The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-01-16
A south SIDE BLAZE
M. O'Connell's Place DESTROYED,
Serious ConflaRration Mar
rOwly Averted. ,t
THE WATER GAVE OUT
Owing to al Accident at the Power
House Good Work by the
Firemen.

A fire. which, for a time bid fair to
be- big one. visited the south side ear
| ly Monday morning. being caused, it
il thought, by al overheated stove and
starting in what is known as the Clan
cy huilding, occupied by M. O'Con-
nell's candy AID tobacco store. and sit
uated Oh the street opposite the Mills
grocery house. S-phe fire was discovered
at about 1910 by Policeman Steinhau-
ser, but it had then gotten such good
star. that it was thought nothing could
be done to save the building. The
crowd turned its attention to saving
the contents in the Conway saloon, ad-
joining OIL the west and the New York
restaurant on the east, the O'Connell
room being one mass of flames, which
would not permit of entrance. The
fire boys were quick to respond. but af-
ter getting {he hose laid aud the hyd-
rants opened the supply Of water gave
olt in miAute or two after it was
turned on. Theeextra wagon was got
ten out and more hose laid. BY this
time the water had been turned on, the
pressure being good. and the boys soon
had four streams playing on the fire,
which it took some little time to entire.
~ extinguish.
Had the wind been blowing from the
west it is more than likely that the fire
would not have stopped until it had
burned out the two buildings east to
the California restaurant, where its
progress might have been stayed by a
brick As it WAS the CLANCY building
was entirely burned down, while the
east wall Of CONWAY S saloon and west
wall Of the Ne~ York restaurant. were
almost destroyed. Had the fire gotten
good start in the New York restaur.
ant nothing could have prevented its
communicating to Benefits saloon,
which is only divided by large door
way.
MIR. O'Connell left his store at 1890
Sunday night. at which time every
thing was apparently all right. He
went to his room under his saloon,
where he was awakened at about 1910
by someone pounding on the door and
telling him that his store was on fire.
He valued his stock and fixtures at be.
tween $500 and 81 900, upon which he
carried insurance for $500 in the st.
Paul Fire & Marine company, Of which
James Kelly is the local agent. Mr..
Kelly has already notified the company
mud an adjuster will be here in a few
days to settle the loss.
n,
owned by w. j. Bennett, who carries
no insurance on it. The west wall ia
SO badly damaged that 1t will have to
be taken out and new one put in
The old one was frame and the owner
started to repair it. when he was noti-
fed by the chief of police to discontinue
work until the city council might deter,
mine as to the kind Of repairs to be
made. In all probability the COUNCIL
will compel brick wall to be erected.
as the building is inside the fire limits
and an exceptionally dangerous fire trap
at that
The building occupied by Mr.. O'Con-
nell, which is owned by the minor heirs
of the Jos. CLANCY estate, was insured
for $500 in the Boston Insurance com.
pany, f. Il. Mann being the local agent.
As it was frame structure and poor
one. it is thought that the insurance
will cover the loss.
J. r. Conway, who was conducting
sideboard saloon between O'Oonnell's
and the Collins brick building. esti-
mates his loss to furniture, fixtures,
liquors and cigars at $3.50, with no in
surance. A large quantity of the
liquors was saved.
It took hard work to save Benefits
place, the shingles being ourled up from
heat when the water was finally turned
OIL and it is very fortunate indeed that
a serious oonflagration was avoided. It
was only prevented by the good work
of the firemen, as it was, but if they
had had water the blaze would have
been extinguished in short order.
In speaking Of the delay in getting
water, Chief Bond says it was fully ff-
teen minutes after the hydrants had
been opened before water came, When
first opened the water came out in a
strong stream for minute or so. as
though from pressure of accumulated
air, but it> then stopped suddenly.
When it came the second time it was
what the flremsn call deoent'' pres.
sure. Colonel Rowley Of the water
was asked the reason Of the
delay. He says that the pressure at
the power house was started up with
such suddenness az to blow a pipe ont
Of the pump and that the pump had to