MARY'S GENEALOGY TREASURES
The fire was first noticed at ten-thirty p.m. and shortly afterwards
the fire whistle at the mine was sounded. There is no fire brigade
at Coalhurst and the fire fighting equipment from the mine was
promptly pressed into service, the mine manager and his officials
offering every facility to combat the flames.
A call was quickly put in for the Lethbridge fire department and
Fire Chief Wm. Hardy and his men responded at once, bringing
with them the pump truck, which proved extremely valuable
in the circumstances.
Since changing over to the Calgary Power Co. from steam, the
mine has been only able to pump a limited amount of water owing
to the small capacity of the pumps installed, and there was quite
a danger of the water supply giving out. However, with what water
was available Fire Chief Hardy and his men actually saved a large
part of the town of Coalhurst from destruction.
About forty feet from the Community Club, which was a large two
and a half storey building, stands the home of William McGinnis,
and his widowed mother. Mrs. McGinnis has been bedridden
for many years and she had to be carried out under the
supervision of Dr. K. I. Murray while showers of sparks were
actually flying all around the house.
Clifford Davis, a former Herald carrier boy, was the hero of the
night at the McGinnis home. He stood on top of the house
and although at times the heat from the burning Community Club
was terrific, constantly poured a stream of water over the roof
of the McGinnis home, and it is to his efforts that credit for
saving the McGinnis home must be allotted.
Across the street stand the McDonald and Pavan stores. Here men
worked heroically to keep the sparks from catching and although
the heat caused the windows of McDonald's store to fall in, the
buildings were saved.
Joseph Melling occupies the house on the corner,diagonally from
the Community Club and he was at Kipp visiting when he saw the
flames. Rushing home he found his wife with everything packed
and readv to move out. With the help of neighbors, all the
furniture was transferred to other houses out of the danger zone,
while Melling stood guard with a smaII hose on the roof of the house.M
McDermotts valued their buildings at around $6,000, with stock
at $14,000, partially covered by insurance. Tony Pavan,
who owned both his pool room and Willis Confectionery, is
understood to have carried no insurance at all. W. E. McDermott
made a valiant effort to save the mail from the burning post office,
but was driven back by the flames. A considerable quantity of
Christmas mail arrived last night and this perished along with other
contents of the post office.
The fire started at ten-thirty o'clock and was under control at
about one-thirty, the Lethbridge Fire Department arriving at
eleven o'clock and returning to Lethbridge about two a.m. All
telephonic communication with Lethbridge and outside points
was cut off when the wires burned off and the poles blazed up.
The entire population of Coalhurst and vicinity was on hand
eager to help those whose homes were endangered, and in
dozens of homes everything was packed in readiness for a
quick move.
Arrangements have already been made by the postmaster for
temporary quarters and the Community Club meets today to
decide upon their policy for the future. Willis Confectionery
managed to save part of their equipment but at present it is
not known what steps will be taken by Willis and McDermotts
to commence business once more.
McDermott's safe is understood to have been destroyed. It
was not fire proof and contained, besides case, some
extremely valuable papers.
At 10o'clock the debris was still smouldering and
salvaging had begun.
Return Coalhurst, Alberta