The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-16
THE CALL 10 DEATH.


sary.
THE CALL 10 DEATH.
Box re sent the Fatal summons to Many
Brave Man.
Box - was the fatal call to the firemen.
the last call of death to most of them.
The firemen found the flames coming out
the sidewalks of either the Ken
or the Butte Hardware COM
pany's warehouses. There is some doubt
as to which building the fire started in, as
they were both very close together, and
both are in ruins.
The firemen hesitated for a moment be-
fore going to work on the fire on account
of remark dropped by bystander that
there was powder in tho building, but
they were assured moment later that
there was no powder in the vicinity, and
the unfortunate boys then rushed to their
death.
The hose wagon crew consisted of Chief
Cameron, Assistant Chief Sloane, Sam
Ash, Ed Sloane, Dave Moses, Dave Magee
and Jack Flannery.
Magee was the driver, and remain ed
with the wagon about 40 yards away,
while Flannery was at the hydrant. The
hook and ladder was manned by George
Fifer and Pete Nolan of the regular paid
department, and William Orr, one of the
volunteers.
DOOM.
Chief Cameron directed the attack on
the building and while some of the firemen
hauled line of hose along, the others
the building SO that they could get at the
flames.
Dust as they had succeeded in tearing
off part of the covering and secured an
entrance the first explosion came. A
binding sheet of flames forced the roof
from It's fastenings and shot 100 feet
into the air, followed by a second
of deadly silence, and then camo
the awful roar, carrying with it annihiia-
tion to those who closely surrounded the
death trap and destruction on every hand.
The brave firemen, who had fearlessly
rushed in where they had reason to sus-
pect there was overwhelming danger,
we're blown in all directions and buried
under the burning ruins.
HEROES MEET DEATH.
The hook and ladder truck, and Eifer
and Nolan were blown 80 feet into the air
and torn into fragments. The horses
were both killed instantly. Orr, who had
jumped off the truck a moment before
the explosion, had a part of his jaw torn
away by a flying missile, and was knocked
senseless.
ALL BUT DAVE MOSES.
OF the flremen who were close up tc
the building Dave Moses Is the only on,
who is thought TO have escaped. The
others must have met instant aud hor-
rible death, and their bodies had not
been recovered at midnight. The hos,
wagon was shattered and Dave Mage,
was thrown almost directly under one o
the horses, which fact no doubt saved hi
life. Both his legs were broken and h,
was badly cut and bruised. Flanner!
was at tho hydrant some distance awal
and escaped with a fow bruises from
being knocked down by the conclusion.
Ed Ogden, a volunteer fireman, wa
just climbing on to the hose wagon whel
the crash came and was thrown to th,
ground. sustaining a bad scalp wound.
Tom Burns, another volunteer, was be
| tween the wagon and the burning build
ing, and his body was filled with flynn
pieces of iron, while his faco was badl,
powder burned. lie was taken to til,
Sisters hospital and his condition i
| serious.
"Shorty" Carmichael, another volun
teer, was close to the building and had
very narrow escape.
After the third explosion the Quarts
street brigade went TO the scene and wen
bravely to work, almost in the face o
death, for it was understood at that tim
| that there we're three other cars of powde
close to the burning buildings whic
seemed certain TO explode.
TOLD By Az EYE WITNESS.
J. Il. Dutton, an electrician, was one O
the eye witnesses TO the first explosion
| He escaped with broken arm, however
and walked to Murray & Freund's hospita
where he was seen by a STaNDARD reporte
/ lie said: II was riding down on a stree
car along by the Garrison house, when
saw the fire and saw a policeman turniu
/ in the alarm. / got of the car and ra
over to the fire and was the third ma
there. When the department arrive
they went TO work on the west side G
the building, where the fire was III
fiercest. Some ono shouted that ther
wss powder in the building. but it was d,
MED and the tlremen kept az work.
II stepped back a little way for fea
there might be danger, and that is why
am alive. The flremen started in TO tea
off the iron covering of the building, an
they had just got an opening when the c,