The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-15
A Number Of Frame Buildings on
the Principal Business Street
Wiped Out
Tho Direction OF the Wind Pre-
vented the Damage Being
Greater.
A supposed Inosndiary Blaze Starts In the
blue Front Saloon and Sweeps In
Both Directions.


was this evening visited BY . disastrous
fire which. though the loss is heavy. II not
without its benefits, it having removed =
number Of old shaoks shat have been for
years blotch on the principal business
street of the city. About seven .. n. the
alarm Of IRE was given, and Immediately
after volume Of flames and smoke was
seen emerging from the Blue Front saloon
on Front street nearly opposite the Rogers
house. In . few minutes the row Of frame
buildings were all on FIRE. The wind was
blowing easterly toward tho best portion
Of the town, and for time it seemed il
would be impossible to prevent clean
sweep. The Aissoula Mercantile company
commenced moving their books and many
of the occupants of the Florence hotel had
their trunks removed. II was evident that
the Eclipse livery stable and Rogers hotel
opposite were doomed. The work Of re-
moving the horses from the stable was i'm
msdiatsly commenced and all were gotten
out. Most Of the buRgies and carriages
were also saved, but the sleighs, harness
and material packed away for win
ter uss were lost The lower
buildings, owned by Joseph Peliken.
was wo.story brick adjoining the brick
portion of the stable. The flames attacked
this more slowly. The Rogers house was =
rambling collection of frame buildings,
which we're soon sending volumes Of flames
and smoke high into the air. Fortunately
the wind shifted toward the river or the
town would have been doomed for at this
stage the FIRE engine broke down. The ele-
CANT new Missoula hotel was saved with
difficulty 81"
Five or six frame buildings adjoining the
Rogers house were like tinder, and the fire
rapidly spread until Jake Leizsr's new two
story brick was reached. This checked the
fire. Hose from sll the hydrants had been
playing on il and adjoining property. The
hremen then commenced to get control of
the flames.
While the Ere was spreading rapidly
toward the east it was moving more slowly
westward, consuming a row of disreputa bio
shacks and Chinese laundriss. a. the whole
efforts Of the firemen had been directed to
save tho substantial business blocks.
Little was done on the west end until these
were ont of danger. Then attention was
turned that way, and, as the wind was
blowing away from it. this end Of the fire
was soon after under control, but not until
the two story brick owned by Mrs. Kate H.
Mccormack was totally destroyed. The
Louvre building was q total loss, and the
adjoining buildings were badly damaged.
The property destroyed is ~ follows:
The Louvre building and furniture, value
$4,000. insured for $1,000. owned by
Joseph Pelican. Eclipse stables. owned by
Charles Hawks loss $4,000. insurance
81 900. DAILY Il johnson. lessons Of the
stable. loss $2,5OO, insured partly. Blue
Front saloon, owned by J. I. Philips, loss
$1,000. Robert Emmst saloon, owned by
John Lucy. loss $1,000, insured. Frame
building, ocupisd ~ Chinese laundry, loss
$500. Row of frame shaoks, loss $780,
Two story frame. owned by Miss Annie
Myers. loss $1,000. Two. story brick
owned by Mrs. X. H. Mccormack, loss
$4,000. Rogers House and furniture owned
by Ab England; loss $1,000. insured. Nor
ris ShlossberR's shop, loss $500. Two
frame buildings owned by W. J. Stephens
value $1,000, insured. New brick house,
damage $500, owned by Jake Lsizer. Cap
ital saloon, plate glass windows broken by
heat H. Kohn's brick building adjoining
the Louvre, loss $1,000, covered BY incur
ance. Total loss $4,000, about one-third
covered by Insurance.. Tho fire is supposed
to have been of incsndiary origin.