Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-29
Flames i'm the Press Room. which
Rapidly Spread.

/ Rapidly Spread.
THE FIRE UNkNowN-THE LOSSES AND OTHER
DETAILS.
A fire broke out about four o'clock this morning
In the rear part or THE STAR building which about
Quilted that part OF the structure while great dam
age by water was done to the entire building The
part OF the building where the fire originated was
occupied by the presses, the stereotype and file
, rooms, and portion OF the composing room
When or how the fire originated is not at all Ger
tain. The Waterman OF the building says that
about four o'clock he woke up and smelt some
thing burning. He got up and went through
the entire building, but found everything all
right Mr.. Chambers the special Waterman at the
planning mills south OF the says that he saw
the fire and came and kicked the door and woke
up the Waterman In the building, and then ran
across 10 No engine house and gave them the
alarm TIE STAR office Waterman says that When
he got up the second time, awakened by the bark
ing of his dog, he went at once TO the press room
ana when he opened the door he saw a column OF
lame pouring up tie small elevator shaft TO the
ceiling. He at once over to the house OF engine
company No. ,, and also gave the alarm. witch
was responded to 10y that company The alarm
which was sounded, owing 10 an unexplained delay
In the fire alarm telegraph ONCE did not reach the
otheT companies In iuteligibe shape for fully lr-
teen minutes Afterwards q general alarm was
sounded but Il was after o'clock before the EN-
tire force was on the ground The early arrivals
In the vicinity OF the fire that flames were Is
suing from the top OF the building and from the
lower SOY The press room, which occupies the
entire irSt floor. has elevator shaft running TO
the stereotype room. and another running from the
latter TO the top OF the building As far as can be
aScertllned the flames originated I'm the rear or the
press room ana rushed up the Shaft spreading out
great fury
Chief Cronin said that when he reached the scene
ABOUT eight minutes after the alarm was received
une entire rear building, both front and back. was
wrapped In flames ana smoke was pouring out OF
The windows or the main building. He thought fer
tlme that the entire structure was doomed, and
ne SAID that IL had most threatening appearance.
he nrelnen, with their lines OF hose were on every
noor and fought the flames with So much yigor that
the fire was kept within the bounds OF the press
building, where IL originated owing 10 the Intense
co.d which prevailed at that early morning hour
probably the coolest morning OF the winter-the
relnen The buildings, and every thing drenched 10y
lhe water was soon covered with a sheeting OF ice
There was large thrOng OF Speci gathered In
o oe nci u, Oh the nIe, composed mainly OF the
Mood. who watched the progress OF the fire with
great anxiety.
When the rear wall fell in persons in the neigh
Dorlood thought that II was an explosion and this
added to the crowd which hal collected. The rear
portion OF the building extended the OF
Inc buildings facing on the avenue and occupied by
Whitaker Co., stationerS. the MesSrs. Gllt,
jewellers, and oLner business firms that the fire
men devoted themselves TO the wok of keeping the
ndmeS within boun Is with great energy,
Chief Maddox or the Engine Company No . the
hr5t on the scene. said that the fire was burning
with the greatest fury In the rear part OF the press
room that fl his opinion it then was drawn un
the elevator and attacked the stereotype ROOM aad
following the other elevate: shatt reached the top
story The draft furnished 10y the SHAFT caused the
lire TO burn with grelIer force.
Inc character OF the contents OF the room
being a good deal OF OH aud grease about
where machinery IS employed. The greatest
precautions have always been employed TO guard
against the possibility OF fire. and its origin there
fore Is unaccUuntabie.
Alter The fire and smoke had subsiiei and the
day began TO dawn. some idea could Toe gained of
ltTn hln
room was mass Of ruins AMI the two magnificent
fast presses when rHE STAR has taken so much
pains TO procure, seemed Ia have been damaged
h0peleSSy. Tine bright surfaces and polished met Al
OF the presses were strealei with rust. coated with
Ice and b!ackened with smoke The Scott press.
which stood in the lower Dart OF the room WHERE,
the fire seems TO have originated was damaged
more seriously than the Hoe press i'm the froat
Inc canvas covers. which are thr0wn over the
presses had OF course disappeared In the flames
and at first II was supposed that the metal por-
lions OF the delicate and intricate machinery had
been melted and warped and bent by the heat
fuEthar examination, however, leads to the eD-
lief that the Scott press is probably an utter wrecI,
me Hoe press is not injured TO this extent but IL
Is very daily damaged The SOFT press is valued
az Sl2U0O ANA the Hoe press al S:l 30 The engine
whlch was IN the lower part Of The room, was very
tille ago TO new building wni n mad been erected
In the rear OF the adjoining h,l.'dino and wera
therefore not affected by the lire. There had been
no IRE In the preSSroom for the past ten days The
WalnScoting Of the walls and the wooden ceiling
We're charrei 90 crisp by the great heat
on The next floor OF the rear building, which was
occupied by the StereotyperS. the II lanes made
clean sweep, but owing TO Tie character or the
machinery used in this work but little injury WIS
sustained by the machinery, EXCEPT that which
would arise from the contact OF the water and the
rough usage received in the excitement of a fire
All the matrices ana plates, which were kept in
this room, were destroyed. These included eight
plates Tor the double sheet ami weekly and four for
the daily sheet. As the matter uSel had been dis
trlDuted Tor the most part, the destruction OF the
matter.
The third floor of the rear building was used for
the storing OF the files OF the paper and the extra
copies OF The STAR, unbound, which had been pre-
served. The fire does not seem 10 have obtained
much OF Roadway I'm this room ana the niles of
papers the shelves along the walls in nufnarons
cases, escaped with charred edges The bound files
DO not seem TO have been injured very much
The fourth anu top story OF this budding was
used as the "make-up room for the CONFUSING
ROOM and here the fire burned with as great fury
forms and type was complete, with the exception
OF the type that remained In the cases The chaSeS
rules, lor-taoeS-almost the entire font OF type
were completely destroyed, and new dress viii he
necessary. This loss OF matter In the form To- /
gether with the destruction of the plates In the
i iS peio", VIII make III impossible for THE
WEEKLY STAR TO issue this week. its regular puhi 4
cation time being to-day.
The entire building was damaged by the water /
and confusion OF fire.
As Tar as the patrons of The STAR are concerned
this fiery misfortune Will felt eycept nerhans
by the readers OF THE WEEKLY rne names had
hardly died away before arrangements were made
Dy MI Geo. w. ADAMS president OF The EVENING |
STAR company, who was On the ground soon after 1
the fre alarm sounded for bringing out the regular
edlllon or the paper. Mr. r. A. Mclean the fortsman
Oh Tie coinpoAilrooln,a at once began the work OF re-
moving the cases, and before nine O'Clock they were
In place IN the Office OF Judd & Detwieler whose
printing mouse Is within few doors OF T,IE Sr.R
ONCE. BY the Kindness and ready courtsey OF
MeSStS Judd DetWeiler, The force of STAR printers
which mad been increased TO fifty In order 10 meet
promptly the emergency or rese.ttng the entire
paper, were soon at work, and with Scercaly any de-
lay, the daily preparation for publication went on
Not only was IL necessary TO set the regular news
matter OF the day, but every advertisements so that
every word that Is contained in The STAR to-day
was set since nine o'clock this morning
Mr. Geo. l.. Lemon, The DuDliS her Of The National
tribune, kindly allowed the Of his press for run
ming OIL THE STAR. and in this way the publication
was facilitated and delay prevented. owing 10 a
dlHerence In the presses The STAR appears today
Win seven columns instead OF the usual eight AS
promptly as possible a force OF men under the iii
rection or Mr. Fred Pilling began TO clear out the
rubbish Snd repair the damage done. The most IN
pOrtant matter which required attention was the
western wall which threatened 10 topple over tnon
the roofs below. The work OF strenrtheninfr #
went on, and in addition the burned portion OF the
Dull0lng was being cleared cut In readiness for re-
building, which Will be begun at once IL is esIl-
mated that the rear building will have 10 be en-
trely rebuilt and that the loss this particular is
between seven and eight Thousand dollars
The damage done TO the main building is placed
at &, 500 Including the injuries and loss TO the
valuable machinery the total loss by the fire is placed
nd III