The Western news. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1890-1977, 1910-10-25
INSURANCE ADjUSTERs AND
CARPENTERS IN BIG STORE
Manager Fisk Expects Most Depart
ments to Resume Business Modav:
Story of the Fire.

Manager w. o. Fisk of the Valley
Mercantile company store, stated last
evening that most of the departments
OF the big store will have resumed bus
mess at the old stands by the first of
next week
On Friday afternoon, as soon as the
lire had been brought under control.
lumber for the roof of the store was
ordered and by Thursday Mr.. Fisk an
poets to have force Of 25 carpenters
at work repairing the structure. To-
DAY men will begin clearing the de-
brls from the second floor and the
Office. The office force is temporar-
lily making headquarters in the office
OF the Bitter Root stock farm. 1t is
thought that the roof can be rebuilt
and the entire building rehabilitated
in couple of weeks.
The task of adjusting the insurance
IS we'll under way. Adjuster Peck
ham of Butte, representing the San
francisco companies, arrived Sunday
evening and the adjusters for the Chi
cago and eastern companies are ex
pected today. Everything is in good
shape and it is expected that a salts
factory adjustment will be speedily Sc
cured.
The building and stock were fully
insured, the policies covering the
building being cooperative and those
covering the stock concurrent. The
insurance was with 26 companies. The
loss is estimated at $125, 900.
AS to plans for the future Mr.. Fisl,
stated that they propose to get in
shape to do business as quickly as
possible. The salvage and old stock
will be cleaned out as rapidly as POS
slble for what it will bring, making
room for an absolutely clean and up
to-date stock OF spring goods.
Despite the fact that there are sew
eral other good stores in, town, the
closing of this big store, the center of
trade in Hamilton and vicinity for SO
many years, is felt acutely by a large
public. AS many have remarked dur
ing the past few days, at doesn't seem
like home" with this great depot of
supplies out of commission.
The volunteer fire department, aft
er the boys got strung out" did splen-
did work and are deserving of much
credit. But until reinforced from the
A. &. M. Co. plant with hose and help
ers. they were badly handicapped and
until the big pumps at the mill got
busy the pressure in the mains was
mighty slack, scarcely sufficient to
throw single stream of water.
Story of the Fire.
Fire completely gutted the big store
OF the Valley Mercantile company Fri
day morning and for time it was
feared that most of the business sec
tlon of the city, including several new
blocks, would be reduced to ashes. By
prompt action on the part of the fire
department and many willing hands
outside of the department the fire was
confined to the companys building,
and finally controlled but not until the
roof and contents of the second floor
had been consumed by the flames.
The fire originated from one of the
three large boilers that heat the build
ing and other business houses of the
city. Some people advance the theory
that the fire was caused by combus-
tlon of dust above the boilers; others
that heat ignited the woodwork When
discovered the flames were roaring up
the elevator shaft to the rear of the
grocery department and had spread
to the rear of the furniture depart
ment on the second floor.
The blaze was discovered by Night
Watchman Frank Cothrell at about 7
o'clock and he at once notified j. j.
Crush and L. l.. Leonard who rushed
to the city hall and gave the alarm.
The fire department of the city and
the Anaconda Copper Mining company
were promptly on hand and soon one
of the fiercest fights ever waged
against flames in this city was on.
Soon the streets were crowded with
most of the city's population, every
one feeling that the entire business
section was doomed The entire abb
sence of wind assisted materially in
the efforts of the firemen.
Difficult to Locate.
When the department arrived the en-
tire interior Of the dry goods, shoe, ,
hardware, grocery and implement de- ]