The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-21
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE
The Old Montana Union Machine
Shops Burned Down.
FIREMEN DID GOOD WORK
Chief Mentrum OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Is Estimated by the Insurance Peo-
Pile at So, OOO-An Electric Wire
Causes Quite Panic.

One OF the most obstructive llItS llittl
has visited Anaconda in the past two
years completely destroyed the old
Montana Union machine shop last eV-
enng at S:45 O'Clock. This shop was To-
Gated in the eastern portion of the city,
just below the B., A. & P. track, ana
had been used during the past year by
the street railway company as sort OF
a store-room, and at the time it was
burned down it contained four trailer
cars, which are valued at $500 each.
These We're completely destroyed.
The cause of the fire is as yet un-
known, but it is believed that il was
caused by some person having acct
IDENTIFY thrown a match upon the floor,
and as the floor is for the most part
saturated with oil, it soon became easy
prey for the destructive element. The
total damage is estimated at $1,000 by
OBrien & Peckover, who carry the in
surance on the buildings in their agen-
cies. Chief Mentrum said that he had
no idea of what would be the amount of
the damages.
The fire was the most difficult to fight
since the fire department came under
the control of Chief Mentrum. The odds
were against the tiremen. The wind
was blowing strongly; there was gen
eral scarcity of water; both hydrants
in that section were frozen, and last,
but not least, the alarm was sent in
after the flames had gained considera-
BILE Roadway. A long delay was caused
by the fact that there was not a fire
alarm box inside of six blocks or more
from the burning building, and as the
person who turned in the alarm had to
go to the corner of Chestnut street and
Park avenue, it was impossible to reach
the fire for a considerable length OF
time.
The alarm was sent in at 9 o'clock.
On the arrival of the department at the
scene of the fire, the building was a
mass of flames. The tiremen imme-
diately set to work, but they found
great difficulty, as both OF the hydrants
in the vicinity, which belong to the
railroad people, We're completely frozen.
Fifteen minutes of the time of the fire
men was consumed in thaWing them
out. Six streams We're put on but as it
was then impossible to save the build
ing, and as the adjoining buildings We're
already becoming ignited Chief Men
trum directed the efforts Of his men to
the smaller machine and blacksmith
shops.
department had arrived upon the scene,
and soon they also had streams working
on the burning buildings. They were
taking their water from a ditch across
the electric car track.
The works department placed itself
under Chief Mentrum's orders and ma
terially assisted at the work.
The city fire department had 500 feet
of hose out, and the way the boys
worked was really admirable. They
went at it with will. There was a
stream playing on the blacksmith shop,
one on the machinery shop. and five or
six on the main building. The city en-
CINE was very powerful, and a wagon
was sent twice to the station house for
more coal.
The crowd which looked on numbered
more than 1000,
The firemen got the fire under control
at $50 o'clock. The smoke was growing
very thick, and people began to leave
the scene. About five minutes later the
fire was completely under control. The
water power was so strong at $50 that
the roof of the building was broken in,
but fortunately no accidents resulted.
An electric light wire which ran into
the burning building broke. and it
caused quite panic among the specta-
tors who happened to be about. The
wire was charged with 5000 volts, and
the narrow escapes from deaths were
numerous. One little boy went to pick
1t up, but he was stopped in the nick of
time. The only accident from the live
electric wire was the killing of a St.
Bernard dog.
A short time after midnight the fire
had been sufficiently extinguished to
permit the firemen leaving, but a few
streams were kept on in case of emer-
gencies.
When asked about his opinion of the
fire. Chief Mentrum said to a Standard
reporter:
The fire was very bad one, and the
most difficult one we have had to han
die since / assumed charge of the de-
partment. There was plenty of water
after we had it started, but it was diff
cult to get it started, as the hydrants
We're frozen. My men did very good
wark, and l am pleased at the way they
got at the fire. l have no idea of the
amount of the damage"
Chief Mentrum was congratulated by
many persons last evening on the eff