The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-14
Fire Department Works in Bit
ter Cold.
BAPTIST CHURCH DAMAGED
Residence of Trainmaster Watt Goode
Destroyed Sunday Night Depart
ment Couldn't Get Sufficient
Water to Fight Flames.


have been very warm" in Birmingham
during the past forty-eight hours, notwith-
standing the fact that the thermometer has
ranged between 10 degrees above and 10 de-
grees below zero during that time and four
to FIVE inches of snow covered the ground.
This state of affairs will be readily I'M
derstood when the record Of the fire .le-
partment is taken into consideration, 1t
having responded to eight alarms since
Sunday morning.
The first alarm came in at $50 o'clock
Sunday morning, calling the department TO
the residence of VIM. Hood, 2412 Fifth
avenue, where in attempt ng to thaw out
the water pipes, the wood work in the
kitchen was set on fire. The department
made a quick run through the snow and
prevented serious damage.
49, South Side baptist Church
Shortly after 10 a. m. clock an alarm
from box 50, corner Avenue G and Twen-
tieth street. called the southside department
to the southside Baptist church, which had
been discovered on fire. On account of the
extreme cold the furnaces had been well
stocked with coal, the heat from which
caused the ceiling of the basement to ignite
and which was ga ming considerable head
way when discovered by W. B. Foster, one
of the Sunday school teachers
The children were quietly dismissed and
the alarm turned in, bringing the depart
ment to the scene in a few moments. Some
difficulty was experienced in getting water
and the Northsde department was called
on to assist. The Northside steamer took
Ea pI,, of ba A Il
Twentieth and soon two streams of water
Were being poured into the church build
ing from which large volumes OF smoke was
issuing Another delay was experienced
from OF the lines OF hose being run
over by u Stree. car and CUT i'll two. a new
section was quickly laid and the depart
ment soon had the hre under control.
TIE damage 10 the church was at first
thought to be small, but it was after
wards found that the magnificent organ In
tho auditorium had been damage, which
will run the loss up to several thousand
dollars, which Is covered by insurance.
Fireman Injured
Joo McLendon, a member Of the South
side department, was severely kicked by.
one of the horses while at this fire, and
was removed to his home, where City Ply
sician Wilson attended him. None of his
bones were broken, but he will be laid up
for several Gays from bruises.
1t Was Only "a Scare
About 610 Sunday night another alarm
was turned in from Twentieth street and
Fourth avenue. The department hurriedly
turned out, but on reaching the spot it
proved to be only a scare. Some people liv-
ing in the second story of building had
built up a roaring fire and thought the
chimney was on fire.
A telephone message was cent in about
$3.50 Sunday night saying that fire had
been discovered at r. Ehrman's house on
Twelfth avenue between Nineteenth and
Twentieth streets.
After hard run in the cold the firemen
arrived, but found only a snowflake with
light on it which had been taken for
spark.
Detected and disappointed the poor beasts
and men returned to their hall.
Goodies Residence Burned
Another telephone message was sent into
the Northside fire department about 1:30
O'Clock Sunday night telling of fire on
Eighth avenue and Fifteenth street.
Though this was the coolest part of the
night, the engine hastily went to the point
designated and found the two-story house
of Watt Goode in flames. Mr.. Goode is
trainmaster on tho Birmingham Railway
and Electric company. The company had
retired and Mrs. Goode was awakened by
a roaring sound and discovered the whole
roof of the house in a sheet of flames.
On account of scarcity of water it was
impossible to save the structure, but some
good work was done on the house of j. B.
Barton, about fifty feet from the doomed
building. Mr.. Barton was profuse in his
praise fthe firemen, and said they saved
his house from destruction.
The damage to Mr.. Goode will be about
$3.50, with an insurance of $1,000. The fire
evidently originated from defective fue
Run Yesterday Morning
Monday morning opened up clear and cold,
but no cessation of fire alarms had come.
At 1890 clock box So turned an alarm from
Third avenue and Fifteenth street. The
firemen found a fire in the office of the
Southern Iron company, caused by negro
attempting to kindle fire with gasoline
The can exploded and scattered the flaming
fluid all over the negro and the office, set
ting both afire. The negro succeeded in
subduing the flames on himself, but the de-
partment had to be ordered out to save the
office, This they finally did, though consid-
cradle damage was done.
Att the time the Northside department
was at work on this fire another message
was sent in to the effect that the house of
A. s. Vandegrft Seventh avenue and
Twenty first street, was on fire. The South
side department answered the call and the
flames were soon extinguished.
Though the boys have done some noble
work during the severe weather, they say
they are still all right and stand ready TO
answer any call.
Their Standing