The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-04-21
COULD GET NO WATER
Pirsmsn We're Povslles, and Tho City
Of WardnsP Is Destroyed
THE WHOLE TOWN GONE
Five Hundred People Are Homeless
and There 10 No Business In
the City-Relief for
the Sufferers.
Special p.apatch to the standard

WARDNER, Idaho, April D.-Af :U this
morning fire broke out In the business
center Of wariner. and In two hours tho
entire business portion and many resi-
deuces on the back streets ware destroyed.
Il was another case Of NO water and .
hafled are department. The IRE was
first discovered In what Was called
the Sherwiu block, across the
alley from the bank and oc-
cupied by Ramsdell Brothers with
q stock Of clothing. and is supposed to
have originated in the sleeping apartments
OF the clerk of the store. Over the store
are furnished rooms, and the IRE was not
discovered until 80 late that the occupants
of the rsoms had barely time to escape.
The chief loss was sustained by Josh Cob
lins, loss $500; insurance S2,UO. Z. b.
Highy's store was the largest merchandis-
ing house in the burnt district, loss N.O0O;
insurance $4,000. A. L. Page Of the Gem
tral hotel 10 also q large loser. This 70
the second time that his business has besn
destroyed by fire in Wariner. His loss 70
$4,000; insurance 5000. George B. Mo-
Aulay's house vas the last to succumb to
the flames. Loss - 600; no insurance.
The brick building Of the Occur dAleno
Hardware company stopped tho progress
of tho flre in that direction. Had II noe
been for that tho fire would have con-
tinued on up 10 the Last Chance mill and
tho total loss Is estimated at sl5O,UO0; In
surance about $1,000.
Being at such Late hour 10 was some
time before the fire department Was out.
but II was there in reasonable time and
was doing good work, and by that time
the fire had made considerable headvay.
but tho water of the city's water works
| L. n l>t
as they had the fire under control. AZ
this time tho water was turned in from tho
Bunker Hill and Sullivan fumes, but it
seemed that fate had decreed that
the town should burn. hut little
water came aud the people foughs
| tho almost conquered flames ~
best they could, while the flremen tried To
icurn tho cause OF no water. Men went
| nm the iume and found in two places
| boards so placed across the hums as to
dam tbs water and let il run over the side.
| The firs department had just expended
their last dollar In connecting the Bunker
Hill and sullivan fume with the city
water works. to be used In case OF IRE.
but had neglected to guard against OBJ
structions la the Hume.
| BY this time the fire had spread to the
other side OF the street, and was burning
with great fury oil over the business por-
tion Of tho town. and by O'Clock all that
portion of tho town. extending from what
is known m the ''O.d Thompson" house,
on both sides Of the street, including the
residences on the hillside ON ono side and
those across the crock on tho other, and
up the streets to tho Couer d Alene Hard
ware compauy's store and tho Pythian
home on the other. II was wild and
weird scene and q desperate state OF
affairs.
The fire spread 80 rapidly that Il was
With diiliculty that people wero aroused in
tims to escape with scant clothing. An
effort was tnaee TO save goods, but in but
fcw instances wcre any saved. There was
no place OF safety in which to put them
and at that hour, tho flames being out,
but few goods were carried away. by day
lisht the place was y black and burnt
waste, strewu with warped iron httinel
and furnishings aud tangled
telegraph wires and probably
zoo homeless people looking ai
the ruins. There was little or no insur'
ance, and the loss Is complete. Worse
than that. the hard times of the last twc
years, together with the recent bank fail
ure, leaves many people unable TO reopsu
business. Many Of them. too. are utteri,
disgusted by repeated disasters and fes
Hike abandoning the place. Several OF TIN
stores we're closed aud others we're hold
ing on, waiting Tor the mines to resums
work. The conduct of the miners aboo
: town Was praiseworthy. as man,
Of them gave valuable servic<
wherever they could. Tho fire depart
meus's work was good and when they go
a iiow of water through the aun,e the,
made short work Of the fire. Had thss
: not had water just when they did. the res
Of tho town would have burned. bosl
: the Union Pacific and Northern Pacific
railroads are carrying food and clothing
l "A H.. n