The Washington times., 1911-11-14
IN FLOOD AND FIRE
but NEVER INJURED,
4 RECORD OF SMITH
Montana Man, In Capital,
Tells of His Many Mar
/. row Escapes.

Narrowly escaping from the Chicago
nre. the Johnstown flood, and the San
Francisco earthquake, r.. Harry Smith,
OF Butte, Mont, now a Washington WIS.,
3tor, is still of the opinion that every
/. man ought to carry life insurance.
Probably no man in the National Cap
ital today has had more hairbreadth
escapes than Mr.. Smith, who, in ad-
tion to experiencing the catastrophes
above, also has been a participant In
two railroad wrecks and been shot at
while serving as deputy sheriff in a
Nevada mining camp. He never has
bsen hurt. Mr.. Smith has in the course
of not very long life been farmer, a
railroad man. a country newspaper
editor, a travelling salesman, q cowboy,
dozen other things. His Washington
visit Is occasioned by q new sort of ven-
ture-he Is on his honeymoon.
In Fire and Flood.
Mr.. Smith was year old when the
great Chicago fire occurred, in 1871.
His parents lived in Pearl street, which
was In the district swept by the flames
and all they carried off with them was
Baby Smith and a small tin trunk. The
family then moved to Bellefonte, Pa,
and Mr.. Smith, growing up became a
frequent visitor to Johnstown, where
he played the fife in a Sons of Veteras.s s
organization: The day of the flood ne
at the home Of some relatives when the
disaster occurred.
my aunt and were looking out the
WINDOW" said Mr.. Smith, I'm ner home
hill. My aunt was Just saying. I be-
say It's just crying "wolf," but think
"Just as she spoke I saw the steeple
of the Lutheran church, less than a
quarter Of mile away, topple and
fall. I cried to my aunt:
the HILL We did and Just saved our
lives. Twenty-three hundred or more
others were not so fortunate, you will
remember.
Flees From Danger.
II was staying at the United States
Hotel, in San Francisco, when the earth
quake occurred" continued Mr.. Smith.
II was in bed, of course. and the first
thing I knew was when a large bunch
OF plaster hit me on the head and face.
''soot was pouring down the Chin
ney, and ! thought 1t was a fire. I
head Sticking Ry feet sto my
--or rather one foot. for / did not get
the other leg on until was down on
the fourth floor My room was on the
looking out, the trolley wires seemed
to be just even with the window OF
my room. I got out to the street all
right, and soon made my way to Oak
land.
Near Exploding Main.
when I came back next day with
mains were catching afire and explod-
ing. When we were near q big fat
man q main exploded under the street
not nifty feet from us. The fat man
was shot ten feet into the air. when
he came down he actually bounced four
feet like a rubber ball. landing on his
feet.
Never touched me!' he cried with
o smile, though there was still a sur
prised look on his face. This express
sion suddenly changed. He fell over
reached him.
One of the railroad wrecks which
Mr.. Smith was in, was comparative.
ly small affair; the other a plunge
trestle near Snowshoe, Pa. He escaped
with few bruises. This was in 1877
when he was boy Of about seven
Kin of Noted Jurist.
Mr.. Smith is the great great grand
son of Judge Mcintyre, of Culpeper
Courthouse, Va, a jurist who had a
remarkable record of no reversed de-
cisions. Another ancestor was one
Of the builders Of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad.
Z Mr.. Smiths marriage took place in
Occur dAlene, Idaho, the. ceremony
being performed by an old man who
was his fathers terminate during the
war.
Mr.. Smith and his bride. who is a
native of Hayward. Wis, OF Gamer
on Dam" fame. and Mr.. Smith travel
ed to Coeur dAlene to be married by
the aged man.