Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-05-17
BAPTIZED BY FIRE!
GrdmOeUilLe Receives It's First
ScOrchinO--T TscO Houses
DESTROYED,


On Monday morning last at an
early hour the residents of this
peaceful metropolis were reused
from their customary final snooze
before getting up by the cry of
"Fire Fire! the Town is Burn
ing"
A vast volume of smoke and fire
ascending heavenward from the di-
rection of the Jersey House con-
firmed the worst fears of the rude
ly awakened slumberers, and in a
short time the entire population of
the town had assembled on the
scene. Fortunately it was not the
Jersey House, but the buildings di-
rectly east thereof, on the Ben
Morris corner, that were on fire.
The fire originated in the rear
building of the two, which was last
year utilized as an annex of the
Jersey House. 1t was occupied by
j. P. Fitzgerald, who was making
furniture for his Florence residence.
Fitzgerald arose at an early hour
Monday morning, started fire in
the cook stove and put on his apron
with the intention of going to work.
Shortly he heard fire roaring and
returned to take look at the
stove, and found the roof all
around the stove-pipe overhead
burning fiercely. He gave the
alarm, but by the time the crowd
had assembled the other building,
which had been vacant since Nc
Dewitt 4 Musgrove abandoned it,
was also on fire. An effort was
made to drag it out of danger by
block and tackle, but nothing was
strong enough to hold. Several
sticks of giant powder were ex-
ploded in vain effort to blow up
the burning structure, but all in
vain. The Schmadeka building on
the north, occupied by w. S. Ho-
gan and family, only fifteen feet
distant, escaped by miracle.
Quilts and blankets suspended
from the roof and kept thoroughly
wet is all that saved it. The wa
ter-carriers had to wear wet blank
cts to protect themselves against
the heat and smoke. The com
bined buildings burned fercely land
the destruction of the entire town
seemed a certainty. A hose was
attached to the pump in front ol
the Jersey House and a stream ol
water conveyed to force of men
with blankets on the roof of the
hotel. The heat was SO great that
the hose had to be played on the
men on the ridge-pole to keep them
from blistering. Thus the hotel
was saved, but it was a closer cal
than we ever want tosee again. The
glass in the windows and the paint
ON the walls of the east side were
too hot to touch with the hand
The steady stream of water from
the hose is all that saved the ho.
tel, and with it the town, from to-
tai annihilation. The foliage O
the poplar trees protected DIR
Sheatter's drug store building OF
the east, and thus it happened tina,
what might have been a terrible
disaster was averted by a happy
combination of fortunate circum
stances. Still more fortunately
there was not a breath of air stir,
ring, and the smoke and flames
sailed straight up into the air and
were visible for many miles and
brought many people from the
country into town to witness the
excitement.
For about an hour the town was
in real danger; then the burning
walls collapsed and everybody
breathed freely again. How the
Hogan dwelling escaped is still a
mystery. There We're only fifteen
feet between the buildings, and by
all the laws of calculation it should
have burned. A more orderl,
crowd never assembled at fire
Undisciplined and without organ.
ization, yet everybody worked to-
gether to a common purpose and
without the least confusion or ex-
element.
Preparations were quietly made
to remove property and to blow uI
the Exchange" saloon, the livery
stable and barber shop to prevent
the further spread OF the flame.
had the hotel caught fire.
The demeanor of the population
in the most terrifying hour that can
come to a community was full ofreso
lutte and cool-headed energy. Th,
need of a hook and ladder compan,
was apparent at the earliest stag,
Of the tire, and it is probable thai
such an organization will be effect.
ed when the excitement subsidies
There is plenty of splendid mater
ial for it in town. Hundreds o
willing hands were in readiness Il
obey the slightest command, ant