The record-union., 1893-08-05
It Was QUITE A BLAZE.
John Winga!d's Big Hay Barn Burned
to the Ground.
A Hundred Tons of BaIed Hay Lost
The Engines Pumped Mud and
Then Got Little Water.

There was another disastrous fire in the
suburbs of the city last evening.
Shortly after 8 o'clock John Wingard,
who keeps a grocery store at the corner
of Twenty-fifth and streets and also
deals largely in hay and grain, happened
to glance out OF one of his windows and
saw the roof of his big hay barn on fire.
He Immediately informed the rest of the
household, and IN twinkling turned in
an alarm from box 81, which is located at
his corner.
Others had discovered the fire before
Mr. Wingard, and rushing to his stable,
back of the hay barn, began to get his
horses and wagons out. They succeeded
in getting two horses and several vehicles
out, but the flames spread so rapidly that
they were soon driven away, and fine
gray horse, buggy, a cart and several
sets Of harness W ere lost.
GREAT PILE OF HAY.
The barn was literally packed with
baled hay, fully 100 tons being stored
there, and the last of it was only deposited
there yesterday. The fire seemed to have
started from the top of the pile. as the
flames shot through the roof and CON
sumed 1t before the walls were attacked.
The ire department under Acting
Chief Montgaillgrd arrived in good time,
but there was little use of its coming, as
the engines could get nothing but mud
rom the plugs. When little stream OF
clear water was finally secured, the barn
and its contents were far past saving.
The fire had burned but ten minutes
when there was not vestige of the barn
eft All that Was visible was one vast
pile OF baled hay, enveloped in roaring
and seething mass of flames. 1t was a
grand sight.
PATRICK RILEY's LOSS.
The firemen, seeing that they could do
nothing with the burning hay, turned
heir attention to the adjoining buildings,
which were beginning to scorch and
smoke. Close to the barn, onthe south,
was the cottage OF Patrick Riley, the
DrickmaSOn who was injured some time
ago by falling from the Postof1ice build
ng. 1t seemed as if the building had to
80, and willing hands assisted Mr.. Riley
and family to get themselves and fnr-
niture out. The building was badly dam
aged, but the firemen prevented its total
destruction. But the stable and sheds
back of Riley's residence were burned to
he ground, as were several neigh boring
sheds.
The shed in which Wingard had stored
'lAt VI LIS Rlhlu, nONcNtI, WdS not GAM
aged, save a scOrching.
The ire was "A sad misfortune to Win
gard. He was just getting in his supply
and had no insurance on it. The build
ing, however, was insured for nominal
sum. Wingard says he is out 5000.
PUMPING MUD.
RECORD-UNIoN representative was
on the ground three minutes after the fire
broke out, and long before the first engine
arrived. The engineer of the first steamer
look water iOr the machine at a hydrant
directly opposite the burning structure,
but the gauge on the engine to show pres
sure from the plug did not register two
pounds. 1t was eighteen minutes before
the gauge showed ten pounds and twenty
live before it indicated fifteen, above
" hlch 1t never rose.
The engineer and Acting hief Mont
galllard called attention to the fact that
there was no water, practically, and that
the IRE department was blameless in the
matter. The engine seYen-:enths of the
time pumped air, and when it did get a
little water it would soon exhaust it and
tie machinery run away" as the say
ing is.
be water that came first. and for
fifteen minutes afterWard, was simply
Hquited mud. 1t was perfectly evident
that the supply branch is too small, and
that ltNyas almost stopped up, cemented
with sllckens, and that it required a
pressure and flow for quarter Of an
hOur 10 get free water through the hose
nozzles. Even then the streams were
'piddling," weak affairs that came from
the nearest hydrant.
AN ARGUMENT FOR GOOD WATER.
A more powerful argument for clear
water from the east side could not be
made than was made by this fire.
ct, strange to say, many OF the resi-
dents of the east side are opposed to the
clear water plan to be soon voted upon.
As the crowd discussed it, while the
engine sucked mud and air, it became
evident that the opposition is based
wholly upon misconception; on the idea
that the city is to sell out the water sup
ply business to a corporation, a mistake
that, when explained, changed the senti-
ment at once.
PICKPoCKETS, OF COURSE.
An immense crowd went out to see the
fire, and the street cars did land-offlce
business. some of the P-street ears were
loaded down to such a degree that thew
could scarcely climb the grade near the
swimming baths. The roofs and plat
forms of the NJ and P-street ears were
crowded with people.
As Is generally the case whenever there
IS large gathering of people, the ubidui-
tous pickpocket put i'll San appearance at
lefN II Is III lAAGs AL GlueIlY gentleman
named John IL. Cox, who resides at 25I3
J street lost a watch, and a man named
Reed, who lives near Oak Park, was
touched for valuable scarfpin. A lady
who would not give her name had a purse
snatched from her by some one in the
crowd. These matters were reported to
Chief of Police Rodgers. who was en- the
scene. and he began an investigation.
The fire was still burning when the
RECORn-U UNION went to press this morn
ing, but it was thoroughly under control.
and there is no fear OF a fresh outbreak.
The hay is liable TO shoulder Tor day or
two.
Nobody seems to have any idea as to
how the fire started. Some believe that
t.amps got into the place and dropped
lighted match after lighting a pipe
Others say that some boys were smoking
cigarettes in there. Wingard seems to
think that the fire was the work of an in
cendiary, but he does not know of anyone
who would have resorted to such a das-
tardly thing on account of any imaginary
wrong.