Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-03-11
Dick Drummond's Cozy Residence on
avenue "B" Also a Mass of
Ruins.
A Lamp Explosion Also Causes the
Complete Ruin of Dick Drum
mond's Residence.
He and His Family, in Their Night
Dresses, Narrowly Escape With
Their Lives.
A Wild Night.
From Wednesdays Daily.]

A Wild Night.
From Wednesdays Daily.]
The alarm of fire was sounded Sunday
night-or rather Monday morning-for
the first time in nearly year. At about
2 a. ~, Col. C. B. Little was startled by
a noise very much like a postol shot.
The second explosion was located in the
garnet above his sleeping room, and it
dawned upon him that possibly the
house was on fire, the noise being caused
by the explosion of cartridges which he
had slowed away in the garrett with his
hunting paraphernalia. His suspicious
we're confirmed by further investigation.
Closing the door leading to the garrett,
Mrs. Little and the children partially
dressed were hurried we to Mr..
Boucher's residence. Mr.. Philbrick who
was living with Mr.. Little was also
aroused, and the domestic, whose room
was Immediately beneath the fire, also
dressed speedily and the work of carry
ing out the clothing and other articles
from the upper rooms began. But few
persons heard the cries of fire,
and it was fully Is minutes be-
fore the fire bell sounded. The
fire worked it's way downward very
slowly, there being no wind whatever,
giving ample time to remove nearly all
the furniture, carpets, c%rockery, etc.,
from the house. The chemical engine
got stalled several times and the hose
carts arrived . in advance of it. Two
streams we're Immediately turned upon
the burning building but it was evident
by that time, that the building would be
totally destroyed. The few fremen, who
had heard the alarm and turned out,
worked bravely and Foreman Reed ex-
hibitel heroic pluck in coming out at
all SO soon after his serious illness.
The fire burned for two hours before
it finally wilted and went out under the,
perfect torrent of water thrown upon it
To-day nothing remains of Que of the
~handsomest residences in the city except
an unsightly mass of charred timbers.
The house was insured for $4,000 and
the furniture and fixtures for $4,000.
The house will be a total loss, the furni-
ture only partial. Pye & Co.'S, agency
placed all the insurance in the following
companies:
Insurance Company of North America. 900. g., 500
american Fire insurance company......... 700
Liverpool ITFe@po H i Iondon i Globe i i,Soo
Mr.. Little will temporarily occupy
the Allen residence adjoining on the
west. Mrs. Little and the children we're
kindly provided for at the residence of
Mr.. and Mrs. Boucher until morning
when they accepted the hospitality of
Mr.. and Mrs. Asa Fisher. Mr.. Little
cannot say what his plans are for the
future but most likely a new residence
will speedily follow the settlement of the
insurance..
The cause of Colonel Little's fire is
a mystery. There was a fue hole in the
kitchen chimney in the garrett, supposed
to be safely covered with a fue-cap. 1t,
is believed that this cap worked loose
and burning SCOT escaped into the
garrett.
THE DRUMMOND FIRE
Mr.. and Mrs. R. W. Drummond, neigh
bors, had assisted at the Little fire.
They returned to their home and retired.
Mr.. Drummond has been in the habit of
getting up early in the morning and 60
ing down into the cellar to shake down
the furnace and then retiring again.
About 6 o'clock yesterday morning he
started as usual, lamp in hand. He
slipped and fell, striking his head with
great force against something, he doesn't
know what. He was dazed for a moment
and when he revived found that the
lamp had exploded and the flames we're
leaping up the stairway, completely cnt.
ting off his escape in that direction.
After much difficulty he succeeded in
raising a trap door and making his
escape from the fiery furnace below.
His night shirt was burned of of him
and he was nearly stif1ed with the heat
and smoke. He reused his wife and
children and all escaped in
their night dresses, b~arefooted
and half frightened to death, to the
nearest neighbor-the residence OF
Captain Talbot. Mr.. Drummond re.
turned and with the assistance OF
Messrs. Boucher, Philbrick, Woods
Little and others who had remained up
watching the ruins Of the Little fire
succeeded in rolling the piano out Of the
front parlor. Nothing else wa saved
nota stitch Of clothing II . piece Of
furniture.
AZ soon Is the Drummond fire wa