The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-04-05
MIDNIGHT BLAZE CUTS c. o. D.
GROCERY STORE.
ITS ORIGIN IS UNKNOWN.
No one Connected With Establish
ment Knows How Fire Start
ed-PatriaIIy Insured.

Shortly after IL o'clock last night
the fremen sleeping at the station
were awakened by some one pounding
on the doors and yelling that the G.
o D. grocery store in Montana avenue
was on fire. Prompt response was
made by those in the building, while
an alarm was sounded to warn the
minute men that their services we're
needed Shortly afterward second
alarm was turned ini as from the dense
and sitting volumes OF smoke that
greeted the first arrivals it was
thought that fire of more than or
dinary magnitude threatened.
When the firemen arrived at the
store they found the door locked. TO
break this open was the work of only
a moment and an entrance was made.
The smoke that filled the building
was SO great that it was almost an
impossibility for a human being to
stand it and a number OF the firemen
were overcome and had to be carried
out by their companions. This and
the fact that it was with considerable
difficulty that the fire could be located
made the task of the department all
the harder. The open door and the
streams OF water gradually caused
the smoke to lessen and it was found
that the fire was in the cellar, near
the center and on the west side OF
the room. gBefore it could be gotten
under control it had burned a hole
through the floor and the heavy weight
the latter sustained, together with the
weakened timbers that had been in
several places almost totally eaten
away by the flames caused the floor
to cave in.
Water was poured into the hole and
! another stream played through
small window above the sidewalk in
front. By hard and persistent work
the firemen gradually gained the up
per hand and finally the last smoul-
dering ember was extinguished.
Origin a Mystery.
I Lorin 7. Jones, junior member OF
the firm that owned the store, was
seen by The Gazette this morning and
asked as to the probable origin OF
the fire. He said that he had no idea
as to how it originated. No fire was
kept in the cellar at any time. A
large lamp was kept lighted during the
day to keep the temperature of the
cellar at sufficient height to ripen
some bananas that were stored there.
At O'Clock, when the store was
closed for the day, David Mcleod,
one Of the clerks, went into the eel
lar and put out the light, consequent
ly Mr.. Jones did not believe that the
! fire could have started from the lamp.
! Mr.. Mcleod was questioned in re-
gard to the lamp and said it was bare
| ly possible that the wick continued
to burn after he had turned 1t down
and slowly eaten its way into the oil
in the lamp, but this he regarded as
highly improbable, but it was the only
explanation he could possibly give.
Is a Total Loss.
OF course, about all the goods stored
in the cellar were ruined by the fire
and water. The possible exception Is
in the case of some vinegar that was
in barrels. In the store itself about
everything is spoiled, as the wares
there are wafer soaked and damaged
by smoke. Even the canned goods,
or most of them, were heated to 9 de-
gree that renders them unfit for use.
Mr.. Jones said the loss would beA
total. He estimated the value OF
the stock to have been s. 1900. Apn
which insurance to the amount Of
$4,000 was carried.
This forenoon the agents OF the
different companies In which policies
are held met and took steps to adjust
! the loss
Until Mr.. Thompson, the other mem
ber of the firm, who is out Of the city
returns nothing will be known - t07
whether the store viii be reopened
! The building belongs to mAnH
named O'Neill, VINO resides ct Helena
! and is known to be insured.
D.