Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-06-19
FATAL FiRE AT DANNEk.
Two Men Burned to Crisp a4 enc
Of the Elmira Csmpany's Boardlna
Houses.

Houses.
George Powell arrived here from Ban
ner sunday evening with the startling
news that the Elmira company's boarding
and lodging house, at the Banner mine,
morning, and that Mike Mccullough and
Con. Bumgardner lost their lives. 1t 10
not known how the fire originated
Twelve miners were sleeping up stairs.
The smoke boiling up from below first
awakened Con. Bumgardner, who gave
the alarm and awoke the Others. Bum
gardner and Mccullough went down
stairs to make their escape, and were soon
followed by Thos. Fault, who tried the
door, but could not open it, it being
tightly closed, probably by the settling Of
that portion Of the building. Mr.. Fault
lost no time at the door. A soon ~ he
found it could not be Immediately opened
he made lunge for the window, four or
five feet from the door, and made his e.
cape. He sang out to the men above not
TO come down-that they could not make
their escape. There were two windows
up stairs, aad the men made their escape
Though them and jumped to the ground,
. distance of twelve or fifteen feet. Mr..
Fault did not see Mccullough and Bum
gardner when he went down stairs, 90
dense was the smoke. 1t is thought that
they, not having the presence Of mind ex-
hibited by Mr.. Fault, kept working at
the door until they suffocated. Mr.. F..
also showed great presence Of mind In
telling the men above not to come down,
for if they had there would have been .
jam at the window, and the men being
excited would probably all have suffocated
as did the unfortunate men, as the smoke
was SO thick that they could not have re-
mained there but few seconds without
being suffocated. Mr.. Fault could not
have known that Mccullough and Bum
gardner had gone down ahead of him, OF
he would have broken in the door after
making his escape. The bodies, or what
remained of them, were found in the ruins
near the location Of The door. The arms
and legs were burned of, the bodies
burned to coal, and about half Of one
skull, supposed to be that of Mccullough
was burned up. Mccullough was small
man, and Bumgardner rather tall, and oi
course there being but little difference IN
the dimensions Of the remains in that con
dition, and the probability that one nigh
have been more consumed by the flames
than the other, makes it difficult to identi
| fy the remains to certainty. None of thu
men were hurt in making their escape ex
cept Thos. Fault In jumping through tn,
window one hand and leg were cut by tn
glass, but not very severely. The miner
| lost quite sum OF money IN the fire, bu
Mr. Powell did not learn the amount. Mis-
Pillsbury, who had charge of the boarding
house, luckily stopped with one of her la
dy friends that night. Here room wa
on the lower floor, and it is probable that
she had been home that night she woul,
not have made her escape. McCullougl
went up to Banner from this place las
Wednesday, and remained In the town ur
til Saturday, when he went up to the min
and went 10 work. If lie had delayed on
day longer he would have escaped the av
full fate that befell him. This town wa
thrown into a state of great cxcitemer
when the news reached here. This is th
first loss Of life by fire that ever Occurre
in Boise county.
Judge Hart went up yesterday to hol
Cornner's inquest
Ed Maloney, one of McCullough's par
ners, also went to Banner yesterday. b
thought Of bringing the remains to tn
place for burial.
Mccullough was an old.timer OF th
place, aud hardworking, honest mine
He arrived in the Basin in 1868, fro
: California, where he went in the sprir
e of 1885 from Boston. He was born
E Ireland in 1888, making him IS years
! age. He has been engaged in placer mi
ing for great many years near the Co
Springs, in partnership with Ed. Malon,
and John Woods. He has also worked f
s the Elmira company nearly every SUNNI
: the past five or six years, and John Brow
$ the President of the company, has f
2 quently said that he was one Of the me
faithful workers he ever had.
II Con Bumgardner arrived here about s
e years ago from Green Bay, Wiscons
q with DR.. Funkenhouser, who came out
u look over Long valley with view of colo
u izing it. He lived for some time in Gard
IL valley, and has been at work for the Elr
'e ra company about year He was you
$. man of steady habits, and industrious. I
e parents are living at Green Bay, Wis.
ot are informed that he was born in German
e. and arrived in America when twelve ye'
y of age. His age was between twenty-fC
and twenty five years.
Mr.. Powell lives in the town of Bann
He went up and viewed the remains VIII
o. they were in the ruins, but did not see tn
IN after they were removed. There may
IN other facts in connection with the fire, q
h the sad and deplorable fatal result that
as Powell did not learn, as everybody was
I'd cited at the time. He gave the account
"a far as he got il from those who were tht
IN The full particulars will be given at
b. inquest, and we will publish the facts
d. full if anything further than what we hi
be obtained is brought out.
he -->+-
! a DEMOCRAT: 1t is beyond do'
,ir that Delegate Dubois will be reno
az, ae mated for Congress. He certal