Show IT LOOKED SEROUS The Fire at McKimmins Livery Stable Yesterday GOOD WORK BY THE FiREMEN A Prompt Response and EnoiRClie Action Saves Many Thousands of Collars Col-lars The Losses The fire alarm yesterday morning was caused by the discovery of a heavy volume of smoke pouring from the upper windows of the Sideboard saloon which is situated in McKiintnins livery stables Mr C M Brown who had been called to the sidewalk side-walk for a moment was the first to discover dis-cover it and he immediately turned in an alarm by telephone He then endeavored to reach the room where it was evident the I blaze had originated but he was driven back bv the blinding smoke A few seconds later and a badly frightened man in his underclothes only minus stockings and hat dashed down the stairs and nlade for shelter in an adjoining saloon For a time the fire spread rapidly but willing workers cut loose the horses tied up in the rear of the stable and hurried out the carriages and buggies Ia less than one and a half minutes from the time the alarm was turned in hose cart I No1 was on the scene and within an incredibly in-credibly shorftiaie thereafter a stream of water was playing on the flames Owing lowcvcr t tae inflammable nature of the buildings the blaze sine so WITH FKIiHITrCL 1A > IT > ITY and before the stream had reached the building the entire ceiling was a mass of fire while the ties came out of the windows win-dows over the saloon and licked the wooden cornice above There was a general impression im-pression > among those who had gathered on the scene that the building was doomed and that the firemen would be doing good work if they succeeded in saving the adjoining joining structures A few seconds play I from the hydrant however the stream being > directed by Chief Ottinger convinced con-vinced all that the flames would be speedily brought under control and by the time a stream from the steamer had been turned on it became evident that the building would be saved In exactly twentyeight minutes from the time the first stream reached the flames Chief Ottinger gave the order to take upthe lames had been extinguished A tour through the building at this time showed that the entire ceiling which was not plastered had been on fire as it was charred and blackened and in some parts daylight was visible There was general congratulations that the loss was so light In the saloon nowcver a general wrecK met the gaze The upper room had been completely gutted and the saloon proper had been badly damaged by water Asked as to his losses Mr Brown said he could give no idea until he had examined his lock considerable of which had been i stored in the upper room He stated however how-ever that his insurance would probably cover the loss sustained by him HAD A NARROW ESCAPE John Devinc a partner of Mr Browns vas the individual who had made such a I hasty exit in his abbreviated costume He I sad he had been asleep for about an hour when he was awakened by a feeling of intense in-tense heat and when he opened his eyes the entire room was in flames save the corner in which he laid He was bewildered bewild-ered for a moment but finally recovered himself and made a dash for the street without going through the formality of dressing His hair was slightly singed and his underclothes showed evidence of has ing come in contact with the flames An entire new outfit was procured from a neighboring clothiers and when our re porter left Mr Devine was about to i sume his nap from which he had been suddenly > s-uddenly awakened The room in which the fire originated was a small one and the exit not one of the easiest Under the circumstances cir-cumstances Mr Devine has reason to congratulate con-gratulate himself that he fared no worsen worse-n BKOVXd STOUY Mr Brown said he arrived at the saloon 11 about 0 oclock and relieved his partner who was on watch The latter then went upstairs and retired He could give no idea as to how the fire originated but said that a young son of Mr McKimmins was probably the first one who saw smoke issuing from the room There is one thing however I wish you would do he said and that is to compliment the firemen fire-men on the promptness with which they responded to the alarm I am sure it could not have been more than one minute or one minute and a half at the most from the time I turned in the alarm until the hose cart arrived and you know how quickly the water followed Too much cannot be said in their behalf in this instance at least A SHOWER OF COHPLIMCXTS 11 Brown was not alone in compliment tag the department on the efficiency man ifested by them but numerous businessmen business-men who had witnessed the good work hunted up press representatives and requested re-quested that the boys be given a good send off No better work said Mr lyrum Groesbeck who was one of those first upon the scene was ever done by any department under similar circumstances circum-stances MKIMMIXS ILL LUCK Speaking of the yesterday an attache of the livery stable recalled the fact that it was the fourth time Mr KcKimmins had been visited by the fire fiend Once the stable was entirely destroyed later a slight blaze in the loft was discovered by a couple of printers on their way home from work in the early morning at another time an incipient blaze was extinguished and then followed the blaze of yesterday THE LOSSES Chief Ottinger estimates the losses at about one thousand dollars He says he thinks that amount will cover them and is informed that all were fully insured SHOULD nr STOPPED As soon as the fire bell sounded yesterday I yester-day there was the repetition of a feature which has come to become a decided nuisance nuis-ance if not something graver at every Salt Lake fire We refer to the assembling of men boys horses wagons and hacks in an incongrous mass about the scene of the fire i the conflagration were to become general or a panic ensue from any cause the consequences might be serious to say nothing of the fact that the firemen are always al-ways interfered with in their efforts to got at the fire I would be a simple matter to have mounted police start off to every fire md keep clear the whole vicinity either by stretching ropes or using other means district to keep teams away from the threatened |