The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-25

powder"
The scene of the inquest was at this
point removed to the hospital to take the
testimony OF "Scotty" Orr, Dave Magec
AMI Chat" Burns.
OFFICER sTEINBORN.
The coroner's jury was admitted to the
room occupied by John Henry Steinborn.
the policeman, at Murray & Freund's hos
pitai. To the questions the injured OIL
Ger said:
Il turned in tine alarm. l saw the fire,
but can't tell which of the warehouses it
was in. | saw the firemen choppIng on
the building. The building they we're at
other building on fire at that time. The
explosion came and 1 was knocked sense
less. i remember no more"
ANDREW SWIFT.
Andrew Swift was occupying n cot in
the Same room. He was examined and
said: II was in bed when the alarm was
turned in. l am n volunteer fireman and
dressed myself as hurriedly as possible.
The firemen were all there when l got
there. The Kenyon building was on fire.
They were working on the northwest cor
ner OF the Kenyon building. was stand
ing about Is feet from the corner of tho
building. By the explosion | got struck
in the eye and on the hip and arm. ] was
going toward the building at the time of
the explosion.
Il am positive it was the Kenyou-Con-
nell building where the explosion
occurred. 1t was that explosion that
killed the fire boys. There had been n
little puff before which was either oil or
black powder. That did no damage.
Then came the first great explosion. |
always worked with Dave Moses and Sam
see them anywhere"
"And you have never seen them since ."
said the county attorney.
II have never seen them SINCE" said
the witness, overcome with emotion,
placed his handkerchief to his eyes.
W. r. ORR.
w. r. Orr was in another room and
talked with great difficulty. II was a spe-
cial fireman on the night of Jan Is. | re-
sponded to a call from box -, with the rest
of the department. The fire was in the
warehouse opposite the wood racks. l
don't know whose warehouse IT was.
There was light explosion which just
raised the roof. Then Jack Sloan came
and got an axe and SAID he would cut n
hole. he began cutting and then | saw
flash and remember no more. Ash and
Moses were close TO the building with the
They were just behind Sloan.
Cameron came from the corner and
wanted to know what was the matter with
the water. l said did not know. The
wiped out when / recovered
consciousness. There was not living
soul around me and said My God the
boys are all killed."
CHAT" BURNS.
The jury then went to the house of
George Burns, famlliarly known as
Chat" Burns, in West Agate street. He
had also been badly smashed up in the fire
an his brother died from the injuries re-
The fire was in the northwest corner
of the Kenyon building. George Fifer
told me to hold the team. which did and
he went forward to help the other fire.
men. Some one called out that there
was powder. Then came q little puff,
like stick of powder, or box of caps.
My brother, who was by me, yelled to
Jack Sloan, There's powder in there
Sloan then called off the men and they
fell back. Then a man came up from
between the warehouses apd saids No;
there's no powder in there Then they
all went to work.
Moses and Ash were at the nozzle and
the two Sloans were cutting. FIfer had a
ladder going up to the Kenyon building.
cameron was going in between the ware
houses. My brother said, Give me your
gum coat l was just reaching for the
gum coat, when off she went. When |
was under the ladder. | saw
my brother with a horse fallen on him.
was trying TO crawl away when the second
big explosion came. That was from the
same building as the first. | was behind
\ little building when the third went off
and L could not see where that was
from"
DAVE MAGE.
The jury then went TO the house of Dave
Magee, one of the regular firemcn, and
one of only two of the regular firemen
eft alive. He gave n very clear account
Of what he saw. His brother was killed
n the explosion. He said:
II responded to the call of fire at the
kenyon warehouse. | drove the wagon
and George Ffer drove the hook and lad
Ter. / passed the Butte Hardware build
ng and halted in front of the fire. | am
sure the fire was in the Kenyon building
because | am very familiar with the ware
houses. having at one time worked a little
II the Butte Hardware warehouse. The |
argest lame was in the northwest corner
'f the Kenyon building. Moses and Ash
we're on the nozzle close up to the build |
ng. Jack Sloan was at the building
shocking in the corrugated iron with an |
axe. / was in the seat of the hose cart
watching them. No other building was on |
ire except the Kenyon building. There |
vas a little puff in the buildings northwest
orner and the flames and cInders leaped |
nto the air through the roof. All dropped |
Jack, but there seemed no danger and /
hey returned TO work. Then / iumped /
I'll the wagon TO blanket the horses. 1t 1
vas the first time this winter that | had /
bought of blanketing the horses. as the /
weather. had been SO mild before had not
considered IL necessary. Luckily | got
lown on the outside, so that the team
vas between me and the fire. / had lust
tarted to blanket the horses whom the /
rst big explosion came. There was a
binding flash of light. The flash came
rom the Kenyon warehouse. Tho two
orses were both killed and one of them
ell on top of me. i did not lose conscious.
ess.
1T was all perfectly black after the ex.
losion. Then / heard screams and calls
or help. / could not get out. The horse
ad me pinioned. He had been killed in
family, for he did not struggle bit. |
aw none of the boys after that. A man
N lIN nnlIRn ntl nj