The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1911-07-31

services, practically all of the furniture
was saved. The only loss was occa-
stoned by needless breaking of the
things as they were excitedly thrown
from windows or dropped In transit.
So hot were the flames that they
scorched the doors and window castings
and broke several windows of the south
portion of the Coleman flats on Pattee
street. just across the alley from the
barn where the flames started The
damage here, however, was slight.
The building that was in most dan
ger from the flames and yet came
through unharmed, was the Higgins
residence, just across Pattee street from
the fire scene. This Is frame struc-
ture but was kept well soaked by a
garden hose and an occasional dash
from the fire hose and withstood the
heat and the shower of cinders with
out damage.
The origin of the fire remains
complete mystery. Mr. King. who
conducted the livery barn, stated that
he left the. place for the depot about
1880 o'clock and at that time every
thing was all right. He started back
the barn when he saw the flames. His
first thought was for Morris whom
he had left asleep, and 1t was with
difficulty that he succeeded in rescu-
ing him. A few seconds more and it
would have been too late. The one
horse in the barn he could not reach
and, with tears streaming down his
face, Mr.. King told his wife, who has
tened to the scene upon seeing the
flames, that everything they had In
the world was lost but worse than all.
the poor horse was burning to death.
Origin Unknown.
II have no idea how the flames could
have started. Morris was asleep,
think when left and no one else was
in the barn. I think the stuff had
in there will run to about $4,000. all a
total loss"
For a time the heat from the burn
ing buildings threatened to damage the
fronts of the Harnois theater and In
dependent telephone building. With
two garden hose, however, the walls
and windows were kept wet and cool,
only one plate-glass window of the
theater being cracked. Quick work
here probably saved a considerable
loss.
For a time after the fire started
there was great excitement about the
scene. The flames spread SO fast
from the barn to the theater and then
to the Johnson house that It was al
most incredible and there were many
In the crowd who walled that the city
was doomed, and for a time this spirit
seemed to run through the crowd. With
a high wind blowing it Is questionable
what would have been the result. TO
the east, the Green Il Ellinghouse
barn would have surely burned and
the old Methodist church, frame
building, standing just cast in the
street, would undoubtedly have ig-
nited and from this a residence Sec
ton would have been endangered Had
the wind carried the flames the other
direction, west, the heart of Missoulas
business district would have been in
very grave danger.
The greatest help in the fight of the
firemen was the strong head of water
available when the three streams were
finally in action. The pressure was
such that half dozen men could
scarcely control the muzzle OF each
hose and there was no need of an en-
gine to pump stronger stream.
The only feature OF the fire which
might have been serious under other
circumstances was the delay I'm get
ting water on the flames--a delay