Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1920-03-11

Fire originating from unknown causes
in store room in the basement of the
Steele building. Third street and Cen
trail avenue, Wednesday evening at 9:3G
had so far progressed at midnight that
Fire Chief A. j. Trodick had abandoned
all hope of saving that structure or any
portion of its contents except that which
had already been removed The total
loss is estimated as being about S2SS-
800. Great clouds of sitting smoke
emerging from the seat of the blaze pre-
vented the firemen from reaching the
fire effectually with water and for the
first hour and a half the fight was
wnged without the department being
able to know either the success of their
efforts or the rate at which the flames
were spreading. The origin of the fire
is a mystery. The fire started near the
north end of the basement spreading
from there to the front of the building
and first emerging in the Ferguson store
on Central avenue. 4 short time later
flames showed in the Gage Specially
shop and the Scott fur store on Third
street. Just before midnight the roof
was penetrated. 1t was then that Chief
Trodick realized that the fight was hope
less so far as the Steele building was
concerned and that the adjoining build
ings in the block were gravely menaced.
HuldceHt butiuingS Mehdceu.
Sparks were settling rapidly on ad-
iacent roofs and fierce blaze was
shooting UP the Steele buildings ventila
tion shaft. dangerously near the roof Of
the Doswald deIcatessen store
The Fad clothing store. the kranz
flower store and the Grantley- Huff
man cigar store had not been reached
by the flames early this morning, but
the fire was burning sayagcly on two
sides of them and it appeared inevitable
that they would be reached within a
short time. The semi vacant room Of
the Palace meat market was also burn
ing and the Ferguson and Crown jew
elry stores had been practically gutted
The fire was marked by the dcnsest
smoke that ever hindered the work of
firemen at a conflagation in the city.
billows of choking fumes
came pouring out of the basement and
store rooms. driving the crowd to cover
and forcing the fircmen to come to the
exterior for fresh air.
Only Smoke to Fight.
When the department first arrived
nothing was to be seen but compara
lively small amount Of smoke. coming /
from different parts Of the building !
Every effort to force an entrance any
distance in the interior of either the
ground floor or the basement was futile |
Men protected by rcspirators and he'll !
NETS could not stand smoke Of such /
density. and until the flames showed in
the Ferguson store the department was
compelled to throw streams through |
openings and from stairways and TO /
carry the nozzies as far as possible into
the building.
The flames in the Ferguson store
made their presence known by an ex-
plosion that hurled glass and carried .
fire to near the sidewalk on the oppo
site side Of Central avenue. Four civil
ians who were helping man the hose
were injured two Of them rather ser
ously. and that anyone in the large
crowd on the pavement had escaped
without hurts seemed for moment i'm
Have Narrow Escapes.
The injured were Alderman Harry
stevens. cut severely about the hands:
Fred Jackson. cuts about the neck and
ace: William Boquist of the Crystal Ice
company. burned about the face and
neck and cut on the face and hands. arc
b. il. Boyd Of the Montana Flour Mills.
serious cuts in the back of the head and
leck.
Deputy Sheriff f. J. TAFT was working
'esidc Boquist when the explosion oc-
'urred but his back was fortunately
urned and he escaped without injury.
lany people in the front of the crowd
ad narrow escapes.
Presence of the fire was discovered
~ Deputy County Attorney F.. A.
Iwald. Mr.. Ewad was working in his
,ffice. over the entrance on Third
treet when he smelled smoke. In lhe
lallway the smoke was so dense that
fire somewhere in the building Was
bvious and he telephoDed the alarm
0 the fire station. the trucks arriving
most Immediately.
Has No Insurance. ,
Mr.. Ewald's office had not been reaach !
d by the fire at midnight. but its 1ste i