The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1905-01-17
FIRE DEYASTS A HOME

~hAACAh AlAAAibo vi OndlAlSs
and all of its contents, was on
Wednesday forenoon, Jan. 11th, I
at about 10 o'clock, completely
destroyed by fire. No insurance.
The alarm was first given by !
James McLerren. who noticed
smoke issuing from the roof, and I
when he reached the scene he !
informed Mr.. and Mrs. Johnston
that their residence was on fire,
until that time they knew moth
ing of it. Mr.. Johnston rushed |
to bedroom and upon opening
the door found the room filed
with smoke and the ceiling in
flames. When he opened the door
it gave draught and the pent up
flames Immediately swept to the
parlor and other rooms in the
house. 1t was so sudden that
the inmates had barely time to
escape from the building with
their lives, and as it was, Mr..
Johnston had his beard scinged
by the fire.
There was no show to save
the building after the fire was
discovered, for it was no time it
seemed, until the property was
in ashes. When the people on
Main street first knew of it they
saw a dense volume of smoke is
suing from the building, and be-
fore they got half way to the fire
the entire structure was wrapped
in a mass of flames. Prior to
this time, however, few people
rushed into the house and saved
three or four chairs and a table
and this was all that was saved,
the heat and smoke was so suf-
locating it was impossible to do
more. And Mr.. and Mrs. John
ston, who are aged people, were
left homeless with only what
clothes they had on.
1t is not known how the fire
originated but is supposed to
have caught from a stovepipe in
a bedroom.
Mr.. and Mrs. Johnston have
been residents of Challis for
nearly a quarter of a century,
and spent nearly half of their life
for the good of this community
both socially and morally, and
in kind acts of humanity and
charity. No home has been a
more welcome one than theirs,
,, and all who ever visited them in
! their home at a party or on a
, private visit will bear US out in
t this statement. In fact they rep
2 resent the highest type of citi
zens and neighbors. They arr
getting well along in years ano
: we understand not overburdneC
2 with cash, and for their noble
life work-Mr. Johnston as
, soldier away back in the sixtie:
when he fought to keep the UnioI
intact and later years as citlzeI
e of our community, and Mrs
: Johnston-God bless her-a tru'
Christian lady, if there ever was
one, who has done so much 10.
the Church, Sabbath School anC
the community. Our people ar
t not slow in Challis and Custe
! county to lend a helping han'
! to its worthy citizens that ma,
meet with misfortunes. So o.
the same evening of the FIR
some fifty of our citizens met a
the store of r. N. Hull & Co., +
devise plans to build a new hous
for Mr.. and Mrs. Johnston, an
committees were appointed, an
in two days in this town an
valley about 5000 was raised an
when all are heard from 1t IS eS
pected the amount will reac
81 0OO-enough to build a fin
little home and furnish it.
On Friday evening the 18th
another meeting was held and
was decided to build them a HON
. and commence work at ones
. When completed Mr.. and Mrs
Johnston will be given a deed I
...>,.&x, haat.inu all TN