The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-28

displayed in the former fire and filled
him with but one thought-that he
must get out. so without attempting to
nm a stairway he felt his way along
the hall Of the second fioor where his
room was located until he came to a
window at the end. facing on Muliin
street. Without stopping to count the
consequences he threw up the window
and leaped out. He lighted on his
Feet. but in such a manner that one
heel was severely bruised. He went
with Shovlin and DUFFY to ST. James
hospital. His injury is very slight and
will not require him to be laid up.
The only other person injured to an
extent worth mention-there were sew
eral who received scratches or a slight
smuggling in fighting the fire-was Matt
In making his escape he was
thrown down in the scramble and sus-
tanned a fracture Of one of
the bones Of his left hand. He went
TO the Sisters hospital and had the in
jury dressed.
The Scene of the Fire.
Pat Mullins boarding house, the place
wnere the fire occurred. is an institu-
ton OF many years standing in the
camp. Patrick Mullins. the proprietor.
started a boarding house in a frame
structure on the street in Centerville
which k its name from him, more
tnan a dozen years ago. II was a two
story building. situated about a hum
dred feet east Of Main street. on the
north side of Mullins street. Eight and
a half years ago Mr.. Mullins decided
to enlarge his business, and he erected
a three-story brick addition on the west
SIDE or the old structure. and last sum-
mer again began the erection of another
fine four-story brick building. which
was made a part of the boarding house
which. together with the building at
the corner of Main and Mullins streets,
makes an imposing block. Between the
old brick portion of the boarding house
ana the new portion just completed, Mr..
Mullins left an alleyway Of four feet,
and In putting up the new building
puilt a strong fire wall. On the first
floor OF the old brick section Mas ,ue
dining room, running from the front Of
the building back So feet. From there
there was a hall about s or 10 fee. long.
leading to the kitchen, and off from
this nall a door opened leading to the
ellar Upstairs were sleeping rooms.
and In the basement was a store room.
where the provisions were Stored. 1nis
was underneath the rear end of the
living room and in front of il were the
occupied by the women
The fire started in the store room,
where there was nothing whatever of a
nature stored and nothing
Hour. canned goods and provisions
OF a like character kept. The spot
where the fire originated was fully 80
rect from the kitchen range, the only
place where there was any fire nearer
than 90 feet of the store room, and il is
this fact thai leads Mr.. Mullins to be-
the place was fired. Mr.. Mullins
conceived the idea yesterday morning
hat the fire. rnfoht ha,vA 49, =
the electric wires in the store room,
and sent for Superintendent Hebgen of
the electric light company, who exam
med the wires. and stated that IL was
for the fire to have been
caused by them. Mr.. Hebgen found all
The wires intact and said that the fact
hat all the lights would burn after the
nre was out was conclusive evidence
mat there were no crossed wires. This
caves nothing else to be believed but
hat the fire was set.
discovered by Dimick.
Night Waterman Walter Dimick dis
covered the fire. Shortly after 2 O'Clock
le went TO the Kitchen, as was his
wont, TO build the fire in the kitchen
'ange. After the fire was started he
at down in the sitting room a few min
ties and then went to the boiler room.
which is located in the recently COM
,Ieted building, to fire up the steam
leating apparatus. He was engaged
rom 20 to 80 minutes. and then went
Jack to the dining rom to get some
ming TO eat. AS he entered the dining
Dom he detected a strong smell of
moke and ran to the kitchen, fearing
lie had left something near the range
nat might ave caught fire. Every
hing there, however, was in perfect
and he started back toward the
lining rooom. AS ne passed the door
eading into the cellar, he observed the
hloke came from downstairs and
down into the basement He
ound the store room all in flames. His
Irst thought was to save the girls, who
'ere sleeping in the rooms in the base
1ent. Remembering where he had left
n axe. with which he had been break
coal, he ran for 1t, and returning,
1ade a run for a front door leading out
I the basement on Mullins street. 1t
1as his knowledge thai the door was
ocked n that he had no key that
aused him to think of the axe, and it
doubtless due to his that the young
escaped, unhurt. for all other
venues OF escape were by this time
ut off. Rousing the girls with his
ellis. he chopped open the door and
emained until he saw them all safely
Ut. There were 10 in all, and they all
- iiost vi lItlT CiOtHeS.
Dimick's e thought was to arouse
lr. Mullins. and he ran to the room
by Mr.. and Mrs. Mullins on
ne second floor of the old brick por-
on or the house. Next he made for
he hose kept for fire protection. but
e found II was too small to be of any
vail against the progress the fire had
so abandoned the thought of
sing II, and awakened the inmates.
le still had the nozzle of the hose i'm
Is hand. and with this he hammered
the door. yelling fire at the top of
is voice. Mr.. Mullins was soon into
Is clothes and out OF his room, Ieav-
q instructions with Mrs. Mullins to
et the children out and leave every
ing else. He gave orders to the
to run to the Mountain Con
Inc for help, while he finished wax
" up the guests. He went trough
part of the two older sections of
lie house and assured himself that ali
ere awake and then urn his atten-
on TO the fire.
The Alarm Given.
was NOT long raacbip- IT,