Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1889-02-13
RED BLAZES.
Another Landmark Furnishes
Food For the Devouring
Element.
The News of the Day Carefully
collated for Intelligent
Readers.
ANOTHER BLAZE.
A Timely Application Of Water Prevents

ANOTHER BLAZE.
A Timely Application Of Water Prevents q
Disastrous Confiagration.
At about twenty minutes past eight
o'clock lsst night the rapid discharge
of firearms gave the unwelcome signal
of fire and the crowd that quickly
filed the streets was directed by the
bright light TO the vicinity of the Mac.
queen house. At first the word was
passed from mouth to mouth that the
scene Of disaster was that popular hos
telry, but II was quickly ascertained to
be false rumor and the blaze was
located In the dwelling house nearly
opposite the Macaueen and occupied
by Miss Connie Hoffman. Owing to
the fact that Miss Hoffman was not at
home at the time ard the house en-.
tirely deserted. 1t was impossible 10 as
certain the origin of the tre. When
first noticed the flames were breaking
through one of the front windows of
the house and the whole interior was
ablaze and in an incredibly short
space of time the whole house inside
and outside was wrapped in flames.
and no attempt at saving any Of the
contents was possible. Several hun
dred spectators were quickly on the
ground. but In the absence Of even the
crudest means Of fighting the fire they
had to remain spectators until Messrs.
Callahan and Bill, Of the Macqueen,
and the depot force, combined their
supplies of bose. making about $50
feet, which was quickly attached to
the steam pump at the Macqueen and
at $40 water supply was available.
At first owing to the steam being low.
the force was not great, and the water
was only available for wetting down
the pile Of hay and manure adjacent
to the adjoining barn which had by
that time commenced to give indica-
tions OF ignition. Meanwhile the
building Immediately adjoining the
Hoffman residence and known as the
Last Chance" saloon, was blazing
merrily on the outside and as this was
the first of compact row of frames 1t
began to look ss If the fire was to be
Widespread. BY this time, however,
steam had run up In the Mscqueen
house boilers and the pump was
throwing q good stream OF water.
This Was quickly directed on the
Last Chance" building and in lees ,
than ten minutes the fire was under
control, the building where 1t origin
ated having by this time fallen In and
become harmless as q means OF com.
municatipg fire 10 any Of the sur-
rounding outhouses or buildings.
Conspicuous In their efforts 10 fight
the fire were Larry Kendall, w. X.
Smith, J. q. Callahan, Harry Bill. f.
M. Judd. Prot. Bach and many others
whose names we did not learn, including
q colored COW boy whose sturdy efforts
were productive Of much good. The
Last Chance" building was unoccu-
pied but used as storage room for q
saloon outfit owned by AL Kennedy.
This property was removed withcu,
damage other than that received in
handling. but the building itself is be-
yond the power Of repair, though still
standing. The house occupied py
Miss Hoffman wac owned by Lieut..
Wainwright, Of the First cavalry, and
was insuree for $500. Miss Hoffman
Lost everything she possessed In the
way Of furniture, jewelry and wearing
apparel, the value Of which In the az
gregate Is estimated by conservative
judges to be between $4,000 and 5000,
on which she had an insurance OF
s2.450. Levi Simpson. who owned
the building next adjoining the Last
Chance, !" which was damaged 10 some
degree. was insured for $500. Had IL
not been for the prompt action OF the
Mcqueen house people and the force
at the depot in getting out their hose.
there 10 no telling TO what extent the
fire might have spread. As II wss,
there was just enough hose 10 reach
the Last Chance" building, where
the fire wss SUCCESSFULLY fought, bot
had II got beyond that point the hose
would have been powsrlsss for good
and the fire would have bad unmo-
Tested sway 10 the end Of the fFams
row and backward 70 Sixth street, en-
daugsring II not destroying the Drovsr
House.
Whils 10 may be utterly futile 70
comment upon the helpless condition
Of this community In time Of fire, ws
cannot rsftaIn nom doing -. being
moved thereto BY the almost unAni-
nous sxpssssiou Of csnsurs hat fell