Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-14
THE FIRST IN Weeks.
A Blaze on West Park Street
Last Night Stirs Up the
City Greatly.
Butte's Pride, Its Paid Fire De-
partment is Exceedingly
Slow to Pespond.
From Wednesday Duly.

From Wednesday Duly
Last night about IL O'Clock q woman
employed in q saloon on Park street be-
tween Broadway and Main saw flames issu.
ing from the large building in the rear OF
Sol Levy's 8 saloon. The building is a
frame and used as q lodging house. man
aged by Mrs. Mueller. When first seen the
fire was confined to q stairway inside,
but it gained Roadway rapidly. and
in a few minutes had climbed to the second
and third floors. In the absence OF a fire
alarm system a swift footed messenger,
Officer John Curran, hurried to the city
hall and gave the alarm. Curran had OK
hausted himself running and scarcely had
strength enough left to ring the bell. How.
ever, good natured, big Jim Dwyre, the
city Tailor, who is always on deck, took in
the situation and grabbing the rope
rave an al rm that would have awakened
the mummies OF Egypt. 1t was fully ten
minutes before any of the department
showed up. The apparatus was = ally
collected and gotten in operation after a
DELAY that gave the fire ample
opportunity to have gained alarm.
ing Roadway. Fortune favored
on this isolated occasion, and hap
ply the absence Of ventilation kept the
flames confined to marrow limits. Before
the flames could burst out the hose had
been laid and the fremen had water play:
ing on the building, but the absence OF
hooks and LADDERS rendered their efforts
largely nugatory. Had ladders been ct
hand two minutes would have enabled
the hosem IN to have gained access
to the second and third stories
and make short work OF the blaze. As it
was they were compelled to confine them
selves to The first floor and toplaying upon
the roof. In some mysterious way the
FIRE was finally extinguished and the build
ing saved though in q badly damaged con-
dition. The interior and furnishings were
deluged with water. and the furniture is
damaged to a greater extent than the
building. The house was crowd
ed with dodgers, many OF whom,
in the excitement bolted Epon the street
clothed in their light shirts and their
surging thoughts. One scared youth
hustled into Levy's saloon with his cloth
ing on one and his valise on the other, and
a wild scared look in his eyes. Imagining
he had lost his coat during the hurried pill
grimage, he returned to the rear just in
time to receive the benefits Of a full stream
of cold chilly water. A gang OF excited Chi.
namen jabbering like a lot of guinea bens.
and each bearing in his arms large bundles,
followed in the line OF procession and ad.
ded to the tumult.
The dangerous delay incident to the alb
sence Of a properly housed fire department
fully EQUIPPED with the best apparatus
demonstrates anew the necessity OF some
thing better in the way of protection
against fire than the city now has. Had
the paid firemen been provided
with sleeping quarters and ap-
paratus at convenient command, the
long delay last night would not have &C.
CURED.
The loss could not be estimated with any
degree OF accuracy last night, nor could
the insurance be ascertained. The build
ing is the property OF Judge Wilcox and
was probably insured.