The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1912-08-30

History of Roman will date hereafter
from August "a, 1912, the date of the
big fire. On that day at between
$3.50 and 2:45 y. m., the exact minute
being in dispute, fire was discovered
in the automobile garage of Craw-
ford & Clairmont, in the alley to the
rear of the Hart pool hall. BY the
time any one was on the ground the
flames were eating their way into the
icehouse of the Glacier Drug company
and into Dr. Fuhrer's garage and the
pool hall. One of the fiercest winds
of the season was blowing at the
time, and it simply forced the fire
ahead at a rate never before wit
messed in the burning of a town or
city, From the pool hall the flames
extended to DR.. Sheen's dental office,
in the Clairmont & Crawford build
ing, ard across the alley to the Bell
Telephone company's exchange. Will
ing hands were ready to fight the
progress of the fire, but there was
simply nothing to fight it with. The"
chemical engine was not charged and
before it could be half the town was
in ashes and the remainder beyond
hope of saving. From DIR. Sheen's Of
flee the flames extended to the shoe
repairing shop of Morris Flatman,
the real estate office of Crawford &
Clairmont, the real estate office of
Brewer & Hollingsworth, the Roman
State Bank, on the south, and DR..
Fuhrer's office and hospital and the
Glacier Drug company building to the
west On the north the Pablo hotel,
a two-story building. was soon en-
veloped in flames and the Ritter
building was next to go. Abe Neil
leur's blacksmith shop. M. J. Bene
diets general store, Richard McLeod's
pool hall, recently leased to j. c.
Moore, Lemire Bros. general store,
James H. Bonner's new store and hall
building and the harness shop followed
in order.
Next was the tinshop of A. l.. Miller,
and this practically wiped out the
whole block, with the exception of the
empty pool hall owned by w. H.
Smead adjoining the Pioneer office
which was the last building to catch
on fire in the block in which the fire
started.
The flames swept across the street
to the east from the Hart pool hall
anu lHe DdID DeI SliOp VI opeHSeI
Powell was soon ablaze. A heroic
effort was made to stem the progress
at this point hose having been con-
nected with Stanley Scearce's tank
and a stream of water was played on
the buildings. 1t had no more effect
than to make a little steam to mix
with the dense smoke. From here the
fire divided. going both north and
south, and the big store of Stanley
Scarce was doomed. In an incredible
short time the whole building was
consumed, the recently built concrete
fire walls being of no service what
ever. The tailor shop of Ernest
Kering, the Chinese restaurant, the
Big Store garage. and Cash Coulter's
blacksmith shop being as quickly de-
stroyed. The Reservation Land &
Lumber company lumber yard and Of
fices on the northeast corner of the
same block met a like fate. DIR. Halls
office and residence, Pablo & Potvin's
store and barn with icehouse, on the
southeast corner. were next. From the
big store the fire jumped across the
street south. the first building to
catch on fire being the office building
of A. Sutherland, unoccupied, and
from there to the Central hotel owned
by Andrew Stinger. After the hotel
building was aflame the fire jumped