Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-07-18
During the Furry Citizens Forgot
to Help the Fire Ladies'
HAD A HARD TINE OF 1T.
Assistant Chief McCartbey's EncOun-
ter with BysiaDder and Ills
Arrest by n Constable,

The fire ladies who assisted In get
ting the big blaze at Murray under con-
troll so handily yesterday afternoon,
say that in all their experience tley
never before saw such excitement at
fire. As the flames ate their way
through the sun warped wood Of the
Highland hotel and licked yoraclously
the timber of adjoining buildings, the
citizens became panic stricken. Muir
ray is without fire protection and 1t
looked nightly as though everything
would go up in smoke.
As a result OF this excitement. Assist
ant Chief Mccarthy and his six willing
men had their hands full for time.
AS soon as word came that help was
needed, an engine, u hose cart and 1000
feet of hose were put on an oregon
Short Line train and a speedy run was
made to Murray
Then our trouble began" said AS
sistant CHIEF Mccarthy in explaining
the matter this morning There was
no one to meet US at the depot--not q
soul IN sight. We needed lumber TO get
the heavy engine from the fiat car, but
there was none around. | sent over to
Cahoon's lumber yard for some planks.
but had to argue for awhile before
could get any; they didn't seem willing
at all to let me have It. After
working nearly an hour with no
help outside Of that furnished by the
six fremen, we finally got the steamer
from the fiat ear TO the ground. by
dropping 1t. Then we had to run the
train W to bank and jump the
horses out Of the box car-there was
no other way Of getting them out. The
people were so excited that IL never oc-
CURED to them TO help Us at all. or to
have anybody at the depot, though they
must have known that we couldn't have
gotten down with heavy engine by
any other way than by rail
when we got 10 the FIRE, there were
about 5000 people gathered there, and
they were crazy with excitement. The
first thing we did was 10 get the steam
er pumping water out ~ canal
luckily there was plenty,of water-and
to turn the hose or the burning build
ings. Then an excited citizen came
rushing up and tried to take The hose
himself with the remark that @e didn't
know how to do IL. When he didn't
get the hose, he called US numerous un-
mentionable names Well, the only way
to deal with that kind Of people Is 10
say nothing so ! soaked him one. and
sent him sprawling.
Then | was up against Il. The con-
stable jumped out of the crowd ana
told me | was under arrest and all
of the time we were doing our best 20
get the fire under control.
MY dear man, / told him, running
a big BLUM, do you know what happens
to a man who interferes with a fire.
man In the performance Of his duty?'
i never thought Of that he said.
stepping back into the crowd. The bluff
had worked.
Then the coal In the engine began TO
give out | yelled TO the constable TO
get us more coal, but he said he ala
not know many people in Murray and
didn't know where he could get any
They were so excited watching the fire
that they didn't think about helping us
put II out.
When We ala get Il out finally the
men were all pretty tired and hungry
but nobody offered TO give US any din.
ner. or to see that We got back all
right. ] had TO pass my hat around
among the iiremen 10 get enough to pay
my fare up town. never saw such an
excited crowd In my life"
The damage done by the fire Is es-
timated at between $4,000 and $4,000
with about half Of II covered by in.
surance. The new two-story brick
Highland hotel. owned by Daniel Il
Jones, was completely destroyed as
was the greater part Of the hotel fur
niture, owned by John Schroeder; a part
Of the bakery stock and outfit in one OF
the lower rooms. owned by William
Cannegeiter: a frame dwelling house
just TO the south Of the hotel, owned by
Mrs. Susanna Feltman. and occupied by
the family Of ]. II. Stratton 4 house
to the north Of the hotel. owned By Al
bert f. Caho0n was damaged 20 the
extent Of $500. The a. boarders OF the
hotel each lost personal effects In the
way Of clothing. The Slralton and Ca
hoon families saved all their furniture.
Lawrence Johnson. sheep herder.
was overcome by the heat while work
ing on the roof OF Cahoon's house. and
e. w. Butterworth, a street car motor
man fell from the same roof quite
severely hruising himself
A crowd OF negro thieves got IN their
work while Murray's citizens were try
ing 20 save furniture and other effects.
one 81 these thieves was caught red
handed. but the others escaped.