Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-08-08

~ Q C1OCA lA1S d1lClI1OOA q uI0.
astrous fire broke out at the Parrot hoist.
1t originated in the carpenter shop near
the boiler room, but the exact cause has
not yet been satisfactorily explained.
Owing to the high wind prevailing. the
flames spread rapidly and by the time
the firemen reached the scene, the whole
galluws frame and hoist were a blazing
mass, the flames leaping high in the air.
Three streams were promptly turned on,
but the water had no appreciate effect
on the fire until nearly all Of the frame
work except the heavy timbers fell with
q crash.
1t was hoped that the firemen would
now be able to control the conflagration,
but the wind had by this time increased
to a hurricane and the gulch northward,
filled with fallen debris, was a billowey
sea of flame. Directly in dts path stood a
one-story frame warehouse, and this was
soon licked UP, the roof falling in with
a crash. The firemen nov ranged them
selves between the on-coming fire n
the rows of residences and shacks north
and east. Two streams were directed to-
wards the fire, but with the wine directly
against them, the water was blown into
spray and carried back without touching
the blaze. The 1remen crept nearer the
flaming line, dashed water over their
faces, and at las succeeded in landing
the streams on the blaze, but still the
water was blown into spray and had but
little effect.
just at his time a group Of miners
who had been working On the 900 level
of the Parrot came out through the New
ersweat They reported that the shaft
was on fire down to the 300 level and the
mine filled with smoke. This caused some
alarm as to the safety of the 200 men
working below, although it was repeat
eddy explained that they could come out
through the Anaconda workings without
the slightest difficulty should they find
themselves in danger.
At 3 O'Clock all that remained of the
~splendidly equipped shaft house was 4.
seething mass of ruins. Above the blaze
and smoke lowered the mammoth gal
lows frame with the sheaves ntact One
Of the broad steel cables had been burned
off but the other remained attached to
the cage in the shaft.
HOW IT STARTED.
ouSl SlII- IL SlduNCu IL d mystery.
But all the workmen agree that 1T started
near the carpenter shop. Two car
penters We're working underneath
the carpenter shop blocking up
the floor which was %sagging. One
of the men remarked hat he believed
there was something burning and went
outside to investigate. Then he noticed
that the whole rear end of the carpenter
shop was aiblaZe. He yelled to his part
ner to come out and both made an eff
fort to save their tools, but We're unsuc-
cessful. In fact, SO quickly did the
flames spread that the men We're unable
to save their clothes which were hanging
in the shop.
The wind had been blowing strongly
from the south prior to this time at times
increasing to a gale. just about the time
of the discovery of the fire people who
were looking in that direction noticed the
Parrot hoist enveloped in a cloud of dust
reaching from the ground to high above
the smokestacks. It was a miniature
whirlwind and to it Is attributed the fact
that the flames spread SO rapidly.
+, Engineer James Murphy was on shift
and when notified of the fire he imlnedi-
ate,y gave the alarm to the miners be-
low by sending doWn the station tenders
to notify the men working On the differ
emit levels. Then the fire pump was start