The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-10-03
DESTROYED BY FLAMES
THE POORMAN-TIGER BOARDING
HOUSE NOW LIES IN ASHES.
one Man Died in the Flames and
Several More Were Injured
by Jumping.

Burke. Idaho. Sept 2S.-The Poormln-
Tiger boarding house burned early this
morning. burning William O'Mara to
death. and several others seriously. ne
sides a number who were injured by
jumping from the burning building
The fire started shortly before o'clock
from burning grease The cook put a
pan of lard in the oven last night and for
got to take il out when he built the me
this morning. When he remembered it,
he opened the oven door, and the burning
lard ran all over the kitchen floor. The
cook gave the alarm to the sleepers in the
upper story The stairway was cut Off
by the fire in three minutes. About 30
persons were sleeping in The building,
which was three-story structure about
40 by 100, standing on the steep side Of the
hill. Some were caught by the IRE be-
fore getting to the windows, and in the
excitement several jumped from the front
windows 20 to 30 feet feet down. instead
of from the back windows onto the bill
None were hurt who jumped out at The
back, as the fall was short.
The hrcmen responded promptly, but
the building was doomed so attention
was paid to trying to save the new CON
centrator, only % feet away. But for the
iron roof all the water in Canyon creek
would not have saved it, With TWO
streams playing steadily on it, the rustic
in many places burned completely
through.
Through a mistake. the first hose was
not attached to the hydrant closest to the
fire. and when the second hose arrived
the fire was too hot to permit approach
TO the nearest hydrant. One fireman vol
unteered to put the hose on the hydrlnt
II the other hose was kept playing On
him. and succeeded in doing so. Other
wise the whole town must have burned,
as nothing could have saved the town
| had the concentration burned.
While the fire was still burning, the
| following injured were sent to the Prov
idence hospital at Wallace Miss Annie
| Johnson. back injured by jumping; Abe
| Donaldson. internally injured by jump
! ing. Joseph Coburn burned all over from
! head to foot; Pat McHale. burned; Mar
tim McHale. injured by jumping; Bert
| Searles. burned; Smith. machlnist in
iured by jumping. OF these, Miss John
son. Donaldson and Coburn are probably
fatally injured.
William O'Mara, who was known TO be
sleeping in the building. was missing,
but il was not until the fire burned out
that his charred remains were found in
the ruins.
Numerous others received burns or
bruises, but nothing beyond the ability
of Burke to care for
! Terrible as the holocaust was every
! one feels that it occurred a the best pos
! sible time. as so few men were in the
! high as 125 men sleep In the building, and
! during work on the new concentratoi
there has been nearly as many. but near
~ the whole force was laid off a few
! days ago. Had the rooms been full. many
lives must have been lost. If a single
breath of wind had blown down the can
yon. the town would have been wiDed out
This is the second fire OF the Poorman
Tiger company in six months and they
naturally feel greatly discouraged. Aftel
the new concentration started lead began
falling in price. and nothing but the fac
that The machinery was bought and the
contract let prevented the management
from shutting down until better prices
prevailed. superintendent e. X. Culbert
son estimates the loss a $4,000. with in
surance Of $1,000. But the property anC
life lost does not represent the total los.
TO the town. The new mill was nearl,
finished. and the miners hoped it would
start up soon. Now il is certain th'
mine will not begin work until the board
ing house is replaced, and the manager
see nothing encouraging in the lead or sill
YER market to induce them to push worl
on them.