The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-19
Brave Men Caught in Falling
Structure and Receive
Fatal Injuries.
OTHER BODIES IN THE RUINS
The Total Property Loss Will Exceed
Two Hundred Thousand
Dollars.

WASHINGTON, D. c., May 1s.-Fire
swept away whole block of commercial
buildings opposite the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition soon after s o clock this evening. The
lives OF at least three firemen were crushed
out by falling walls. The loss will exceed
500, coo. The buildings covering the block
adjoining the Center Market constitute
practically the entire commission and
wholesale produce business of Washing
ton, and while not of great value their con-
te4ts burned SO fercely that great por-
ton of the residents from all portions OF
the city were attracted to the scene of the
conhagration.
From 7 to o'clock the District was
visited by one of the most terrific thunder
storms in years and it is thought light
ming, travelling on telegraph wires entered
postal sub-station and started the flames,
which rapidly spread through the highly
inhammable materials in the stores 'front.'
ing on Louisiana avenue, Ninth, Tenth
and D streets.
In few minutes, under genersl-alarm
order, the entire Fire Department COM
menced its efforts to check the fires
spread, but exploding barrels of kerosene
and gasoline drove the firemen off and led
them 10 direct their energies to prevent
ing the flames from crossing the streets to
the neighboring squares. While the fire.
men of No. s engine were working q hose
through one of the old buildings the roof
fell without warning, burying them in the
ruins. Alarming reports at once spread
that a dozen men were killed. The
wrecked building began at once burning
furiOusly and any attempt at rescue was
beyond question. Not until an hour later
had the flames sufficiently subsidized at
this point for the firemen TO begin clear
ing away the debris.
Then three men-Joe Mulhall, DON
aldson and Kennedy-still alive, but
scorched and crushed beyond all hope of
recovery, were taken out and removed to
the Providence Hospital.
At midnight the fremen came upon
another body. Others are still believed to
be IN the ruins, and are being searched for
The buildings on the D street side, which
were entirely destroyed, were occupied by:
Edward Adams, commission merchant;
Taylor Wade, dealer in butter and eggs;
Frederick Fisher, J. a. Davis & Son, ". S.
Anderson 1.-TWO stores), Brown Bros, W. O.
Shreves, Mathewson & Co. and William
Semms. Jewett Crowley, who keeps
small restaurant midway of the block, lost
everything, and barely rescued his family
alive.
Later information is to the effect that
Firemen Giles and Griffin are dead and
that Firemen Mulhall, McElroy, Keppler
and Kennedy are dangerously and per-
haps fatally injured. Four others are
known 10 be in the ruins and several 9TH
ers are missing and search is being con-
tinued late into the night for them.
This fire is one Of the worst calamities
that have ever visited Washington and is
the only one OF its kind since the notori-
Gus Knox fire of about TWO years ago. The
buildings that were burned were compare
lively OF small value, though quite
whole block of them were swept out of
existence.
The full extent of the calsmities that at
tended the confagration was not known
until late hour and the neighborhood
surrounding the scene was thronged up to
q long time after midnight by excited ard
sympathizing groups of citizens many OF
whom were friends and neigh bors OF the
unfortunate men burned.
The Benzinger auction-house for horses
and equipages was also destroyed. 1t is
not possible to get an accurate list of the
individual losses tonight