The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1919-12-19

The big mercantile establishment s
of J. L. Truscott, one Of the oldest in
northern Montana, was completely
destroyed by fire which started about
10 o'clock Monday morning from an :
overheated stove in the shoe room
of the store. The fire was discovered
before it had gained much headway
but before the fire department could
get water onto the blaze it had crept
in between the walls of the old build
ing, where it was impossible to get
at. The blaze spread rapidly despite
the efforts of the local fire depart
ment and the suffocating smoke and
intense cold made the work Of fight
ing an exceptionally difficult one.
The foremen fought the fire for
hours in the hope of getting it under
control but shortly after noon the blaze
got beyond control and in short time
was burning in every part of the big
store at the same time. The smoke
and cold made the work of salvaging
goods difficult and dangerous and very
little merchandise was saved.
By constant vigilance and hard work
the fire department confined the
flames to the immediate store build
ing and the big warehouse at the back
e
The loss of the building and stock
will run in the neighborhood Of $780,
900, which is partially covered by in
surance.
Mr.. Truscott has not stated defin-
itely whether or not he will rebuild
at once but stated in all probability
he would commence the erection of a
modern store building early in the
spring. In the meantime the store is
maintaining temporary headquarters
in the offices of H. P. Harmon next
door to the postoffice.
j. l.. Truscott is one Of the pioneer
merchants of northern Montana, COM
ing here in the spring of 1889. His
store was one of the landmarks of
Valley county and we are indebted to
w. w. Mabee, another Of our pioneers,
for the following brief history Of J..
L. Truscott and his Glasgow store:
Monday another landmark of Glas-
COWS earliest days passed away in
fire and smoke-J. L. Truscott's store,
In the spring of 1889 Truscott came
to Glasgow looking for location to
start a hardware and grocery store
He purchased the lot, where his store
now stands, from c. E. Hall. Anoth.
er party began building a log house
on the lot without first purchasing
it Ia squatter). Mr.. Truscott decid
ed that if he had to go further ul
the street he might as well continue
west and look for another location. Mr.
Halls rights as to ownership of tn
land could not be settled on the spul
Of the moment, nor was it seriousl,
disputed. The residents were consid
erably wrought up over the matter
as they expected an immediate build
ing boom and hardware was essentia
to that boom. Invariably the resident
of new towns do expect booms, yo1
know, mostly immediate or within I
reasonable time. AS president of tn
Board of Trade, l called a meeting
for that evening at the board of trad
rooms-the office of the Waldo Hote
= H. ". Roswell proprietor. After som
discussion committee was appointe
to wait upon the aforesaid squatte'
who proved amenable to the wishes
the community as represented by tn
conmitte and forthwith moved acros
the street, the COMMITTEES assisting a
a compliment to his Willingness
comply. That was Chas. McVee, sti
resident Of this section.
This, then, was the beginning {
the extensive mercantile establishmer
that has since grown up. The ne,
spring Mr.. Truscott built the additio
on the west side Of the original stor
for the drug store and post offic
which was occupied as soon as con
: pleted, thus getting the drug stol
and postoffice up off dirt floor ar
onto boards for the first time in Gla
COWS history.
first met ]. l.. Truscott in Il
Little Missouri country in the ear
eighties as secretary of the Lift
Missouri Stock association, positi<
he held until it's extinction. The wi
ts1 of 1867 extinguished many stoc
mea's prospects. Whether there h
bean as hard winter since is que
tion Of dispute among old timers.
Is . date to which they refer in cas
mY up their recollections. For m