Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-31
THE STAR OFFICE FIRE.
The Delay in Turning i'm the Alarm.
REPORT OF CHIEF ENGINEER cRoNrN.

REPORT OF CHIEF ENGINEER CR0N1N
Chief Cronin, in report to the District Commits
sioners Of the fire:at THE STAR building, says: al
have the honor to submit the following report OF
the fire at THE STAR Office on the morning of the
29th instant: At AS am. the gong in my Office
and the gongs In all the engine and truck compa-
MES quarters commenced striking irregularly. The
several companies and myself called the central
firealarm Office by telephone, and in reply received
from the operator on duty at the time "Trouble on
the wires" AT $50 fire-alarm station Isl was
struck OH on all the gongs and bells throughout
the city and in my ofIice and all the engine and
truck houses. The companies answering this sta
tion responded with their we'll known alacrity as
We'll as the whole department when 1t received the
alarm signals which were sent Immediately after
the frs; alarm was struck of, and prevented what
threatened to be disastrous fire by combining the
IRE 10 the building In which IL originated, but not
Del0re great damage to the building and Its Valua
Die contents That there was loss OF from to 10
after engine company No. was notified there
Is no doubt, and the loss of this most I'M
portant time resulted in serious damage.
The report of the foreman of Engine Co. No. 2,
herewith submitted, relieves that officer and COM
pany from any blame FOR not getting In an early
alarm for this fire. This report shows that he used
every means in his power when he learned that
this aarm had not been struck Oft. When he left
his quarters with his company TO 60 TO the fire
Especial Waterman and policeman were at the box
anu pulled IL In. The report OF Mr.. Miles, Superin-
tendcnt OF the fire alarm telegraph, herewith sub
United, lays tile blame for the loss OF time on the
crossing OF wires This fire SHOWS there was loss
OF time which WAS most important, and that it was
lost In getting the alarm to the fire department
before and after No. engine company had been
notified. With few exceptions all officers and men
acquitted themselves not Only We'll, but very well,
to maintain the reputation OF the fire department"
REPORT or SUPERINTENDENT MILES.
The report OF III. r. Miles, general superintendent
telegraph and telephone service, referred to In
Chief Crontns report above, states "that the trou
Dla from Of viii cipDal
wire by an electric light wire, which found yes
terday Several telephone wires were also crossed
with this same signal wire, all OF which occurred
during the night OF the fire. l am OF the opinion
that the electric light wire the principal
or the trouble experienced. i respectfully suggest
the necessity OF enforcing all electric light wires
underground for the reason that so long as they
are permitted 20 remain overhead we shall be la
Die 10 TepetitiOnS of like character. Fortunately in
THIS case, only few minutes delay occurred, for
within five or six minutes after the attempt was
made to give the alarm through the box 1t was got
ten through the telephone and sent out In the
regular way through our central Office system, all
the fire companies receiving and responding
promptly TO the ariarm."
REPORT OF FOREMAN MADDOX,
Foreman Maddox, OF No Engine company, in
his report states that "Engine Co. No. was turned
out by Special Policeman Benjamin +. Klopler JAM
uary % 4:5O a. m. for fire In STAR Office building
Frank Jacobs hostler OF engine company, was on
watch at the time, saw smoke, and was trying to
the engine-house from the direction of THE STAR
Office building and heard him cry, "turn out,
the STAR office is on fire." HoStler Jacobs immedi-
ately turned and ran towards the engtne-hOuSe
from the southwest corner OF 12thand streets, and
turned the company out. on reaching the engine
room floor and htchng up, Special Otficer kloTser
came in the engne-hOuse ana said "nre in the press
room, STAR Office and asked ii he should turn in
the alarm; answered yes" And when going out
of the house Special Officer Klopfer and officer
Herbert OF the regular force at the box with the
door OF the box open heard the gong strike one
stroke; went to the fire and took the plug, STAR
Office corner. and after making connections from
the plug. frozen, which caused a delay OF not more
than one minute; saw the building was
af1re I'm the cellar and first and second stories.
Immediately sent Private Lehman to the engine
house 10 turn in the second alarm. When he
arrived he cOuld not get the Office through the
telephone. Then he went to the box on the
engine house to tap In, and found it would not
work Then he went back to the telephone and
caedthe fire aarml office four or five times before
he could get an answer. When he asked the Office
II they had struck the alarm the Office answered
NO" Then he told them to strike box No. Isl and
second alarm. He Immediately waited in the house
and counted one round OF box ISL, and then
reported to Inc that the alarm had just struck,
and at the same time reported that the whole
t pack building was ON Ilre. Then sent him back
to strike the general alarm just as he got back
ne heard the second alarm striking. He waited
until it was through, and delivered my order in
gard oIthe general alarm, which was struck i'm
meIately. Very respectfully,
JNo. F. MaDDox, Foreman Engine Co. No. 2.
WASHINGTON, D. c., January 30, 1885.
Martin C5OaiIi, ChieT Engineer,
SIR:-I most respectfully recommend to your par
tcular notice the services OF Special officer Benz.
KlOpfer in turning No. engine out to THE STAR
office fire, and on several other occasions Very
respectfully,
JNo T. MADDOX, Foreman No. 2Engine.
Sympais,ies and Congratulations.
From the Washington Post
To our neghbOrs Of THE EVENING STAR, in the
fiery visitation which has overtaken them, the
Post extends It's sympathies and congratulations
regretting tn -ir misfortune, yet rejoicing that It
proved 20 worse To be burned out is about the
most serious thing that can befall newspaper
office. In this Instance, however, we are glad to
know that IL is only temporary veXaton of SPIRIT
and not a sweeping Calamity. The same WELL
that have brought The STAR TO the high Journal
istic rank which 1t now occupies will speedily sur
mount all SSing difficulties and permit of no in
corruption TO its weIl-establiShed and increasing
prosperity.
The WASHINGTON BENEFICIAL Association
The Washington Beneficial Endowment ASsOcia-
ton, organized in 1877, to give assurance the
SeSSnent plaR in the eight years OF It's existence it
has paid out in benefits 1909 500 to its certificate
holders, nearly all OF which has been scattered in
this city. The last benefit paid was that of man
well-known in this community:
WASHINGTON, DC, 26th January 1885.
Received from the Washington Beneficial En-
dOwmeDt Association the sum OF one thousand dol
lars, 81 OOO) being payment In full for insurance
OF Joseph L. Savage. DAVID WALKER,
OF Lewis johnson & Co.
ONCE, Gil street northwest
r. b. Donaldson, President.
Lawrence Gardner, Secretary.
Agents wanted.