The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-10
Fatalities Attending Series Of Big
Fires in the City OF
Louisville. .s...s
Falling Walls at One Point Kill
Four Men and Injure
Four More.
Many Working Girls Perish in n Hinz In n
Candy Factory a Few Hours
Later On.

LOUISVILLE, Dec. J.--Louisyille waa vis-
tied by series Of fires and disasters to- day.
While the frnmen were working on the
ruins Of tbe Boone Paper company's place
at 4:3O this morning, there came the sound
of terrific explosion in Bamberger, Strong
Il Co.'S four-story building. In an instan Mt
flames broke out from every floor and shot
up through the roof. The fire must have
been smouldering for several hours in the
cellar, and when each OF the four stories
had been filled with heated air and smoke
the explosion followed. -Four business
business houses were destroyed before the
flames could be checked. Many people
were sleeping in the upper floors of the
buildings, but all escaped. The fire.
men, however, were not 80 fortunate.
A number Of them were caught
under the falling walls Of the
Boone Paper company's building. Will
liam Moore, William Davis, Sam Baker
and Tony Schlich were killed, and four
others badly hurt. Az Chief Hughes of tho
department. and his assistant, Henry
Wetherford were driving to the scene of
the fire, the salvage corps wagon ran into
their buggy, smashing it. Both were
trampled by the horses. Chief Hughes was
badly hurt Wetherford was not so seri
ously injured.
The following firms were burned ont:
Bamberger, Strong & Co., boots and shoes;
loss SI25O00; insurance 100000. Bliss,
Wilson q Co.. furnishing goods and no
tions; loss $4,000; insurance $4,000. We'll
Ter, Walfok d Payne, boots and shoes;
II, Tah ~,
Boeke u Sons, hats; loss $4,000: insurance
$35,000. 1t was with great difficulty that
the tremen prevented the flames from
spreading further. They stopped Mt
Wickes' cotton house.
AT eight o'clock another fatal fire broke
out at +. M. MEME q Co.'s wholesale candy
and fancy grocery house, Il square above
the Boon Paper company's building. Forty
girls we're at work OH the fourth floor. The
fire cut off their escape by the stairway
leading from the floor where they were
working. Many jumped from the windows
to the second story projection and escaped
with broken limbs and bruised BODIES
Others got out unhurt. All were not able
to escape. A number of firemen were hurt
but III the face of this and the early morn
ing disasters aud without the assistance of
their chief, the men stood bravely to their
work and within an hour and half the
flames were under control. Within this
time half u score or more of lives had been
sacrificed. The bodies of six girls were
taken out RS soon as 1t was possible to
make a search and the fl emen said at
least five more were i'll the ruins Two of
the bodies have been identified rs those of
Mary Walsh and Amelia Dickey. The
others we're burned beyond recognition.
g. r. Mem. brother of the senior mem
ber of the firm, is also thought to have been
burned to death.
The fire is supposed to have arisen from
one of the candy furnaces. which possibly
exploded. The flames communicated with
the big stock of Christmas fireworks. The
first explosion among the fireworks scat
tered burning brands all over the store.
The skylight fell in, and the entire stock
was blazing Gercely almost Immediately.
Great confusion existed. Main street,
where the principal Wholesale traffic of the
city goes on. was blockaded and business
almost at standstill.
The loss on Menne Il Co.'S building and
stock is placed at $4,000. The total loss
at the two fires will be nearly three-quas-
ters of million.