co., loss on stock, liquors
and cigars, 500; insured for $1,000.
Kicher & Haussen, saloon fixtures,
$500; no insurance.
M French, double store building,
loss $4,000; insured for $1,000.
F. w. Draper, saloon, building and
fixtures, loss (claimed) $4,000; insured
for 81 800.
VIM. Wright, meat market building,
loss $1,000; no insurance.
H. NJ. Sloan, fixtures in meat market,
$500; no insurance. J. E. Calder, meat
stock, loss $500; insured 800.
Leo Kahn, Photographic fixtures and
household goods, loss $500; insured for
$500.
Miles & Sabin, store building and
warehouses, loss $500; insured for
81, 400.
Babcock & Miles, loss on hardware
stock $1,000; insured $500.
Wright & Bartlett, postoffice building,
loss 81 800; insured $1,000.
J. O. Sax & Co., loss on news and fruit,
$500; insured for $500.
Phil Mercer, loss on chop house fix
lures and building 500; no insurance.
DR.. Ferte, loss. on drug stock $500; no
insurance.