The herald., 1898-01-21
SCHOLARS MARCH OUT SAFELY
a Co0L-HEADED LAD WHO DIS
COVERED THE BLAZE
The Lack Of Water Prevents Effective
Work by the Firemen--Insurance
Nearly Equals the Loss

| iHSt bWO III til6 ydEQ dTu
the residence of Charles Kohler, which
| adjoined the premises, were totally de.
stroyed by fire yesterday afternoon
Captain Mcdonald Of Chemical COM
pany was severely injured by the
blowing off of the cap on the cylinder
Of his engine. his left hand being badly
mangled. This accident led to the re.
port that two of the firemen had been
killed.
That there was not a panic in the
school Is due to the coolness of q 49,
year-old boy. Joe Ssarfnsky, q student
in what Is known as the IA grade, and
to the excellent training OF all the
scholars in the fire drill. AS 1t was, not
scholar of the nearly $50 in the build
ing was injured in the least. All OF
them saved most Of their books; the
school records were preserved, and even
the girls hats, with one exception, were
taken from the burning building before
the fire had gained such headway as to
make 1t impossible to do anything more.
All of the teachers desks were saved
and many Of the desks Of the scholars.
There was not the slightest tendency
toward a panic.
The fire was caused by defective
fiue. For several weeks there has been
much difficulty in securing sufficient
draught to the furnace to properly heat
the building. An examination of the
fiue made several days ago by Superin-
tendent of Buildings Charlton disclosed
that there was an accumulation of SCOT.
A portion Of 1t was taken out, but much
of 1t could not be reached. This SCOT ig-
nited soon after the afternoon session
of the school begun yesterday, and
sparks from this fire ignited the roof
Joe Szarfinsky had left something in
the school yard when the session began
and about 1870 o'clock was given per-
mission by his teacher, Miss M. Eva
Quick, to go to the yard for It. AS he
was about to return he noticed that the
roof of the building around the chimney
was in flames. A large hole had been
burned in the roof, and, famed by the
wind, which was blowing 30-miie- an
hour, gale, the fire was rapidly spread
ing. Instead Of yelling "Fire!" as most
boys of his age would have done, Szar-
finsky rushed into the building, but when
opened 1t as coolly as if nothing had hap
pened, and, going quietly to his teach
er, told her in low voice that the school
was burning. None Of the other schol-
ars heard him. and he went at once to
his seat and secured his books. Miss
Quick went to Prof. Yoder's room as
quickly as possible and notified him of
the fire. Prof. Yoder was hearing the
language class of the A5 grade. He i'm
inediately stopped the recitation and
said to his scholars: I'VE will now have
fire drill" In all such drills the signal
to the other rooms is given by two quick
blows Of a large gong in the hall near
the door, and this signal was Immediate
ly sounded. Herman Hanson, one of
Prof. Yoder's pupils, plays an important
part in all fire drills. 1t is his duty to
station himself near the door and beat
time on a triangle, all Of the scholars
keeping step TO it. He always beats
double time, and the several rooms are
emptied in less than a minute,
Immediately after the gong had
sounded the beating on the triangle be-
gan, and the scholars, none of whom
knew that the building was burning
marched out as II theywere partioipat-
ing only in the regular drill. As soon
as they reached the school yard and
saw that the building was on fire there
were many ordinations Of surprise,
and some would have rushed back to
save their belongings, had they been
permitted to do so. To number of the
larger boys was given the work Of saw
Ing what could be reached, and so we'll
did they perform their work that nearly
all the books were brought out and
placed in the yard. In few minutes the
whole roof was ablaze, and 1t did not
take long for the fire to eat it's way into
the interior of the building.
Assistant Superintendent of Schools
Ennis happened to be In the building at
the time the fire was discovered and
telephoned the Office Of the board Of edu-
cation. Secretary johnson received the
message and turning from the telephone
he called across the city hall lot to AS
that the Pico Heights school was burn
ing. Smith at once notified chemical
engine company No. I and engine COM
pany No. Of the fire. Chief Moore
went to the fire in person, Had there
been another engine company near the
school and had the alarm been sounded
promptly the building might have been
saved. The companies sent to the fire
had long distances to travel and by the
time they reached the place there was
no hope of saving the school. ~
For fifteen minutes after the arrival
of the steamer no water could be found
to be pumped on the flames. The sue
ton was placed In the Rodeo de los
Aguas which flows near the place but
there was not enough water. A dam
was hurriedly built below the steamer
but the water was pumped out faster
than 1t flowed. Several men went above
the place and tapped twelve-inch wa
ter main which soon furnished plenty
of water. The delay. however, caused
the destruction of the residence Of
Charles Kohler at Twelfth and Berenda
streets, the wind having blown burning
shingles from the school to the roof
The residence Of N. B. Norfolk, 1166
Catalina street. was In danger and the
firemen removed all Of the goods from
that building. In doing so the house
was considerably damaged and was az
terwards flooded. For two hours the
firemen worked and succeeded in pre-
venting a greater spread OF the fire,
although several houses in the neigh
borhood were ignited several times.
After the tanks Of chemical engine
No. 4had been emrtie6 Capt McDcnsld