Great Falls daily tribune., 1919-01-21
Firemen, Aided by Many Citi-
zens, Make Heroic Effort and
Keep Blaze From Getting Into
Theater on East, but it Burns
It's Way to Street on the West.

Fire which started in the rear Of the
Paris Dry Goods company's store at
3O5-307 Central avenue last evening
about did a property damage of nearly
half a million dollars. The Mcknight
block which housed three stores on Cen
trail avenue was entirely destroyed. The
frame structures which faced on Third
street north housing five business con-
Germs also were made uninhabitable and
viii have to be Brecked.i Four business
concerns and professional offices In the
Mcknight block on the second story were
also wiped out The total loss, based on
estimates gained from owners as closely
as they could approximate it last night,
was S472,5 500, and the insurance prob
ably would not exceed half that sum.
Just how the fire started is a mys-
terry not only to the property owners who
suffered from it but also to the firemen
who had to fight the flames from about
7:35 until midnight and then keep
watch on guard the rest of the night.
The flames were running all through the
Paris store before the fire department
arrived. The call which brought them
was turned III DF the lire didEih DON anu
also by telefone but it appears there
were people who unconsciously watched
the flames as they passed the alley in
Third street north but failed to realize
the city was about to experience the
greatest fire, from the property loss
factor, in it's history and did not turn
in an alarm. Of course, it could not be
said that had the ones who saw the fire
in its earliest moments had acted prompt
ly the result would have been different
FOR the flames started in the great room
Of the Paris where thousands of dol
lars of fabrics were piled about the
counters and shelves and all proved
veritable tinder box for the flames.
When the firemen reached the scene
the Paris was hopeless and the question
then was whether it could be kept with
in the Mcknight block There was suf
ficient start that made almost certain at
that moment that the flames would stop
only at Third street north and that prov
ed to be the case. 1t was a matter Of al
lowing the fire to burn out in that direc-
ton.
Scores of civilians gave excellent aid to
the firemen in fighting and all equipment
was soon at the scene Of the flames.
The hose were run to every available hy-
drant IN the adjoining section and soon
building. keeping the wall of the I'm
perial theater as target to prevent the
heat from breaking thru in that direc-
ton. That proved successful and the ad-
vance of the fire toward the cast was Gu.
there. Details of the fight of the fire
men appear in another column.
The Paris Dry Goods company. the
big loser il last nights fire. was started
in 1894 by Heller. Singer 4 Fligman AID
opened as The Paris in the room where
Sandahfs cigar store now is. For T.
years they occupied that place, but the
senior member Of the firm retired by
selling his interest To S. s. Singer anI
Fred A. Fligman, his partners. who still
own the company. The incorporation
took place in 1908 and in 1907, having
secured lease of the Mcknight block.
which was last night destroyed. The
Paris Dry Goods company took I'D jfs
home in the place where it continued to
be the big concern of its kind in northern
Montana until last night when flames !
swept it out.
In 1913 Mr. Singer and Mr.. Ftigman
purchased the Mcknight block from r. q. /
Power of Helena and at once started re-
that cost them in excess of
soc, 600. They did the remodeing in |
1914 and made The Paris one of the at
tractiVe shopping centers Of the north
west. The Paris employed between so /
and 100 persons the year around and .
during the sales and at the Christmas /
season they materially augmented that
force. They carried stock that at
times ran as high As 100000. but the
fire caught them following their pre-
inventory sale and their early January
sale. and Mr.. Singer said last night that
he would place his estimate conservative
" when he put it at 100000.
There was another feature i'm Mr..
Singers statement that was important
to the people who have been loyal en-
ployes of The Paris. Il want it under
stood that our employees continue on our
payroll until we are ready to make n
definite announcement of our plans"
said Mr.. Singer. 1T is unwise tonight
to attempt to make any forecasts We
thot enough of the city to buy the build
ngs in which we conducted our business.
That is as far as / would care to go to-
night. But to our employees, we will say
hat until we know what our plans will
Be-, they will continue to draw their nav.
We want to be as just to them as it is
possible for us to be and we do not want
% see them turned out without employ
nent at this time of year.
The Charles Il. Davis store was the
Of Mr. Davis own efforts
md grew where it was first planted"
,aving been started there by Mr. Davis
% years ago next May. Mr. Davis in
.orporated his company at $4,000, and
I was every cent paid in ary1 was in
rested in the stock and fixtures. so that
lis loss is in excess of $4,000. Mr.. Davis
.arried only $4,000 insurance on the
.ntire stock so that his net loss will be
bove $25,OO0. i,
"One can hardly make plans while his
lace is in names," said Mr.. Davis 'but
am game and / made success of it in
he past and can do it again. 1t will all
|epend onsRhether can find another To-
<Confinued N Pa rsurtecnA