Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-07-30

Our Fire Department Gives Another Salts
sactory Exhibition.

Our Fire Department GIves Another Salts
sactory Exhibition.
At about quarter past eight O'Clock
last night a small log dwelling lOcat'd
on Pleasant street between 5th aud 9Th
streets. was discovered to be on fire.
The usual gunshot alarm was given
and then a few Of the boys dashed
down the streets and got out the hose
cart, reaching the fire with the ap
paratus In about thr'e minutes from
the time Ct starting. Meanwhile a
messenger had been sent to the pump.
ing station 70 notify the man in charge
10 put on fire pressure and coineident
with the laying Of toe line Of hose u
the scene OF the fire, the putting Of the
big pumps exhaust could be heard.
giving notice that pressure was on.
The hy drant was opened, the nozzle
directed to the fire, and although the
latter was n little obstinate, it was
thoroughly under control In five
minutes and out in ten The building
was one OF the ancient landmarks Of
the Gown having been erected ia 1851
by a former resident named Mike
Wheeler, a carpenter who was noted
for his chin whiskers and a peculisr
habit ne had Of putting bis hands in
side Of the waistband Of his trousers
instead Of in the pockeis. Wbethero or
not he still owned The house could not
be learned las. night. 1t was occupied
by Mr.. Estes, who saved he bulk of
his furniture. A dwelling house adj
joining was in serious danger until the
hose was brought into play, but safe
after that.
Each fire that We have demonstrate
the excellence If the fire protection we
now have. and the lacR Of what we
ne "a, bat have not got. Bat for the
water and hose, il would have been
me same old story. The fire would
have burned To the uttermO-t limit of
combustible adjoinings, and then died
out for the lack Of material, after de-
stroyiDg several thousand dollars
worth OF pr perry. But for the lack
Of a proper system Of alarm the fire
would have had but three minutes
start at the outside instead Of len, and
the small damage 10 did do would have
been materially le=sened. This fire was
IN plain sight from Main street, aud
the instant the smoke curled from the
roof an alarm could have been sent in
10 the pumping station, pressure APP
plied at one and a general alarm given
by the whistle. some ccmment was
mfde last night on the failure Of the
station t. give the whistle alarm. We
found by inquiry that this was omitted
for the reason thst the first notice of
the fire was given at the station by
messenger as above stated ard the big
pump : srted II once. As this pump
takes steam from the boiler through a
three inch pipe and the engine that
drives the dynanos Is supplied by a
like aperture In the boiler. the open
ing Of the inch and a half throttle TO
blow the whistle would in all proba-
bility have reduced the supply Of
steam 81 suddenly as To cause the
boiler to foam. and seriously inter-
ferred with the working Of the pump
and dynamo engine. To avoid this
possibility and A. the alarm was not
needed. the whistle was not blown.
Ordinarily the whistle alarm Is given
before the pump is staned, tut in this
case, owing to the fact that the alarm
was 81 long in reaching the station,
the pump was started first.