The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1902-02-05
ONLY THREE OF THE BODIES
HAVE so FAR BEEN REcov-
4. Erred By WoRKMEN.
MONEY LOSS ABOUT $4,000
Flames Were Soon Under Control But
Inhammable Stuff on upper Floor
Continued to Burn and When the
Floor Gave Way Three Firemen Per-
ished-Wall Fell on Rescusrs and
Thus Three More Lost Their Lives.
fBy Associated Press.l

(By Associated Press)
st. Louis, Feb. 5.--The fire that last
night destroyed the five-story building at
312 and 314 Chestnut street, occupied by
the American Tent and Awning COM
pany, resulted In the death of six fire.
men who were crushed by the falling
walls and floors.
Three of the bodies have been recov-
cred and the firemen are digging at the
immense heaps OF ruins In order to reach
the others.
The dead:
AUGUST THIERRY, first assistant
chief
MICHAEL KEHOE, assistant foreman
company No. 13.
DANIEL w. STEELE, foreman COM
pany No. ~.
WILLIAM DuNDoN, pipeman. COM
FRANKLIN M'BRIDE, company No.
12.
CHARLES KRENNING, plpeman
company No. IL.
Origin Not Known.
The injured, none of whom is seriously
hurt, are: Chief Swimgley, William
Wann, foreman No. 13; Patrick Nc
Carthy, engineer No. 6; Monroe Moore,
electric light Inspector; William Juelg,
driver for Assistant Chief Thierry;
Frank Lingo, assistant driver No 6
truck; Chief Swingley, who was knocked
down and struck by flying debris, soon
recovered and bent all his energies to
rescuing the firemen.
The manner in which the fire orlgi-
mated Is not known.
The loss to- all interests in the build
ing 10 total % tyy,o tad
The fire broke out last night, the cold
est of the season, about 8 o'clock. The
fire companies soon had the flames par
TALLY under control.
An hour after the fire started timbers
and infammable material on the upper
floor continued to burn and a line was
run up to extinguish the flames. Three
pipemen were operating this stream
when the floor on which they stood gave
way without warning and they ~fell
with 1t.
Buried All Inside.
Assistant Chief Therry,. who was on a
lower floor, heard the crash. Gathering
together few men, he went to the res
cue of his comrades. Hardly had the
rescuers disappeared into the structure
when the front wall fell forward. and the
entire building collapsed, burying be-
meath its ruins every one inside.
Spectators, police officers and firem n
on Chestnut street saw the walls totter
and managed to escape on either side
before 1t fell. Firemen in the alley back
of the building fed when the ripping
sound of crumbling walls was heard and
for the most part escaped without in
jury
ITO all appearances" said Chief
Swingley, there was no danger to the
pipemen who went into the upper floors.
"The fire was all on the fourth and
fifth floors and more on the fifth than on
the fourth. Under such circumstances.
no one would expect building to COL
lapse"
The building, which was nearly so
years old, was weak and the water with
which 1t had been flooded. loosened it's
joists and soaked its walls. When the
pipemen entered the walls were already
tottering.
Three Men Escape.
William O'Donnell, John Purcell and
William O'Connel OF Salvage Corps No.
!, were covering material. with tar pa"
per on the upper floor when the wall
started to fall. They were carried out
ward with 1t and landed safely in the
street.
William Wann, foreman OF engine COM
pany No. 49, was on the second floor
when the collapse came. Falling plaster
warned him OF the danger and he slipped
down the bannister to the first floor
and ran into the street
Patrick r. Mccarthy and William
Juelich, who were about to enter the
building In an effort to rescue their
comrades, were struck by falling de-
bris and severely injured
Fifteen persons were thought to have
been In the building when 1t collapsed.
Only roll call could tell how many
had escaped
Darkness Handicapped the rescuers, for
all the electric wires were cut and the
debris smothered what little fire re-
mained in the building. just before the
collapse. The groars of the firemen in
the debris were at first the only guides
Their comrades had.
Work Of Rescue.
Calcium lights were brought on tho
scene and by their glare the work of res
cue proceeded. A force OF negro roust-
abouts were procured fron/ she levee
to aid In the work.
Wives, children and other relatives of
the firemen gathered around the scene
and awaited tidings of their loved ones
AS 1t became certain that all who
were buried there were dead, these were
led away by friends.
At 10 o'clock this morning, the groans
from the debris ceased and Chief Swing
ley said he had no doubt that all who
were caught We're dead. 1t was not un-
I'll o'clock when the first body was
found. 1T was William Dundon.
"A spark of life was found and the
mangled body was taken to the hos
pitaL Before reaching there, however,