The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1893-02-04
FORT SHERMAN NEWS.
A Midnight Fire At the
Post.
THE Loss WILL BE OVER $1,000.
THE LOSS WILL BE OVER $1,000
The Fort Sherman Minstrel L Variety
Company.

Fort SHERMAN, IDAAo, FEB. 3.
This has been an eventful week at
this post because of two occurrences
which have no precedent in the occu-
pancy Of the pest by the Fourth in
fantry. The first was the terrific storm
of wind and binding mass of snow
which swept over the post Oh the night
of Jan. -, causing considerable fear
that trees might be blown down and
crush the quarters. How the wind
howled, and how the snow drifted !,
Never before at this post has the snow
been piled in such heaps by the wind.
Tho following day it-grew colder, and
during the night the mercury dropped
to II degrees below zero. On Jan. 81
inspection was held in barracks, as the
thermometer did not rise above zero
during the day. That night it dropped
to 90 degrees below zero.
During the night of the 3ist occurred
the first lire that has destroyed build
ing since we came here in 1885. About
IL p. m. fire call sounded, the field gun
doomed forth its warning, and the COM
panies promptly responded, to find that
the post exchange building was on fire
and in fair way to be destroyed. The
fire started in the billiard room on the
west side of the main building, and an
effort was made to contine it to that
portion of the structure. This could
have been done if water could have
been secured at once; but the fire plugs
were frozen and il was some time before
the water flowed through the hose. In
the mean time the men had gotten out
all the billiard tables but one. The
stock was removed from other portions
of the building and placed under a
guard. When the water came the men
fought desperately with the flames, but
could not prevent the fire reaching the
main building. The night was so bitterly
cold that the hosemen soon resembied
walking ieicles. The water froze as
soon as it touched the clothing of the
men, but did not deter them from fight
ing desperately against the fire. At
this juncture the C9ur d'Alene hose
company arrived on the scene and ten
dered their services. remaining until the
fire was under control. BY the heroic
efforts of the men the lower part of the
main building, the bar room and lunch
counter were saved from total destruc-
ton. The loss on the building, which is
owned by the government, will be about
$1,000. The loss on stock and fixtures
will exceed that sum, but is covered by
insurance. The burning of the building
destroyed one of the finest post ex-
changes in the army, and it will be some
time before it can be placed in the same
condition again. Too much praise can
not be bestowed upon the men who
chung to the hose and fought so bravely
to save the building, while the water
froze to their clothing in masses of ice
No one appeared to realize the intensity
of the cold in their excitement. Yet
the Thermometer marked % degrees be-
low zero, and, strange as it may appear,
no one suffered from frost bite or freez-
ing Thanks are due to the firemen of
Ceur d'Alene city for their promptness
in offering assistance on this occasion.
Considering the state of the weather
they turned out fine company.