Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-16
STOREHOUSE ABLAZE
Three Thousand Dollars Worth Of
Fireworks Ruined.
HEROIC WORK OF TIE FIREMEH
Building Entered in the Face Of
Great Danger
CAUSE OF FIRE UNKNOWN

CAUSE OF FIRE UNKNOWN
| There was a big pyrotechnic display this
| morning in Union court that had not beer
previously advertised. Three thousand dol
| lars worth of fireworks either went up in
smoke or turned into ''sizzers" by reason
/ of the drenching the firemen gave them.
| Shortly before o'clock Mr.. H. F. Lerch
| who resides at 1920 NJ street, saw dense
volume of smoke curling over the small
| two-story house Immediately in the rear OF
| his residence. He knew it was the fire.
works storehouse Of Guy, Curran & Co.,
and fearing a confiagration ran out and
| turned in an alarm of fire. In few min
utes engine companies 1, and and truck
B arrived. Acting Foreman Corners of
Company No. was the first to arrive, and
he quickly put his company in service, at
lacking the fire from the rear, Then, thun-
dering along 10th street, came No. T. with
Foreman Wagner. Behind him came No. 8,
and Truck B was but q short distance
away.
The big column Of black smoke had in
creased, and the hurrying firemen re-
doubled their efforts and spurred their
horses on, realizing they had a big fire to
handle. AS Foreman Wagner ran into the
little court at the head of his doughty band
Of fire fighters he found Acting Assistant
Chief Sullivan in command Wagner was
ordered into the second story and responded
quickly.
1t required brave men to execute such an
order for firecrackers were snarling and
mines exploding amid shower of sky rock
cts that whiZZed upward. Devil chasers
were in mortal combat with "pinny wheels
Roman candles DISCHARGED their bear-
tifully colored contents. The effect was
heightened by the black background Of
smoke. 1t was into this fiery magazine the
firemen went and it was due entirely to
saved, for in a little while the heavy pieces
would have been reached and no power on
earth, 1t Is believed. could have prevented a
terrific explosion.
Firemen Handicapped.
The firemen were handicapped by the iron
bars which extended across the windows on
the first floor. They went into the front
door, climbed through the back windows
and scrambled into the second-story front
as though in practice drill, and began work,
rapidly advancing and stamping out the
fire, until only smoldering mass of colored
paper and pasteboard remained An occa-
sional cracker snapped, as though in def
ance.
1t was withal one of the most complete
in Washington. They admitted the serious
ness of the fire and agreed that an explo-
sion would have occurred In short time,
which might have demolished the entire
square. There are several frame houses in
the immediate vicinity, and such an explo-
sion as was feared would surely have set
them on fire, If not instantaneously destroy
ing them.
The building sustained slight injury al
though the stock of fireworks was totally
ruined. Mr.. Curran of the firm, after view
ing the debris, said he would not give
cents for the remains, adding the stock
was worth about 5000, and not insured.
Citizens Protest.
People residing in the alley were out
spoken In their objections to the presence
of such a storehorse in their vicinity. One
old colored man told reporter of The Star
that he had protested to the police against
it, but nothing ever done. The firm
had occupied the building for two years,
he said. and did not even keep a Waterman
there.
Mr.. Curran stated to an officer that no
one had been in the building since yester-
day afternoon, when one of the trusted
boys of the firm carried some colored fire
there for storage. The man who lives next
to the storehouse told a Star reporter that
boys were in the habit Of visiting the
building carrying lighted cigarettes, and
that he had warned them time and again
against such practice.
located, Is situated between l. and NJ 18th
and 10th streets. 1t said the fireworks
had been collected for the Dewey reeep-
ton, but Mr. Curran said, in reply to
question, that it was merely their regular
stock.
The small boy was very much in evidence
during the fire, and many were the express
5iOns of sorrow and regret at the prema-
ture explosions. One little fellow alive to
the situation, sat perched fence view
ing the fire from a point of vantage. AS
the giant crackers were booming he said
to a policeman:
Gee mister, amt 1t a shame? If we
boys had 'em we could help welcome Dew
ey. Listen to them sizzers. They are wet.
Bet I'm going to git some Of them and dry
them OUT
Yes added the officer Il guess you will
put them on your mothers cook stove, and
give the firemen more work.
Provisi"ns of Regulations.
Section 4. of article 8, of the police reg
ulations provides as follows relative to the
manufacture and storage of fireworks and
explosives in the District:
NO fireworks or explosives of any kind
whatsoever shall be manufactured, stored
kept or used within the limits of the Dis
trict of Columbia without a license pre-
viously obtained from the major of police
under direction of the Commissioners,
except in connection with public works I'M
der the direction of the officer in charge
thereof"
For violating the provisions of this sec
ton fine of not less than 81 nor more than
$40 is made the penalty. When the atten-
ton of Major Sylvester, the chief of police
vas called to the fire this morning in Union
court, he directed that the matter be at
once investigated with directions to en-
force the law in question If it should be
found that the fireworks had been stored in
the burned building without the required
license.
ORDERED TO HIS REGINENT