Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-27
HEAVY LOSS BY FIRE
Damage Amounting to $4,000 In
CURED by Church & Stephenson.
STABLE, Sheds AND LUMBER BURNED
Insurance Covers About Half the
Value of Property Destroyed.
THE LIVE STOCK RESCUED


A destructive fire visited the lumber yard
OF Church & Stephenson this morning
about 2 o'clock. The yard is located on C
street southwest between Sth and 9th
| streets, facing the tracks of the Baltimore
and Potomac Railroad Company The sta
bic and sheds under which the most ex-
persive lumber was kept were DESTROYED
and the office was scorched. 1t is esti-
mated That the loss will amount TO fully
S2o,VW. on which an insurance of $1,000
was carried. There was a stiff breeze
blowing from the northwest and burning
embers were sent high in the air and car
ried in all directions. This. 1t was feared
would result In setting fire to other prop
erty. and the police and firomen were OH
the lookout, but fortunately there were no
serious results.
The fire started in the stable on the cor
ner of 9th and streets. AMI in less than
fre minutes from the time il WIS discov-
cred the flames had made their way east
the entire length of the square. and the
office. the only brick structure there WAS
threatened. The flames finally reached the
office building, and most of the books ard
papers of the firm not i'm the safe were
| removed. Seven mules and two horses
were i'm the stable when the fire started
but they were rescued.
Policeman Bruce passed the stable about
five minutes before O'Clock. going in the
direction of 9TH street. While standing in
front of the lumber yard Office he heari
the st. Aloysius Church bell sounI the
hour of , Passing along 9TH street, ne
went to turn In from the signal box, when
the sateman at the Virginia avenue cross
ing called his attention to the blaze.
Alarms Sent In.
The officer saw at a glance that The fire
department was badly needed and lie ran
to box 49, at Maryland avenue and 9TH
street. and sounded an alarm. AS he he'd
no authority to sound a second alarm, he
waited for the arrival OF the firamen and
then a second and later a third alarm was
sent in. As soon as the officer had given
the notice he fastened to the stable where
the fire had started. Samuel Bayliss a
railroad Waterman, and William Otis a
switchman. who were there ahead Of him.
were struggling to get out the live stock
and. with a great amount of trouble, they
succeeded. Additional trouble was given
the rescuers by the return of some of the
liberated mules. The animals persisted in
the effort to enter the burning pulling.
but just as the second horse was taken Oft
the roof fell in, and the blazing ti.nbers
blocked the entrance.
Furniture and Books Snved
While these men were rescuing the ami
mails others were at work in the Office and
carriage shed. Nest of the Office furniture
and books were gotten out, and buggy in
the shed was saved, after it had been
slightly scorched. An attempt was then
made to save wagon, but without sue
cess, for the flames had taken full pos
session of the frame building and forced
the rescuing party to retire. Standing
the railroad track i'm front of the yard
was a freight car which had to be removed
as the flames spread through the big trees
nm ctr
The several companies of the fire depart
ment were hard at work on the burning
lumber pile and buildings. 1t required con-
siderable effort on their part to keep the
ma mes confined to the yard. Sparks were
SEowerinG on houses and in yards within a
short distance of the scene of TIE fire and
this brought hundreds of people from their
fomeS- and put them on watch to protect
their property.
There was a big lumber shed running
from the stable at the 9th street end of
the yard tC the office at Sth street and be-
reath this was stored thousands of dollars
worth OF the choicest white pine and hard
wood. Being under cover, this costly lum-
Der was naturally very dry, as was the
shed itself For this reason the flames
spread very rapidly and got Roadway be-
fore the arrival of the fremen.
Flames Under Control.
About o'clock, when the flames were
apparently fully under control. some of the
lire cOulpduieS were sent nOne leaving the
members of No. company on guard; but
strong northwest wind famed the burn
ing timber to the extent that another
spreading of the flames was threatened In
order 10 avoid any possibility of another
serious outbreak, two companies were re-
called and put at work again.
By daybreak the worst was over, but No.
4 Engine Company remained on the scene
until late in the day, and a number of col
ored men were employed to remove the
burned lumber to the street to facilitate
the work of the firemen.
When the flames had finally been ex-
tinguished an examination of the premises
showed that nearly all of the valuable lum-
Der had been destroyed. The office had
been badly damaged, but the walls were
left standing.
Origin of the Fire.
1t is evident that the fire started in the
hay loft over the stable. for when Police
man Bruce first saw the blaze it was APP
parently comirg through the roof. After
this the animals were saved, which would
indicate that the fire did not start in the
lower part of the stable. Holsters en-
ployed by the firm had been in the stable
late yesterday afternoon, but had not left
light or anything that could have start
ed a blaze in the building.
There was no Waterman about the prem
iseS at the time the fire was discovered
An old colored man had slept in the stable
man; but last week he was told to get a
home elsewhere.
The police and firemen think the fire re-
suited from spontaneous combustion, while
there are others who think ii was started
by an incendiary. Policeman Bruce be-
lives it could not have been set on fire. the
building having been closed and the doors
securely fastened when the fire started
Both proprietors were called to the scene
early in the morning. When the fire was
fully under control they furnished break
fast for the fremen.
Two Incidents.
This morning about o'clock a horse at
tached to a Yale laundry wagon became
frightened at one of the engines and ran
away. The animal ran into one of the big
platc-glass windows at Israel & Co.'S CLOTH
ing store, corner of Virginia avenue and
9TH street The glass was demolished and
the horse was badly cut.
William Welsh, a member of No. En-
gire Company, fell from pile OF lumber
while working at the fire and his right