The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1919-02-08
FIRE DESTROYS
LASSWELL HOME
STARTS WHEN THE FAMILY is
AWAY-HIGH WIND WAS
BLOWING
Is the Fourth Conflagration in the
Month of January-Firemen are
Hindered by Willing Helpers

With the occupants away and a
strong wind blowing, the home of
l. J. Lasswell, secretary of the Col
vile Loan and Trust company, was
destroyed by fire Friday evening.
Sparks from the burning building
were carried considerable distances,
endangering the high school gym
nasium and homes to the south
east. The Tucker family living in
cottage to the southeast Of the
Lasswell home, moved their goods
out into the street and took shelter
at neighbor's house.
The alarm was turned in about
ten o'clock by William C. Keller,
who in passing saw that the liv-
ing room Of the Lasswell house was
in flames. The fire department ar
rived in good time and the water
pressure was good, but the wind
famed the flames so that the house
and it's contents were destroyed in
short time. The hose cart was
brought to the fire by non-members
of the fire department and the hose
attached to a hydrant near the M.
E. church instead of closer one by
the Christian church. The hose
was not long enough to reach and
more had to be secured. The fire
was fought from the south in order
to save the buildings on that side,
as the wind was blowing in a
southeasterly direction. The men
did good work against difficulties.
Mrs. Lasswell and children were
out of town. Mr.. Lasswell left the
house about nine o'clock to look
after some business down town. He
had left a fire in the living-room
heater and one in the kitchen stove,
intending to return in a short while.
When he heard the alarm, he with
others jumped onto a truck to go
to the fire. On asking where it
was, he was informed that it was
his own home.
L. J. Artman, who lives next door
to the Lasswell home, said that he
went over there that evening after
dinner and left when Mr.. Lasswell
went down town. He said that
there was a fire in each of the two
stoves, but that there seemed to be
no danger, as the drafts were closed.
Mr.. Artman was in bed and almost
asleep, when he heard the call of
fire and Immediately dressed and used
his garden hose on the flames. He
said the entire house was ablaze in
a few minutes.
Nothing was saved except a little
furniture from a bedroom on the
north of the house which was in an
ell somewhat separated from the
rest of the building. The rest of
the furniture, including a beautiful
piano, was burned. A chest of
silver which had never been used
was among the household goods lost.
The house was purchased by Mr..
Lasswell two years ago from w. A.
Prentice. The house and furniture
were insured.
This is the fourth fire to take
place in Colville this year, all oc-
curing in the month of January,
while there were but four fires dur
ing the entire year of 1918. Geo.
Rioth, chief of the fire department,
wishes it announced that no one ex-
cept members of the department
should take out the fire apparatus
in time Of fire. It means serious
delay when those who do not know
the locations of fire hydrants, take
out the apparatus.
Confusion in turning in fire
alarms could be better avoided,
states Chief Roth, if people would
give the street and number of the
burning building. Names are cas-
lily mistaken over the phone as hap
pened in a near-fire last month,
when the names Barmans and Dom
ley's were confused. It is a good
necessity for people to know the
streets and something about the To-
cation Of hydrants in order to bet
ter protect themselves.