The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-16
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY le. 1895.
Last Nights Horror.

"hn JUS sesAnDic regret TIE STAND
ARD carries this morning 20 me peo.
pie Of Montana the news Of .ast
nights startling catastrophe in tho
city of Butte. At this hour tho fear
fuI death roll cannot be male apt
lengthens FROM hour to hJIr "a tie
night watches advance; it thcatcls -
reach en- appalling ;otal.
As rule, respecting Jews, the early
reports are apt to lie an sxaggeration,
but manifestly :he rule is reversed in
this deplora5le irstalce-hour after
hour the disaster has been putting on
more distressing proportions; up tc
midnight it was as if tho city of Butte
were unwilling to admit to herself tho
real weight and extent of this latest
and most terrible visitation.
The news pages of this edition of
the STANDARD recite the narrowing
story of what happened last night.
The opening of the earth under the
very feet of the people of that
city would hardly have brought
a more startling shock. Every home
in the city shook under the outburst
and, doubtless, as the explosions were
repeated, every heart, for the instant,
stood still
Whatever the loss may be to injured
property, as the result of the explosion
1T is of small account. 1t will figure
up TO an impressive total, meas
ured in dollars and cents, but
all this will DO accounted as
worthless dust in contrast with
the overwhelming grief incident to
tic awful sacrifice of human life.
Tc-rib as the ascertained loss of life
IS sure to be, the melancholy fact re-
mains that the most careful inquiry
will never be able to announce the
number of last nights victims
1t seems as if all the agencies of an
adverse Providence has helped to
make this disaster more deplorable.
The fire occurred at an hour that
was sure to attract to the scene
a crowd of more than ordinary pro-
portions. 1t came at a moment when
the members of the fire department
were prepared for alert service The
valiant action of the employees of the
department, the hea rtless slaughter of
its membership, the intrepid behavior
of those who, for the public safety,
.isked all and lost all-these are con-
siderations which will leave their mel
sncholy i'm press on the mind and the
heart of every man and woman in
Butte
Alas for the lost! All honor to the
memory OF the brave-hearted men
who, in the discharge of duty, met
DEATH They viii be held in gentle re-
membrane, ana over their mangled
corms the fearful tribute of an afflicted
eoTmunity will be paidl
The responsibility For the in
s:sat. let that fearful issue be held in
ateysnce It's with the living; frst
ot al! LEI Butte pay eoutr!te re-
spect 10 the memory of the
.smsnied dad We 1--we In
region where the constant use OF dan
gefous explosives IS imperative. The
storing OF this material is easily regu.
lated by .aw, with reglrd 10 the com-
p'ete safety of the public. Law has
not failed; u has decreed now the i'm
sruai.y Of the people may be assured.
RetriGutlOn surely awaits those on
whom rests the responsibility Tor this
frigatful calamity; It will come under
the calm proc Of the law, as far
as oxpiation Is possible.
But, at this hour, let us lIngsr with
The dead; we can deal with the living
IN due time. Let every business en-.
ergy In Butte come to pause, First of
al, requiem for the innocent victims
and, in their hurried exit into eternity.
let IT be the Invocation of every de-
yout heart that the intercessions of
the compassionate savior Of mankind
may attend them,