The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-04-23
GALLANT FIGHT TO
SAVE THE MINT
Two Hundred Million Dollars in
Coin and Bullion Was at
Stake.
BRAVE FIREMEN AND
EMPLOYEES TRIUMPHED
Conflict Was Worse and More
Dangerous Than Great
Battle.

SAN FRANCISCO, April "a land
mark OF San Francisco that escaped de-
struction, though every building surround
Ing IL wns destroyed. is tho United States
mint; at the corner OF Fifth and Mission
streets. Harold Fronch. an employee Of
the mint. gave a graphic account OF how
the flames were successfully fought. He
said
Great Store of Wealth
Nearly saD0 10000 In coin and bullion
are stored in the vaults of the mint and
for the preservation Of this prize devoted
hand of employees. reinforced by regular
soldiers. fought until tho bsnled flames
fed To the conquest of stately blocks OF
so-called hreproof buildings.
Surrounded by Fire.
For seven hours a sea of fre surged
around this grand old Federal ediflce, at
tackilg In on all sides with waves OF
fierce heat Its little garrison was cut Off
from retreat for hours at a timo, had such
course been thought OF by those on
guard.
THE United States mint was CON
structed in 1874 OF granite and sandstone
blocks, massive monollths. well calculated
10 resist fire from without.
Danger Was Great.
within. however were enough imam
aole materials TO feed a lively con-
Migration. Iron shutters shielded the
lower floors, but the windows OF the
fnery and assay office, were exposed. Al
so tarred roof over the refinery consti-
OF wood and other lnfiammable ma
terial scattered about tho roof and upper
story were serious menace.
Took Every Precaution.
After the fire had swept past the Mis-
sion street side and the certainty OF it's
ent. Captain of the Watch Haws ordered
everything on the roof TINT would
burn thrown into the yard, Soldiers and
mint employees worked with utmost haste
throwing great timbers and tank staves
into the court. Here arc located some
thirty tanks of blue vitrol the sur
debris, into which increasing showers of
cinders fell. Fortunately the mint
possesses good wall, and Engineer
Brady. at his post, pumped water to the
fire fighters assembled the roof, OF
these forty were mint employees, and they
were aided by company OF coast
artillery.
Flames Came Nearer.
AS the FIRE swept up Fifth street the
hent increased to dangerous degree as
one by one tho Metropolitan hall and tho
historic Lincoln school burst into flames.
reinforced by the roaring furnace Of
the Emporium. On the west tho block
bounded by Sixth and Market street on
the north gave the srayest concern.
certain TO rage In Its fury Famed
by roaring northerly wind the flames
Itoted through the structures stretching
from tho Windsor hotel to the Emma
Spreokles building; sheets of fire 200 feet
high licked up the intervening houses on
Mint avenue Augmented by those tindor
boxes, the blast of fire burst on the north
west corner of the mint like the breath
Of second Pelee.
Made Desperate Stand.
"A few desperate fighters under ex-
Chief Kennedy OF Oakland were driven
from between the tottering chimneys
1,dn vrkn fyI-i, fhn, hol
gled to the last throwing buckets OF
water upon the blnzing roof over the re-
fnsry It is largely GS;s, due DUE. to the expert
tar-covered roof, the weakest spot OF all
was saturated with sufficient water to
stay the flames.
Stuck to Their Posts.
When the fire leaped Mint avenue in
stuck to their windows as long as the |
glass remained In the frames. Seventy
fve feet of an inch-hose played slender
stream upon the bluzing window sill, |
while the floor was awash with diluted !
sulphic acid Ankle deep in this soldiers
and employees stuck to the floor until the
guee OF FIRE licked gTcedily the inner
walls. Binding and suffocatng smoke |
necehsitated the abandonment OF the hose
and the fighters retreated to the floor
below The roar OF falling walls, the !
thunder OF bursting blocks OF stone. the
din of crashing glass, swelled to an un-
Like Great Battle.
II thirtcen-lnch shells were crashing
against the mint walls the dcafeninp de-
donations and the jar OF their Impact |
would scarcely have exceeded the fury |
of the attack. Down In the deens, whore
untold wealth Is well sAfeguarded ar
tillerymen. ringed with blanket rolls and |
leaning on their rifles, coughed In the |
stranglng smoke,
Then came lull, the walls Of brick
buildings across the street had all fallen
There was yet fighting chance so back |
TO the upper story the fire-flghters re- |
turned, led by Superintendent Leach. who |
By example and words encouraged his |
woodwork OF the refinery
Roof Kept Soaked
The roof was next swept by n booo
cooling the copper shoet head surfa ce IN
I'll IL became passablu for wet acid-
soaked feet An arrny officer. axe In
hand tore up sections OF blazing tar rons
rected. AT length, as o'clock drew nesr
the mint was pronounced out Of danenrr
and a handful OF exhausted but eynIpssn.
employees stumbled upon the hot cobbIo |
stones TO learn the fate of some OF their
homes
Tho mint presents scorched md
glossos5 front on the north and ycst and
down, but the building is intact and ths
plant is unharmed and ready for re
sumption OF work
There were sensational rumors M -,
attack OF thieves upon the mint in
which fourteen were killed in tho az
tempt, but II Is needless to say tho+ tho
garrison OF the mint Is equal To anS
n ma nrfC