The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-01-23
FIRE GETS IN iTs WORK.
Auch Damage 10 the Stock Of nishards
q sehatslein.

y eehof1lel0.
Bette, Jan. 22.--The most destructive
IRE that has occurred In Butte In the past
two years, and ono which would hare
worked incalculable loss had 1t not bseu
for the almost superhuman efforts Of tho
hre department, almost entirely Destroyed
the big stock OF the Richards Schatsletn
Paint company, at 219 North Main strests
at an early hour this morning. The fre
was discovered at Q few minutes after 8
o'clock by Police officer McLaeean. who
quickly turned In On alarm from box ..
Owing to the short distance that had to be
run. the firemen were on the ground In .
very few minutes and got to work in short
order. Tho fire started among some paint
and oil barrels In the rear Of the first floor,
and when the hremcn reached the scene
the flames were shooting out In every
direction. There werc some open and
half-empty cans and kegs Of paints.
oils close at hand, and these fed the rap
idly increasing flames until they hissed
and roared with sound that was calcu-
lated to appall anyone who might seek to
gain entrance to the building. The ilre-
men proved that they were made Of the
right stuff, however, and although there
was no telling when one of the big tanks
of oil might catch fro and explode with
most dire results, they forced their way
straight into tho fiery furnace and soon
had two streams mt work. They were
handled with such good effect that In an
incredibly short time the flames were sub
dued. and after that the work OF exttn-
gushing did not take long.
As tho big crowd which packed tho
street In front saw tho flames commence
to subside before the torrent Of water that
was being poured on them, big sigh OF
relief went up, for IL looked for . wailo
as though the fire, bad enough as II was,
would be attended with far more serious
results. Tho contents of tho building
were all of the most infiammable nature,
and IL the fire had five minutes more OF .
start the entire block between Granite
and Quartz would very likely have gone,
and the fire nigh: even have swept fur
ther down Main street.
Mr.. SchatElein was at work all the after.
noon looking through tho building and he
loss AT between 81 900 and els, ,0O0, although,
II might possibls figure up closer to ta0. 900
when more careful examination 10 made.
The firm had on hand On exceptionally
heavy stock Of wall paper, valued at about
5000 at the lowest estimate, and between
$500 and "a 600 worth Of new moulding,
which had just been received. Both the
wall paper and the mouldings were en-
tirely destroyed. Tho big stock Of
brushes and glnss was almost entirely de.
stroyed. aud In fact the heat was 90 10.
tense that nothing escaped except the
mixed paints and oils which are only par.
TALLY damaged. Two fine oil paintings,
by local artists, aud valued at
about 900 each were destroyed.
Mr.. Schatxlein stated that II tho fre had
once got started among the oils and var.
nishcs In the rear Of tho store II would
have burned for . week and tho entirs
block would havo burned. Ho was warm
I'm his praise Of the fire department. Mr..
Schatzlein states that II is his opinion tina,
the insurance will fully cover the loss, al.
though this cannot be definitely deter.
mined until the adjusters for tho different
companies arrive.
1t IL believed that tho fro Was created
by spontaneous combustion. There was q
pilo Of waste and greasy rags near where
the fire started, and II 10 supposed that
they became overheated from the steam
pipes.
Tho building, which 10 owned by c. NJ
Turck. escaped with but slight injury
The damage TO II will not amount to over
$500, and this 10 covered by insurance.