Old Missoula

An Intelligent Dog

H. F. Brown, the genius of accidents, came very near participating in another recently in Missoula. The Times says: A few nights ago the steam mill erected this season by the Missoula Lumber company narrowly escaped burning and a Newfoundland dog has the credit of saving the valuable property from flames. The mill was shut down at midnight and the hands left soon after. Mr. H. F. Brown, one of the owners, retired to his room, occupying one corner of the mill, and was soon asleep. Shortly before two o’clock he was awakened by the aforesaid Newfoundland dog jumping upon his bed. He pushed the animal away, but it sprang up twice more, arousing him so thoroughly that he got up and hastily glanced through the engine room and the mill, but discovered nothing wrong and again retired. While thinking of the strange action of the dog, it never having made a disturbance before, he saw a flash of light on the lumber piled near the mill. In an instant he was up and saw the oil and dust at one of the shaft boxes, which he did not see before, was on fire. With prompt action he put out the fire. In five minutes – perhaps less time – the mill would have burned.

The above article is from The Independent Record of Helena, Montana on Aug 15, 1883.