The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-19
The Main Oflces Of the West
srn Union Wiped Out
by Fire.
Electric Light Wires Supposed to
Be tho Cause OF the
Catastrophe.
Financial and Ratlread Magnates Who
Had Omoss IN the Bailding-Bravs
Fire Lad0ios.

o'clock this morning. The distributing
room ON the nth floor, the operating room
on the floor above, the Associated Press
1ooaAs 49, a.s ~ s.e ..s r. 49,.
were colnpaesoly oeasfoyeo. oevou Aves
were mtraculously saved. toW minutes
before seven O'Clock the operators began to
arrive "a Oo "a work. Ahout fiftv man and
,,,,,,,r, -,,,,,,., r..chs tha o,,.r.t;rr, rr,cro
Az soon = as smoke was noticed Night
Manager Iooin cried FIRE, ana IN
moment all the men N the room Jumped
Tor hand grenades which hung about the
walls. Inese tney beRan 70 throw down
the hole where the names we're. Inc con-
and liquid sputtered little a. It met the
fre. That was all the visible ehect. Hand
grenAdes could not night = hre like TINS.
Tobin called messenger boy TO go down
and SEND IN the alarm. AZ soon a. the boy
started down stairs the operators unrolled
pig nose wneel wnicn is Kept AZ the south
emergencies Of this kind. They unrolled
the hose and then turned the water ON. It
vas pretty gooa stream ana 1t looked at
nret ns II ~ would peat the waves OF name
out OF existence: But It did not-not bit.
make the fire shoot up higher :and It vas
noticed that smoke came rolling out Of the
big hole in greater volumes
than before. These operators worked
the hose until tho smoke became 20 thick
tney couia not see where the nre was:
Three ladies' Of the day force who had
like beavers. They soon found, however,
that their efforts were useless. The elevator
man had brought the elevator up to the
fifth door and the women went in the oars
WITH some OF the men: They began TO
realize by this time that the fire was going
TO be more serious aftair than at nrst
thought. When the last few men crowded
into the last car thev were lust little bit
frightened. As they passed the hoors be-
low the not wave rolled over them, which
made their tnroats dry and parched, and as
the car proceeded down fre brands fell
rRon pT them and burned their clothing
glad enough to get ont; Not until then did
these men realize that escape had almost
been cut on, and It 10 not On record where
men worked 90 hard under such fearful
c,rcumstances and against such odds a. did
the ceiling OF the Distributing room and
were eating their way Into the operating
room, where tho Instruments that connect
with the wires which distribute the news
throughout the country are located. In less
time than II taxes e. 70 tell 1t thus entire hoor
moor above. on whicn the Weetesn Union
company's restaurant was located. There
were lOur men ana three women, COOKS and
waitefs IN me festaufant, VINO nad been
Iofgot!en IN tne e1cltement: AL means by
tnis time mac Deen cut on whereby tnese
aware OF tneir peru until smoke rushed mp
the ssairWay leaolng from the operating
room IN volumes. One OF the men, nndinE
no pcssioIe means 9l escape downward,
rushea Tor the scuttleno!e IN the foof. The
trap ooor was pusnea on ana sne prisoners
climbed 70 tne M rool. me names mes were shoot.
lnR Ouo CI tne Wnuows' ana Voiumes OF
SMOKE pushed heavenwerd.
Wnen the great CROWDS IN tne street saw
tne men anu women lusn oug On tne Toof
cry OF noIfof went up: Tor u oid not seem
possible tnat tney coo!o De rescued. Inc
women screamed ana wrung tnelr nanas
ana t1e men yeleo, for dods sake 90
soMetnlng 20 save u.s. long ladder was
PLACED against the rear OF the burning
building. 1t Old not reach within nifty
rect o. the roof; with unoaunted power
Two nremen scaled tne LADDER ana threw q
rope up. It was Gaught and tied BY one OF
tne DIave RlIls. me nfemen pnled tnem,
selves up hand over hand until they reached
the top, ana amid the cheers from the
tnousands below tney let the seven down TO
places OF sarety. IL was accompanied Just
IN time: III Tor the names soon enveloped the
AVoA' = uo sVwoA ". vsA0 OusauAV& wan OnukAt
up Dy tne names. Inc entire upper part OF
the building was Rutted and every lnssru-
ment and wire rendered useless.
How the nre originated no one seems to
know positively, but 1t is surmised that two
electric wires became crossed, first setting
the flooring ON fire. Had the fire broken
out an hour later, the loss OF life might
have been enormous. Fully 700 girls and
men are employed on the two floors alone.
The offices of the Associated Press suffered
rather more than any of the others in the
building. The ruined operating room rem
dered every Western Union wire on Man
haitian island useless, SO the Associated
Press opened headquarters in Jersey City.
every facility being afforded them BY the
officials OF the Pennsylvania Railroad COM
pany, and before the fire was under control
the various circuits OF the Associated Press
were IN active operation:
The building OF the Western Union had
been for many years one Of the great and
imposing landmarks on lower Broadw1y.
Inc DulloinG ls nIled with omces on the
nve lower noors, which are occupied by
some OF !ne greatest raiiroad magnates IN
Cn9 wotio' Inc vast systems OF the racine
~. :os * n .haa . - .Io ~ " :a ooa MN " u94u Nv
Gould, Sidney Dillon, DR.. Norvin Green
and others who are famous through the
length and breadth OF the land.