| Collection |
Pulaski - 1910 Fire Exhibit |
| Credit line |
Created by Jim McReynolds |
| Date of photo |
1910 |
| Description |
The fire fighting crews were an interesting conglomeration of men of varied backgrounds, vocations, and ethnicity. The Forest Service in District 1 quickly exhausted the supply of laborers available from area employment bureaus. As the number of fires grew, the Forest Service resorted to recruiting from saloons and boarding houses. "All had signed up for 25 cents an hour and board and room. Room under the starry sky. "Bring your own bedroll," was the order." (Ruby El Hunt). In the Coeur d' Alene Mining District men had either volunteered or been forced into duty in the emergency. On August 10th the Bunker Hill, Hecla, and Morning mines closed so the miners could fight fire. Two companies of the 25th Infantry out of Fort George Wright in Spokane, Washington deployed to Wallace on August 15th.
Image 1: Crew from the Bunker Hill mine in Kellogg, Idaho. Note the "palousers", candles in cans, the miners used for lighting. The palousers were used during the fire to see in the dense smoke. WDMM Collection.
Image 2: Crew from the Hecla mine in Burke, Idaho. WDMM Collection.
Image 3: Crew from the Morning mine in Mullan, Idaho. For more information on the Mullan experience of the Big Blowup go to the Captain John Mullan Museum in Mullan, Idaho. WDMM Collection.
Image 4: Buffalo soldiers from Fort George Wright out of Spokane, Washington deployed to Wallace during the mining war of 1899. Elements of the same outfit deployed to Wallace and bivouaced in essentially the same location during the 1910 Fire. WDMM Collection. |
| Object ID |
2010.21.026 |
| Object Name |
Print, Photographic |
| Title |
Fire Fighting Crews |
|
