The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-05
VERY MYSTERIOUS FIRE
All Nations Lodging House Near
ly Goes Up in Flames.
suspicious AS TO CAUSE
Joe Barra, the Proprietor. Says 1t Is
the Work of Conspirators-Was
Coal Oil Strewn in the
Cellar

One of the largest lodging houses in
Anaconda came near going up in flames
yesterday afternoon. Had it not been
for the quick response of the fire de-
partment and the efficient manner in
which the fire was handled numerous
lives might have been lost.
The fire occurred in the store room of
the All Nations saloon, at No. 10 Front
street, at 4o'clock yesterday afternoon.
The fire department was called by an
alarm from box A. When the firemen
arrived on the scene they were unable
for several minutes to locate the fire.
After an investigation, it was found
that the cellar was burning. The
flames were gaining Roadway in a huge
woodpile under the sidewalk on Front
street. The walls were all in a blaze,
and every effort of the firemen was
required to keep the fire from getting
any Roadway. Everything was greasy,
and it seemd as if water was powerless
to check the flames. At last, after
working for nearly 40 minutes the fire
was extinguished. The damage will
not amount to more than 5000, fully COW
cred by insurance
The place where the fire occurred is
considered as being very dangerous by
the fire department. The hotel over the
saloon contains more than so rooms,
half of which are occupied in the day
time by men who are employed on the
night shift. The surrounding buildings
are all large lodging houses, so that if
big fire was to break out in that
neighborhood the loss of life might be
large.
Joe Barra, the proprietor of the All
Nations saloon, is of the opinion that
yesterdays fire was tn work of men
who are conspiring against him as a
result of the Fourth of July celebration
which was held on Monday night at
the corner of Main and Front streets.
Barra last evening called upon Chief
Mentrum, to whom he told the follow
ing story:
ION Monday evening at II O'Clock
there were several men in my saloon
who We're annoying me greatly by
throwing fire crackers around the sa-
loon. Men would come in and they
would chase them out by throwing
crackers at them. They threw fire
works under the piano and as this
greatly interfered with the musicians /
chased them out of the saloon. AS they
left my place they threatened that they
would get even with me, and this / be-
lieve they did to-day. l think tina.
these men came down into my cellar
this morning and put coal oil all around
the place so that it would burn quick
er. They probably came around at
about o'clock, threw match in the
cellar and then ran away. l don't see
how the fire could have started in any
other way, for there is no straw in the
cellar. I don't know the name of the
men, but l know them by sight and
will let the police know about this and
will send them to Jail"
Chief Mentrum last evening made the
following statement:
The fire was certainly a mysterious
one. and l don't know how it could
have started 1t was a very hard fire.
to handle, as it was impossible to To-
cate it. I don't know whether the pro-
prietor's story is true, but then the
fire was mysterious"