The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-27
FIRE BUG WAS At WORK
So the Firemen Say in Explana-
ton of Two Lively Blazes.
CAME IN SUCCESSION
Cabins in the Lower Part OF Town De-
neutrality-suspicious. Circumstances
Connected With the Last OF
the Fires.

The fire department was kept busy
last evening at about o'clock, it re-
spending to two alarms from box A,
which is located at the corner of Com
mercial avenue and Main street. The
Two fires were lively ones; the first,
owing to a report that a man had been
roasted alive inside of Morris Powers
cabin which is situated in the rear of
Main street, between West CONNER
cial avenue and Front street: the sec
ond because it was plainly the work
OF an incendiary.
The fire in Powers cabin was dis
covered at S o'clock and the wooden
building was all ablaze when the fire.
men reached the scene.
There's a cripple in the cabin and
he's going to be roasted alive were
rhe sensational cries that could be
heard about the cabin, which was all
in flames. Powers and Jimmy Murray
occupied the shack and the latter was
supposed to be sleeping inside. Muir
ray is an unfortunate fellow, whose
arm was broken during the races last
year Murray had been drinking
yesterday afternoon, and was said to
have gone in at about o'clock to So
hCr up. Immediately ON reaching the
SCENE VI the Hfe. A1leI was
informed that Murray was inside the
cabin, and he ordered his men to enter
the place and make thorough search.
This they did and discovered that Muir
ray was not there
The cabin and it's contents were COM
rctely destroyed.
Morris Powers. who owns the cabin,
says that he is at a loss as to the orr
gin of the fire. He says that there had
been no fire in the cabin for the last
week and when he left the cabin at
about o'clock last evening there was
no lighted lamp inside.
The tiremen had no sooner reached
the station after having eXtinguished
the Powers fire than they were again
called out by an alarm from the same
box, "A. This time the fire was in a
cabin situated in the rear of the scene
of the first fire. On entering the shack
the tiremen noticed a smell of burning
coal oil and when a broken lamp was
found on the floor the men We're con-
WINGED that il was the work of an in
cnndiary. The cabin was occupied by
w. S. Settles and his wife, both col
ored people. During the Powers blaze
beth were busy in taking out their fur
nture.
The fire department had to work hard
To extinguish the flames. as the fire
was caught in the bedding.
This last fire was surely the work
of firebug.' said Chief Mentrum
last evening at the scene. When we
left here | am positive there was no
fire and about three minutes after we
had gone we We're called back again.
This fire couldn't have caught from the
first fire because there Is tin roof
and the sparks cant go through that"
Sensational charges against some
colored people are made by John Nor
gan. former employe of the lower
works. who resides on Chestnut street.
He said to a Standard reporter:
u was standing opposite this cabin
tSettlc's) during the first fire and /
saw a crowd of colored people outside
talking and laughing. The occupants
of the cabin were taking out their fur
niturc, and as soon as the tiremen left
they threw the lamp on the floor and
The fire started
Il took out my things because /
didn't want to lose them" said Settles
in explanation of the matter. As soon
rs | saw the first cabin burning I
Wrought it was all off with my shack
and took my clothes out"