The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-29
BLAZE At THE DEPOT.
! Hotel Brunswick and Other
Property Near the Northern
Pacific Damaged.
eat Excitement Among the
Guests and Some Thrilling
Scenes Enacted.

Guests and Some Thrilling
Scenes Enacted.
rmisss That It May Have Been Of In
condiary Origin-A Nan Arrested
ON Suspicion.
fire which started about ten o'clock last
hit in q one-story log hut IN Roberts
est, near the Northern Pacific depot.
nmunicated to p. ]. Tuohy's Hotel
unswick on the corner adjoining on the
u, and did tome damage to tho Lsnoir
II on the east, causing a total loss esti-
ted at S6.5OO. Policeman Gibson saw
IRE. which was in the rear part of the
building ON Roberts street, used as a
hndry for tho Hotel Brunswick, and at
Ice turned in an alarm. The Sixth ward
ss company and the truck and hose from
) city hall responded to the alarm. When
first line of nose was paid ont and tho
tor turned on. the hose burst, and an
Ter had to be run of. before any water
aid be played ON the building, Meantime
b log building was in q blaze and tho
mes lit mp the surroundings. They also
npsL to the kitchen and the upper story
the Hotel Brunswick and in . short time
b roar part Of that structure was on fire.
erk Brown, who had gone to the rear Of
% hotel, saw that the FIRE had communi-
ted to the building, and, rushing back,
outed to those in the place, awakinR
ose who had gone to bed and those who
bro In the rooms down stairs. Then on
led q scene. of excitement in the hotel.
be sleeping people, aroused suddenly by
10 ory Of fire, got into what clothes were
Est at hand and ran out onto the street.
rs. Tuohv, whose room ia in the rear of
10 hotel, walked up to see the flames dart
2 through the window. She got out her
III and likewise aroused and led on the two
hiidren asleep in a room near by. Thu
ri who has charge of the dining room.
Id who was in her bedroom on the upper
Dor, became paralyzed by fear and several
en- had to drag her out of the place by
ain force.
When it was known that everybody was
ktely out Of the hotel. the railroad men.
10 hotel people, and others who had been
tracted BY the alarm, started to save
XAhv lNkAlbUAc VAUy SOuAAs A4~0A
I'D the bar and Office fixtures were mostly
often Out, .thouRh a greal deal of it that
" in the street in front of the hotel and
hjoining the hotel right of way, was badly
roken. Next to nothing could be saved
tom the dining room on account of the in
bnse heat from the burning kitchen.
lerk Brown, while helping in this work.
Yer, in saving the till and the
ash in it. Many of the boarders. primal
ally railroad mon, braved the dense smoke
nd got out their trunks safely.
The fremen worked with enerRy to save
he hotel building and got the flames out
nm hour. The damage done by the fire
PIPER floor and the kitchen. The most OF
he loss in the hotel, however, was by
Fater and through ~breakags. Mr.. Tuohy
stimatss that his damage will amount to
ully 5000, on which he has an insurance
+ but 81, $50, another policy for $1,000 hay
ng been allowed to lapse about two weeks
20 through an oversight. The building is
|wned by r. M. Hotter and Nick Kessler
nd is damaged about 81, 1000. fully insured.
The log house is owned by B. o. Lenoir,
Who also owns the ground on which the
lotel stands. With the clothes that were
being l%aundried, the damage at the log
house will not be over 5000. The caves of
Ienoir hall, next TO the laundry. building.
Fuukub lLOu VAo AOk AOuCo AN "a NoAhaGS
here will probably be $500 moro, making a
Eotal loss of S.. 500.
How the fire started is somewhat of a
mystery, though everyone is certain 1T
began in the log hut used for the hotel
laundry. There was no work done in the
aundry after about four o'clock in the at
.ternoon, and if the fire had caught from
would lave been noticed before it broke
but in a blaze six hours after tho place was
deserted. Peter Petersen, a young man
Employed in Mrs. loves cigar factory on
avenue, near Robert street, had
a man passing. the rear OF that
place going down the alley leading toward
the log hut shortly after the fire started.
his face was familiar. He said the man
some paper, and he thought that at
about the same time he detected
odor of coal oil. Some time after this
the man again went down the alley. When
this was made known to Mayor Klein
he directed Policeman Gibson to
nave Peterson point out the man and place
out a man who was attending bal
in Smiths saloon corner Helena avenue
and Roberts street, in the SAM
block Us the hotel. The man was John
Matson, about sixty years old. He
went along without any resistance. At the
city hall Mayor Kleinsohmidt questioned
both Petersen and Matson closely. Thu
former stuck to his previous story. Matsor
at one time denied having been out of the
bar during the fire. and at another admit
ted that he had Rone back to close the door
of an clubhouse several times. Az he spoke
very imperfect English, it 10 doubtful
whether he fully understood the
meaning of the questions put
TO him. His story, however, did not agree
with Peterssn's, and tho mayor, somewhat
reluctantly. was compelled to order his de
tention until the police could look further
into the matter. Matson is from Lawrence
Kas., and has been in Helena about three
months, most of that time in the county
hospital. He is suffering from neuralgia Of
the heart. He got out of the county hos
pital about three days ago. and has since
been working about the saloon where III
was arrested doing odd jobs for his bee
and board. Matson disolaims any knowl
edge If the fire, and says he never did any
thing wrong e1oent to defy the prohibition
law in Kansas. He has q wife and three
stop-ohildren back in Kansas, and from
some expressions let drop it is thought b.
left home on aCcount of domestic troubles
He will no doubt be released to-day.
While going to the fire one of the blacl
horses in the city hall truck gave on or
Helena avenue and had to lay down. This
delayed the arrival of the truck at the fir,
. short time.
u Tho World EArIchsa.
NIL - e. H.