The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1903-04-20
BRAVE FIREMEN HURT
AT BLAZE MENACING
TWO HUNDRED LIVES
Upper Floors of the Olson Block Filled With Lodgers
'"c Scene of Wild Panic When Flames Are
DSCovered-Three Hour Battle

in the second story and quenced II before
II had q chance to cause loss OF life or
bring any serious damage.
In the basement a desperate fight was
on. Three lines Of hose were laid.
At the nozzles two men CROPPED and
coughed, moving slowly forward with
streaming eyes into clouds of yellow
smoke, until they gained entrance at the
rear. Here the hook and ladder men had
chopped away area windows.
Another line got access from the south
side. The squad AZ its nozzle faced the
same difficulty met 10y their fellows in
the rear. Both companies entered at the
same time.
They battled with an ugly basement fire
made still more dangerous by the wagons
which crowded the floor. over these they
had 10 climb. dragging the heavy lines OF
hose, hard work under any circumstances.
and made almost impossible IN the sitting
fumes.
1t was in this work that Capt. Fred
Martin was injured. lie had climbed TO
the top of one OF the wagons aud was
trying to direct dis men when his foot
slipped and he fell ~ the darkness. To-
day he Is able to walk about, but he will
he ldmc for some time.
Assistant Shicf Jerry Shinnick had
charge of tue department. He was IN
every part OF the building, on a ladder
when the flames on the root were hottest,
aud again fighting his way into the yellow
Tunes IN the basement 10 his GOODNESS
aud hard work the men themselves at
tribute the fact that the building was
saved from further damage.
The amount of this damage is still an
opcn question. Shlunlck places that done
the building AZ $500. lie states that II is
hard 10 name the amount done the stock.
but dues not think 1t was more than
$1,000.
W. II Ayers. salesman Tor the olson
Christian company says the stock suf-
icrcd $1,000 damages. The building he
says, viii sustain q loss OF about per-
haps, $1,000. Part of dis hc IN
cludcs ~ the cost Of laying new floors
for tho basement aud first story and part
for new ceiling for the first story
The lodging house on the second and
third floors had about 200 men aud
women roumcrs. These were all asleep
when the alarm was given. A man rushed
down the stairs AZ about i:t5 o'clock and
fired five shots from a revolver Another
followed shouting IRE
By this time others had awakened.
These started 10 alarm other lodgcrs
When the department arrived many had
gained the street Some. who had re-
mained in the hope OF saving property,
and few who had not been awakened,
were notified OF their danger by the fire
men.
Ludicrous scenes were not lacking. An
intoxicated man with half dozen white
shirts and AN armful Of dirty collars
gained the hall on the third floor in time
TO receive q stream OF water which eff
fectually ruined his laundry aud drcnchcd
his half clothed form. Several women en-
dcshabillc, ran 10 the street then realized
their condition as TO clothing aud hunted
cover with remarkable speed
II was 2 o'clock before the recall
sounded. That the flames, coming as they
did from the four places al once, were
cxtnguished with so little damage is
fact which has brought many conRratula-
tiOns 10 members of the department.