The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-03

TIE magnificent Scott Auerbach
building, which since 1889 has been
pointed to with pride as one of the
finest business blocks in this city, is
this morning a pile of ruins, While the
firms doing business inside are dam
aged TO the extent of nearly all the
value of their goods. the total loss on
building and contents amounting TO
something like S250,000.
It was one Of the most costly con-
flagratons in the history Of Salt Lake
City, and by far the most poorly
handled There was apparently no
concert of action in the work of the
fremen, and for all the supervision
they received the men might as Wei
been fighting Me. flames without d
chief; nay, bettef,- for then Assistant
Chief Donovan could have had con-
troll. and everyone knows that Mike IS
a FIRE fighter.
DEVINE CENSURED.
Could Devine have heard the com
ments bestowed upon him by the in
dtgnant citizens who watched his eff
l.
and gam for himself some credit.
Everything went wrong. The alarm
was slow in reaching headquarters,
and although the hose, chemical and
Truck wagons were on the ground
early enough, the balance was as slow
as the proVerbial wrath OF the IN
finite The steamers were away be-
hind, the connections were late in
every particular, and TO cap all, the
hook and ladder mechanical truck
that pretty piece OF furniture which
looks so nice on parade-refused to
work, and that, too, when human
life was hanging in the balance.
For all the good done during the first
two hours, Devine might as we'll have
asked the police to arrest the flames
and let it go at that.
WRETCHED MANAGEMENT.
Nothing was on hand when it was
needed When ladders were wanted no
ladders were to be had. When some
one shouted for hose he got something
A else: when a stream was desired drouth
N.set in in the vicinity from which the
demand was made; and all the time the
red flames danced in glee as il the
spirit of the blaze understood nothing
was opposed 70 its progress.
Oh, for an hour of that old depart
ment when Jack McMullins whirled
his hose wagon round the corners and
Tom Welch sent the chemical flying
over the pavement till fire rolled from
the wheels Oh, for that old pompier
crev which lea3ed from window to
window till from the top of the build
ing we heard the broad Irish of Mike
Fitzgerald shout to those below, Turn
on the waiter Oh. for Frazer and
Clark and all that crowd who in days
gone by manned the noZzles, swung
j. the axes and raised the ladders under
IL
there more Of the -Auerbach
building would be standing this morn
ing than its four blackened walls, pro-
vi6ed, Of course. they had worked
under competent leadership.
THREE ALARMS SENT IN.
Three separate alarms were regis
tered at the central fire station before /
even an apparition of an apparatus ap- |
peared coming toward the burning
building When it finally got on Main I
street, the horses attached to the I
trucks were brought back upon their /
launches and a dress parade was or /
dered from First South down Main I
street to the building A dense crowd of /
people had already collected, blocking /
the sidewalks and street through which |
the apparatus passed like a funeral /
cOrtege.
A THRILLING SCENE.
The scene that confronted the de-
partment seemed to paralyze its facul-
ties A panic-stricken woman stood /
on the north cornice of the fated block,
overhanging the Utah Title. Insurance
and Trust building. She had Ventured
out upon the very verge of the wall
falling away below her for over so feet
Her arms were raised in an attitude of
despair: her loose hair was blown back
ward by the wind and above the dull
grinding of the gathering flames
fioated an agonizing appSal for succor
These shrieks were turned into threats
to throw herself from the wtu unless
she was saved.
save me, for Gods sakel Can't :
somebody do something to take me off
here? If some one don't come to me
,Ill throw myself down" Mingled with
these wild explanations We're protests
Directed against the stupefaction which
Seemed to have come over Chief De-
vine. Not move was put forth TO
show that he was alive to the stu
alton. His men waited restlessly. the
Spectators gave vent to their disap-
proval in murmurs, which spread into
cries Of Shame, shame" and What
are you there fOr?" DO your duty"
This public criticism seemed to sting
the petrified chief into some semblance
of activity btttit was little more He
was ratified, as the first command de-
veloped. The long aerial ladder was
run up against a cloud of electric s
wires and several fremen started to I
mount it.
THE FIRST BAD BREAK.
As by an act of providence which '
was the only thing really pointing the {
tight way. sharp crackle came from .
tbe metallic L. nd several blue