Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-05
ERlOUS DISASTER
Averted by Prompt Action of the Fire
Department.
The Fire Was Fierce for Awhile and
Threatened to Spread Extensively
Photographer Parker's Loss.

This afternoon At l. 80 fire broke out II
the third floor Of the building No. ATT Penn
sylvania avenue. For while the firt
threatened to be . serious one. The frs
door was occupied by D. N. walford. whS
had a surgical instrument and fire arms
store. The second and third floors were oc
cupied by Parkers photograph gallery.
| Where 1t Originated.
1t was on the third floor that the fire
| broke out, and here most OF the damage
was done. The place was stored with pho.
tographfc plates and negatives. and. a.
| there was a considerable amount OF inflam-
mable goods here in the way of photo
graphic background and draperies. the
flames had plenty to feed on.
| When the Engines Arrived.
The result was that by the time the fire
department was on the spot the fire was
breaking out the windows and apparently
getting a good headway. There was plenty
| for the f1remen to do for In the main store
there was stored some ammunition for fire.
| aims. while the adjoining store was occu-
pied by Tschiff1ey & Evans as a drug store.
There was an immense quantity of chemi-
calls stored there. and there was fear Of sert-
GUS trouble IL the fire should ever get into
that.
fhe fears were short lived, however for
| IN about twenty-five minutes hard work
the nre was gotten under control ana what
Il most n
nagrahon was soon confined to a damage
OF not more than a few thousand dollars,
the greatest damage being caused by the
stock Of Chemic.,s.
In the rear Of the burning building was
STOCK OF chemicals belonging to Tschiffiey
ana Evans, and only a brick wall eparated
them from the explosives in D. N. WAL
lords store In the latter place efforts were
directed toward removing the explosives I'm
ORDER to lessen the fury of the explosion
should the flames reach the building in
which the chemicals were stored. While a
corps OF workers were exerting their efforts.
inside the building the fremen were taking
good care to watch the outside. and their
enorts were rewarded. as the flames reach
ca he.tner the gunpowder AMI cartridges
nor the chemicals. and no explosion oc-
Cured.
Mr.. Parker's Story.
Mr.. Parker, the photographer, in whose
place the fire started was on the second
hoor OF the building when his attention was
attracted to the flames the floor above
He hnd been there half an hour before
the fire started and he thought the explo-
sion Of lamp in the dark room must
nave caused the fire. In attempting to save
some or his property Mr.. Parker had his
right hand badly cut
Estimates OF the Loss.
Concerning the damage. he was unable
to give an estimate. although he thought
1t would amount to something like g. 600
II all the negatives in the gallery were
destloxed he said they could not be re-
P!ssed tor 0W. This. together with the
amount to nearly 5000 He said his place
would not cover his loss.
Foreman Boss Narrow Escape,
Foreman Boss Of No. l company who was
working In the rear Of the burning building.
came near being seriously injured by the
slipping OF one Of the small ladders. The
ladder was placed on the roof VI a rear
building adjoining the burning builiiug, ana
as the foreman was ascending It the lad
der slipped from under him and he feil. |
fortunately, however. he caught hold OF
the roof and held firmly to the narrow mar
gin or the tin until several citizens went
ground below.
The Loss on the Building.
The building in which the fire originated |
No. 4Sl Pennsylvania avenue and the ad- |
Joining building. is owned by Mr.. Henry
kraak. Mr.. Kraak stated to q Star ne |
porter that he had insurance on the build |
ings amounting to $4,000 In the Columbia /
Fire Insurance Company OF THU city. The |
amount. he thought would fully cover the
damage done to the buildings.
Tschinelly & Evans Loss,
AhS buttNtHB eWhtQ ana occupied hv L
Tschifhey & Evans. druggists, No. 47s /
pennsylvania avenue. suffered principally /
through a great hole burned through the |
roof and by water. The building is fully
Insured in the Mutual and Franklin Fire
insurance Companies Of this city, and the
stock In number of local and outside COM
panies Mr Tschiffley thought that the
damage done the. stock would hardly be
more than $500. He could not say what the
1amage to the building was. hut thought
that 81. 600 would fully cover t
Inc bridges to carry the hose over theI
e pie car tracks arrived at the sc aae ofI
the fire in time to prevent a long DELAY
u the cars. The hose Of two companies
we're secured to the bridges and travel on.l
me road was no longer interrupted
What Chief Parrfs Says
Cnief Paris said to a Star reporter that}
ne thought the damage to the buildings
would not amount to more than g. 500. but
ne could give no estimate of the damareI
70 the personal property.
These photograph galleries" he said
are the meanest places I'm the world for al
ire There are always explosives in them
mo more or less danger of spreading the
lan2s necessarily goes with them"