The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-07-13
Lesson of the Fire.

What would have been the most dis
astrous fire in the history of Butte was
providentially prevented this morning by
heroic work on the part of the firemen.
Though no lives were lost, number of
men and women in the threatened build
ing experienced the awful sensations
which generally precede death from fire
and smoke, and acts of heroism We're
performed rejecting as much credit on
the actors as though their worst fears
at the time had been realized. Some Of
the women who faced the terrors of the
situation with faint hope of rescue
shared fully with the men the credit for
GOODNESS and courage. Even the bell
boys of the hotel showed the stuff that
heroes are made Of.
The lesson Of the fire is plain. The
apparatus of the city fire department is
inadequate to handle a great fire. Last
night there was but one ladder that
could be used in the work Of rescue from
the windows, and had two buildings
been on fire instead of one, men and
women would have leaped to certain
death on the sidewalks rather than suf-
focate with the smoke and heat. Not
only was there but one ladder, but even
that was for a time almost useless on
account Of the network of wires in
front of the building. The city should
get more fire ladders and put all wires
wi
among it's fire-fighters some of the
bravest and best drilled firemen in the
country. They did glorious work this
morning, risking their lives as they
forced their way into the blazing cellar
through cloud of black, hot smoke.
They did splendid work with the one
ladder available also, but the best fire.
men on earth are powerless when not
equipped with all needed apparatus.
Though the burning basement was
within fifty yards of the fire station, it
was some moments before the depart
ment could get the ladder past the wires.
Had there been more ladders they could
have handled much greater fire, but
with only one ladder the Imagination
stands aghast at what might have been
had contiguous buildings been ablaze.
It is dus to Mr.. Wilson to say that
he some time ago let a contract for the
Owsley block people for heat for the
Butte hotel. and that the trenches are
dug and the connections almost ready
to make. He has long been convinced
of tho oc ;S,
building Nothing but the fact that the
elevator was near the bottom Of the
shaft, thus partly combining the smoke
and heat, saved the building from de-
struction. The tile floors also served
to prevent the spread Of the flames
while the work of rescue was going on
Mr.. Wilson was one of the first men
to take in the situation, and at once
went to the top floor, where the smoke
and heat We're the worst, to assist the
panic stricken and direct the others ia
places of safety. He speaks highly Of
the wonderful courage of Mrs. Duncan
Cameron, who, with her 10-year-old boy
clinging around her neck, passed through
the terrible hes.t and smoke down three
flights of stairs. Mr.. Cameron having
gone to the elevator to find an exit for
his family, had fallen helpless from q
blast Of hot air, which threatened instan,
death. 1t was then that Mrs. Cameron
grasping their son, effected her owr
rescue, suppos!ng hey husband would re-
cover and follow.
There were other displays of grea
courage on the part Of lady guests 8.
well as their natural protectors particu
lars of which appear in our loca
columns.
The lesson of the fire, however, is tn
discovery of the fact that in the matte
of fire ladders for the saving of huma
life the fire department is woefully def
Gent, and that there is urgent need O
putting the telephone and telegrap
wires under ground in the central par
of the city.