The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-28
Missoula Experiences q Very Disas-
trous Visit From the De-
stroying Element.
Effective Work by the Fire Depart
mont Saves Several Valua-
BILE Buildings.
The Losses Foot Up Several Thousanll Doll
lars, With Light Insurance-Ofl In
cendiary Origin.

MssouIA. Sept. Especial. THE city
was aroused about 2 O'Clock this morning
BY the sound of the fire alarm whistle from
the electric light works and soon a crowd
gathered ON Front street near the corner of
Pattee, where one mass of flames was en-
veloping the wooden buildings reaching
from the Rankin brick, where j. T. Phillips
has his Wholesale and retail liquor store, to
Calfee's photograph gallery. on the corner
of Pattee street. The department saw at
once that there was no salvation for the
frame buildings and devoted their attep-
tion to saving the Rankin, the opera house
and the new First National bank build
ing on the corner. The flames
made their way into and under
tho roof of the Rankin building, but the
firemen worked like heroes and soon, with
their extension ladders, had hose on top of
the opera house, chopped hole in the roof
of the Rankin building and got stream
working on the fire, while another stream
was playing on the side of the building next
to the fire. The boys worked manfully and
earnestly and succeeded in saving the RAM
kin building and checking the flames there.
If they had not, the opera house and the
bank building would have gone, involving
an additional loss of at least $175,OOO.
The Missoula Mercantile company's
new block, across the street from
the fire, was in danger once or twice. but
was easily prevented from burning. Nearly
every one Of the plate glass windows was
broken, and the zinc oornice almost totally
ruined. There was no insurance ON the
buildings east of the Hoag hotel, owned by
E. L. Bonner and t. G. Power, as they in
tended to pull them down next spring and
build brick block, in connection with Mr..
Rankin. who had agreed to tear down his
wooden buildings and build with them. j,
L. Phillips suffered considerable loss on
cigars and other goods damaged by water,
as he only carried $500 insurance.
The next place to Phillips was the
Houtchins saloon, from which most
of the goods were saved. The
Cinnamon who kept the restaurant in the
Hoag house lost everything they had, and
will probably be out about $500. The Hoap
house was valued at $500, but as Mr.. Ran
kin is either out of town or cannot be seen.
it is impossible to state whether there was
any insurance on it or not. The tailor next
door lost all his stock. together with the
clothes belonging to customers. Mrs,
Sempf. the milliner, is probably the heaviest
loser. She had large stock of goods and
had just gotten in some 81, 100 worth of fall
goods. She carried .only $500 in
surance. and her goods and house
hold furniture, nearly all of which
was consumed, would foot up $4,000.
Mr.. Bradshaw's loss will not exceed $500,
The Shander lodging house lost some $500,
while Calfee's loss in his photograph gal
lery will not exceed 5000. The origin OF
the fire is unknown. but from the circum-
stances of the case, and an explosion which
was plainly seen and heard by at least three
persons, there is but little doubt that it wae
set on fire just behind or in the wood shed
of Bradshaw's house.