The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-07-16
COLD and
CREENBACkS
Saved for John McGinnis at
Butte
WAS IN HIS CLOTHES
Which Were In the Butte Hotel. Interestinp
q . A count Of the Butte Hotel
Fire.

The fire in the Butte hotel could
with propriety be called a most for
tunate fire. What might have been a
terrible holocaust did but compare
lively little damage and no one was
seriously injured.
The damage to the building was
small and the greatest loss was to the
Of the hotel. Manager H.
l. Wilson places the loss at about
$4,000, which is fully covered with in
surance. Just how the fire started is
a mystery, as there were no exposed
electric wires in the engine room,
where the flames were first discover
ed. The engineer left the building
at about midnight and the supposition
is that some OF the tre from the crate
of the boiler communicated with the
woodwork, says the Butte Miner.
The flames ate away the floor j0isls
above the boiler and burned small
hole, which let the heavy safe in the
Office fall into the engine room. A
small hole was burned in the floor of
the pool room, and it was only
through the heroic endeavors of the
members of the fire department that
the flames were confined to the low
er floor. Had they at any time got be-
yond the control of the men several
deaths would without doubt have been
recorded. AS it was the fire communi-
Gated with the elevator shaft and in
the twinkling of an eye ran up the
creased sliding poles Of the elevator
and attacked the wood work at the
top of the shaft. The fire was discOv-
cred in the shaft by Mr.. Wilson, and
a line of hose was taken up the stairs
and it only took moment to subdue
these flames. In extinguishing the
fire in the top of the elevator shaft
considerable damage was done to the
carpets by the water.
In the basement where the fire was
raging fiercely and trying to reach the
upper part of the building the fire.
men had all kinds of difficulties to
contend with. The place was small
and hard to get around in, and the
smoke was sitting, but the men kept
bravely alto the work, although they
were almost suffocated. The eleva-
tor was standing on the first floor
and prevented the flames from enter.
ing the upper part of the building, and
the little tongue of fire that followed
the sliding poles was discovered and
extinguished before it could gain any
headway.
Immediately after sending in the
alarm to the fire department Night
Clerk Gus English ran to the top of
the building and at the top of his
voice gave the alarm of fire. He
kicked and hammered at doors, and
although he did not reach all OF
them, the startling cry of "Fire!"
echoed through the halls. He was
most ably assisted by Dick Miles.
one of the bell boys. better known as
Red" The latter went to every room
on the top floor and gave the alarm
anu was still at his work when he had
70 crawl on his hands and knees
through the smoke. He was one Of
the last to leave the upper floors and
acted as the hero throughout. Ser
geant of Police J. Dawson, Tom La
veil, p. J. Gilligan and Charles Ray
were among the first on the scene and
went into the building to assist in the
work of arousing the guests. They per-
sisted at their work, although blind
ed and choked by the smoke. and Ser
geant Dawson carried one woman
down the stairs in his arms, as she
was unable to walk.
After he had reached the sidewalk
with his burden he was approached
by John MacGinnis, who asked him
to rescue his clothing in one of the
upper rooms. It looked like hope
less task, but Mr.. Dawson, accompa-
MED by Messrs. Gilligan and Lavell.
made the effort and they we're sue
cessful. When they turned the cloth
ing over to the owner the later told
them that there was $4,000 In gold
and currency in them and two checks
for 100000 each. The work OF the
trio was not unrewarded.
While the excitement was ct its
height and the smoke pouring In vol