The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-08-01
GIGANTIC TONGUES OF FLAME.
The Milwaukee Brewery takes fire-Ex.
c-llent work done by the
department
How the fire started and where IL went
The losses and in
surancp.

1t was warm enough Sunday afternoon
without any fire. but the city had one
nevertheless. and it was the biggest ever
seen within her limits. The large min
ute hand on the big clock in the Mil
waukee beer hail had long since left the
figure three and was Just reaching out to
wipe a drop of sweat off the figure eight
when the fire alarm sounded.
The restaurant attached to the beer
hall and run by chief Judd is located in
the north west corner of the building
and the same corner of the basement is
used as a kitchen. 1t was here that the
fire originated. a boy named Thomas
Watson had just finished filling three
lamps. The last one was lit and he
turned to place it in "A bracket near by,
when it exploded. The burning oil
spread rapidly and in an instant the
other lamps were reached. Boy and
cook made for the outer air. Then
through the basement windows leaped
great tongues of flame. The scraps and
grcace about the kitchen furnished a
rich feast for the flames, which IN an
instant had caught the ioists and %rafters
above.
The fire was a peculiarly difficult n
to reach. 1t started in the far north
western corncr and then worked its way
toward the east end and the center Of
the building. The ioists are very heavy
and the floor was double SO that no water
could soak through. Distributed
through the cellar were various milan
mable materials. such as casks. the straw
covering of bottles. etc. These made a
dense smoke and it was impossible to
work in the burning sections.
The fire department responded in ex-
ccllent time and worked like heroes,
Every man was there, except one un,
fortunate who was in New York and
didn't hear the bell. The department
has about $500 feet of hose and
almost the entire amount was en-
ployed. The first streams were thrown
in through the front windows but this
checked the fire only temporarily. Four
streams were thrown from the rear par.
tition of the basement and the fire was
thus confined to the front of the build
ing. Meanwhile as Il precautionary
measure. several streams were playing ol
the floor. For about two hours it was /
battle royal and then the heroic efforts
of the department told. the fire grew
feebler and more feeble and finally wen
out.
Two much praise can not be awardc'
+, Chief Judd and his excellent assistants
\ number of citizens also turned in am
laborcd as if they were tircmen bred ant
: born. The only difficulty %encounterc'
. was a little mcddlcsomc interference. !
should be remembered that the depart
+ mcnt has a chief and is working VI
= der him. In awarding praise ncithc
should the water works be forgotten
t The pressure proved abundantiy that $
t long as the Missouri runs 80 long ca
: the city have water.
1t is scarcely possible at present I
y give an accurate estimate of the varlou
# losses. The building belongs to Gibso
y a. Rcnner. The floor has sunk badl
q in several places. is charrcd considerable
:. underneath. and the entire basemcr
will require rctitting. Two or thr1
c thousand dollars may cover the loss q
this. 1t is fully covered by an insuranc
of $1,000. OF this 5000 is in the Har
S ford. $1,000 in the Niagara of New lorl
% $1,000 in the Home of New York, S2,1l
l. in the Commercial Union. and $1,000 i
the Liverpool and London Globe. III
h stock of schmidt ~ Henderson has a
n insurance of $4,000. OF this S2,IOO
t. held by the Royal. $500 by the MAJ
chester, $1,000 by the Scottish Union an
d National. 5000 by the 4Etna. and Sl,N
n by the Union of San Francisco. Thcl
3 is also an insurance in the Anglo-Nevi
le da of $1,000 on the furnitur
The cigar stock. including fro
ID $1,000 to 100000 cigars is almost Il tot
IS loss. The liquors were mostly in vaul
p and the loss on these cannot be estimate
t. as a great many may have been ruin'
by the heat. 1t may reach $1,000 Or =
y coo. The furniture was not so badly dal
lie aged as the magnitude of the fire mig
q, indicate. The restaurant belonged
Chief Judd and he places his loss
500. no insurance. Enright ~ Benso
who run the banks, also lost heaviI
Two sets Of ivory chips and several tabl
" we're destroyed. Their loss may rcaC
$1,000. Bristol AZ Place lose about 81
in stock damaged by the water. Th'
have $1,000 in the Fircmans Fund IA
!, $500 in the Phoenix.
IT. 1t will probably require Il week or t,
1t DAYS to start the beer hall again and Il
y many who listen to its excellent mus
must wait that long before again sippil
=" the amber within its walls.