Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-15
THE srRArroRD uorEL FIRE.
What Ar. Hughes says About It and What
m Examination Di~~lo.ed

what Ar. Hughes sayr About Nc and whss
m Examination Di.eiesed.
Mr.. Walter f. Hughes. the lessee OF the Hotsl
Stanford, which was burned early Friday
morning last, while nj fret inclinins 10 the be-
lief that the fire Was the work Of an incendiarr.
has now about come 10 the conclusion tina. it wa.
caused by the electric wires which run down
the elevator we'll
Mr.. Hughes stated 10 a reporter OF Tur srAa
this morning that the first intelligence he re-
ceived Of the FIRE was through a Telegram
be received at Lyuchbu-g from Mr..
John d. Larner about II O'Clock Fri
day morning. When he arrived here in re-
Spouse 60 Mr.. Larners telegram be Joined
in the belief which general here that the
fire was the work Of an inoendiary. Put" re-
marked MIR. Hughes today. after thinking the
whole matter over and considering il from every
standpoint am rather inclined 10 the belief that
the hre was the resul; ofan accident The elevator
well ran to the top 81 the building IL was
lined with thin pine wood During the wears
the elevator had been running the wood had
become almost saturated with oil and grouse
from the machinery by which IL was operated
Through the elevator well ran the electric light
wires, which lighted portion Of the hoase.
These wires were run down the well next Co the
pine wood which lined IL aud 80 far
~ 1 know were unprotected. During
the latter part OF nv occupancy Of the
house nv electric light bills showed that was
charged with consuming more POWER than I
had months before when I had more lights
burning. Believing that there Was leak some
where complained to the company. After an
examination Of the wires they decided
that there was no leak. I then called in a
private electrician. who. after testing the wires
said he found q leak. but later said that he WAS
mistaken. At the time Of the fire these wires
were in operation. and. rs said. am now rather
inclined 10 believe that the current Of
electricity through them ignited the saturated
lining OF the elevator we'll believe that the
nre was burning some time before the odd col
ored watchman wss awakened by the noise
which be said came from the floor below. In
mat II seems TO me now that the old
mistaken. Tor think II more than probable
that the noisc he heard was caused b. the
falling ON the elevator car Of burning wood
from the floors above"
Mr.. Hughes stated that he had no enemy that
he was aware Of who would wish TO harm him
by setting the place on fire. Another thing. by
his assignment TO Mr.. Iarner all
ownership in the effects Of the house
bad passed from him. and he. therefore,
could not have been harmed. Admitting. for
the sake OF argument. that the fire was tlae
work OF an incendiary, Mr. Hughes said he WAS
confident that il had not been started in tie
elevator well from below. Aswas customary when
the elevator was not running. IL rested ut the
bottom OF the well. IL is q double decker.
| cho ocNA bcAhh mini ktu W NapEdSt. anu
when at rest as il was at the time Of the ere.
the top OF IL rises q short distance above the
first or Office floor Of the hotel. the floor on
which The old oolored Waterman sleeping
ut the time.
Accompanied BY Mr. Hughes the reporter OF
The STAR made exaIniaa ton Of the elevator
and the elevator well. Not sign Of FIRE having
been started below could be seen. The car Was
not burned. nor was the well. which would IN
| doubtedly have been the case had the fire been
started from below.
The car and well were filed 10 the depth Of
22S feet with ashes and charred debris and the
wire ropes which lifted the car had fallen.
Being questioned by the reporter 10
whether be saw any one run out of the build
ing, David Bowen, the colored Waterman.
leave the door until after the private
Waterman on the square or police
man had arrived, and he was sure
| that bad any one run out during that time he
would have seen him. This would seem to in
dictate that those who claim 90 have seen a man
run from the burning building across II aud
down 18th street were either mistaken or
that they saw some one attracted bv the FIRE
running to give the alarm. Mr.. Hughes stated
that had any one 80 desired he could have entered
the building from the fire escape in q rear alley
and escaped the anne way. In speaking
OF the first fire In the binding about
two months ago Mr.. Hughes said that he was at
| the time and 10 now confident tha- il an
accidental one. Mr.. Hughes stated that the
hotel effects at the time OF Fridays fire wore
actually worth about $1,000. on which here
was, he thought, an insurance of $4,000. He
was OF the opinion that they were n to.Al loss.
Mr.. r. o. Hoffman. the agent OF Mr.. John
| F. Cook said that the insurance people hsd .lot
yet reported, but that he Thought that Mr..
Cooks loss would not be as great a at first
thought. As soon the matter was adjusted
the work Of repairing the building would
| Mt once be commenced. aud he thought that
the building NIGH he slightly remcdeled. At
any rate, it would be ready for occupancy by
| the LIST Of December.