The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-16
FOUGHT FLAMES
WITH SNOW BALLS
Pratt City Visited By Disastrous
COnilaSratiOn.
A TOY STOVE STARTED IT
Children Of Mrs. Julius We're Playing
In a Closet.
FIRE ENGINE WAS FROZEN UP
Water Left in the Boiler to Make Steam
Was a Block of Ice Seven Houses
Destroyed Before the Fire
Was Exhausted.
A TOY STOVE STARTED IT
FIRE ENGINE WAS FROZEN up

Pratt City witnessed an unusual sight
yesterday morning about 10 o'clock in the
spectacle of number of citizens of that
place fighting destructive fire with snow
balls
The fire engine, which is generally used
in Pratt City on such occasions, was frozen
solid and was useless Water had been
left in the boiler in order that steam
might be gotten up quickly, but somebody
had neglected to keep it in the form of
water and not ice as the weather got cold.
Hot water was poured all over the en-
CINE yesterday morning, but it did no good
There was nothing left for the citizens
to do but to fight the fire with water buck
cts and snow balls. The former were used
as they have been from time immemorial,
that is by bucket brigade.
The snowfall regiment, however, was a
distinct novelty. number of boys and
men were stationed close to the houses
across the street from the fire. which must
necessarily be served to keep the fire from
spreading. Whenever flame showed Itself
snowballs would extinguish it in short or
der. Then the snowbaIs had the advan-
tage of flying through the air. so to speak,
which water buckets had not.
Although seven houses were destroyed
before the fire exhausted itself, the buck
cts and snowballs won the day, for they
kept the fire from spreading all over the
city.
Playing With Toy Stove
The fire originated in the home of Mrs.
julius. Her little children were playing in
one of the closets of the house with a toy
stove, and it is supposed that in trying to
build fire in it they set the house on fire.
1t is probable that lot of clothing hanging
around was tho first to catch. Mrs Julius
heard the screams of her child, for the
little ono was badly burned, and ran to it's
rescue. Every attention was given it yes
terday, but its life is still in great danger.
The shock was so great on Mrs. julius that
she went into spasms, and has been having
them ever since. eM
What the Fire Did
By the time Mrs. Julius had rescued her
children the fire had spread so that it was
uhdpIe ~ save the mouse, ana 1t with
nearly every piece of its furniture was
burned.
The fire quickly spread to the old Bap-
fist church, which stood next door, and
which was at the time occupied by Hood
& Wheeler furniture store. The build
ing with all its fine stock, was entirely con-
stunned, as was the residence occupied by
j. w. Sparkman. All of this property was
owned by Hood & Wheeler, and was valued
at $500 on the buildings and $1,000 on the
stock. The insurance was $500.
Other houses burned and pulled down in
the effort to stop the spread of the flames
were the store Of b. Melchure, valued at
81 900; stock, $1.5OO; no insurance.; the resi-
dence of Ben Anguine, value, including
furniture 81 900: some insurance. the resi-
dence of Low Jackson was torn down at a
loss of about $500
Two other two-room houses belonging to
Mr.. outlaw and one owned by Scott New
berry, were also burned. Some of the houses
across the street were slightly damaged.
Ben Anguine Is suffering with a spell of
pneumonia, and his removal from his burn
we're ON him.
Yesterdays fire at Pratt City was dis
astrous one, and that it did not spread fur
Their was due to the determined efforts of
did the work well.