Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-06-03
THE FIRE AT WEIsER.
Statesman.

oregon, who vas in Boise Yesterday.
was among the number of soiourners
IN Weiser at the time of the fire
Thursday evening. He relates that
he had just retired to his room in the
hotel, had taken off his overcoat and
hung 1t up and had taken off one boot.
preparatory to disrobng himself,
when some one came to the door of
his room and advised hlm to get out
OF the house as it was on fire. Mr..
klnehart promptly acting on this ad
vice, drew on his boot and having
no baggage, left his room and went
into the hall, when he remembered
that there was lady guest occupy
ing one of the rooms on the same
floor, who might not be aware of the
danger she was in. He then went to
the door of the lady's room when he
met her coming out with her grips in
her hands. Relieving her of these
he told her to follow him and then
turned to descend by the main stair
way, the lady following and holding
him by his coat skirts. The smoke
was already dense in the passage,
and when the head of the stairway
was reached the heat was so intense
that further progress in that direction
was impossible. Very fortunately
Mr.. Rinehart knew of another stair
way leading to the rear of the build
ing and turned his steps towards it,
the lady still following. In this way
they made their escape from sthe
burning building, and escorting his
companion to place Of safety, Mr..
Rinehart advanced to the front of the
hotel, thinking he might recover his
overcoat, which he had forgotten in
the hurry of leaving, but though the
time had been short, he found the
building enveloped in flames and all
its contents given up to destruction.
In the meantime, the proprietor of
the hotel was rushing wildly around
in search of missing guests, when,
greatly to his relief, he came upon the
missing lady, who was standing guard
over her belongings in the spot where
she had been left by her rescuer.
From the hotel, the fire spread with
great rapidity to the adjoining build
ings and was soon entirely beyond
control. The fire was caused by the
falling of large lamp containing
more than a gallon OF oil, and which
hung in the reception room of the
hotel. Several persons were present
at the moment of the accident. They
rushed for blankets for the purpose
of smothering the flames, but on
returning to the room, found it all
ablaze. and further effort to extingulh
the flames had to be abandoned.
The portion of the town burned
was two blocks on opposite sides OF
Commercial street which constituted
the principal business quarter. Among
the buildings lost was that owned and
occupied by the Idaho Commercial
Company's Bank. With regard tc
the loss of this building, Mr.. ALFRED
Eoff of the Boise City National Bank
who is now at Weiser, telegrapheo
Yesterday to Mr.. W. S. Bruce as fol
lows: "Our loss is about $4,000
fully insured. Nothing lost In tn
bank-will be opened for business il
ten days at the depot. The peopl
here are not discouraged and wi
commence building at once
Mr.. Rinehart says that the loc'
military company was promptly o
the ground and that the member
We'd with each other in rendering al
sistance IN checking the fire and say
property.
Among the sufferers by the fir
many lost everything, and their cas-
appeals stongly to the generosity
the public for the relief which is In
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