Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-08-10
FIRE BELL
WAKES TOWN
House Owned by II. 3. Mcdonald and
Wagon Shop Of A. Jackman Both
Burn Within a Week.
MAY BE AN iNcENDIARY
Similarity Of the Two Fires Gives Rise
to Suspicious as to Origin
Theory Of Marshal.
MAY BE AN iNcENDIARY

9 and 2:30 o'clock and only the very
prompt response Of the fire depart.
ment saved it from burning Il the
ground.
The fire was first noticed from
down town by Nightwatchman Wal
ter Gooch and Will Bebb at 2:25 a.
m. The alarm was rung immediate
ly and the run was made in an in.
credibly short time, considering the
obstacles to overcome. The night
was dark and the boys ran through
no less than three wire fences. The
nearest hydrant to the fire was the
one located at Vehawn's corner on
Third avenue and a line of hose was
quickly laid. It was necessary to go
over fences and through streams of
water in getting to the house. The
work was done swiftly, however. for
the water was put on the house at
2;4O and the fire was out at 1855.
The house is a story and a half
frame building and has only been
built a little over a year. II had
been occupied until Friday evening
by II. II. Brown, ne having moved
that day. getting the last of his house
hold goods out of the house at seven
O'Clock in the evening. The stove
| atru. Vn1.a. ...N 81 sknN ...4 l..r sln.a
had been no fire in ii since dinner
was cooked at oon According TO
the appearance of things at the house
after the fire and the location of the
flame when the fire was discovered,
the blaze evidently originated in the
nenighborhood of the chimney. Wheth.
or from a defective fluc or not will
probably not be found out.
The roof was burned so badly that
il will he impossible TO repair 1t. but
the lower floors were only damaged
by the water. The fire boys did good
work and confined the blaze to the
roof. II was possible to get only one
line Of hose to the fire, owing 10 the
distance from the hydrant, but this
furnished plenty of water and the
work was done in quick time. The
boys showed the effect of the prac.
tees that are held from time to time
and all seemed to understand what
was required of them. The owner of
the house had only words of praise
for the department and realized that
had II not been for their good work
he would have suffered "A complete
loss.
Mr.. Mcdonald. in talking of the
fire the next morning. said that he
could not account for IL, as there
was ne fire in the stove for twelve
hours before the fire was discovered.
He knew OF nothing wrong with the
chimney and did not know of the
fire until he was awakened by the
fire bell. He. with the help of a mum.
her of the ~neighbors. tried 10 keep
the blaze down by the means OF buck
cts until the arrival of the depart.
meni. He valued the house at ST.
800 and estimates the damage ut
something in the neighborhood of
5000. He carried insurance on the
building in the sum of $1,000.
Fire Chief John Bebb was awak.
ened by the fire bell and was told the
fire was at the pumping station. He
was careful 10 see that things looked
all right down town before leaving
for the fire. and his suspicious were
aroused by seeing a number of sus-
plclnus characters hanging around the
alleys. He appointed two or three
more deputies 10 keep watch around
the streets and then went TO the fire.
Tie Immediately took charge and the
lrn was soon eXtinguishcd. In his
opinion the origin of the fire is one
about which there may be some doubt.
As soon as ii was possible to do so
he vent up stairs in the house and
examined the chimney, which he
found to be cold under the plaster.
In digging around in the debris di.
rectly under the trap door leading up
into the attic and close to the chin.
ney. he found a tin can about the
size of a five pound lard pail which
may have been used t. start the fire.
OF course this is mere conjecture,
but there Is room for a doubt as Ia
whether or not this IRE may have
been started by an incendiary. Mr..
Mcdonald says he knows of no one
who would have any reason TO set fire
TO his house.
ii. h. Brown. the man who occupied
the house up to the night of the fire
and I. ID. Lease, who was living with
him, say that everything was all righl
as FAR as they were able to see when
they left the house Friday evening
There had been no fire in the stove
and the pipes had all been cleaned
They were upstairs taking out O
trunk before leaving the house. They
did not lock the doors on leaving and
Mr.. Mcdonald says they We're moi
locked during the night.
Jackman's Wagon shop Burns.
II The second fire within a week &c
CURED Monday morning early wher
the wagon shop of A. Jackman in tn,
rear of Matt Weber's blacksmith shoI
was slightly damaged.
The alarm was turned in a
r 2:lO Monday morning by AL. Weyder
J and by the time the department ar
rived the blaze had got under gooC
Roadway.
> The fire must have started upstair
/. where the hard wood lumber and thu
D wagon supplies are stored. for all tn,
r damage was done in the roof towar'
the front end Of the shop. The strang
thing about the whole affair beinI
that there was no fire in the sho
and no one had been there Sunday
The building is owned by Mat
Weber and he carries insurance O.
building and tools in the sum of 81
900. The damage all told will prof.
ably amount to $3.50. The stock Q
Mr.. Jackman Is all a total loss.