Arizona republican., 1899-04-09
La Villa Place Threatened With
Extinction Yesterday.
PHOENIX TO THE RESCUE
The COafidgrafion Checked After
Destroying Two Handsome Resi-
denC@S, a Valuable Horse and
Other Property Worth $4,000.
Two BoyS Had Been Playing in
Barn-ViewS on City Extension.


There was a fiery argument in favor
of city annexation yesterday. The
flames from costly North Fourth
avenue bonfire threw a lurid light on
the subject and presented denial to
| certain answers to the petition of the
| city fer expansion now on file in the
district court, in which the respondents
aver that there is no advantage to
them in annexation. Bu5 for a misdc-
meanoE committed by the Phoenix fire
department which cost the city $3.50
considerable section OF Norma Place.
La Villa Place and Orchard Grove
would be in ashes This morning. The
whole region was at the mercy of The
flames. There could be no effectual re-
sistance.
A fire broke out about O'Clock in a
contractor, 513 North Fourth av-
enue. Mr.. Campbell saw the flames
before they had gained great Roadway,
but an instant later the barn was en-
veloped. The flames then attacked the
house forty feet distant. 1t was a solid
brick structure, but within a few min
utes the fame was pouring in at the
windows and sp.ead through the house
SO quickly that sleeping child was
removed after the bed on which it lay
caught fire. In the meantime the con-
fagration spread to two ether barns
and wasted them away. Another
house owned by Campbell and occu-
pied by his bro.her-in-law, c. M Sea-
man, caught fire. That was the next
door north OF the Campbell residence.
The eorniee ON the house Of Nh j.
Rees, next south of Campbell's, began
to blaze. Outbuildings belonging to
residences on Thi.d avenue COM
nienced to smoke Water drawn into
tubs from hydrants was thrown upon
them with buckets and even dippers.
Both Third and Fourth avenues were
filled with helpless crowds.
An alarm had been turned in and
the response of the department was
prompt When Chief Fromm Mmae
to Van Buren street and saw tha
fire was two blocks beyond, actin
der late ordinance making it
demeanor to take the department f.
side the city limits, he ordered Wre-
turn. The engine, hook and ladder
truck, and the Pioneer hose cart were
taken back to the engine house. The
Victor Hose company left the field, but
the Yucatecs remained and laid their
hose prepared for an emergency
There is an apparent difference be-
tween q correct theory and horrible
fact. 1t was enc thing for the city to
stand properly on its rights and an
other to stand by and witness the un-
opposed progress CT the fire. Council
man Sanders directed Chief Fromm to
go to the assistance of the helpless ad
iition, Offering to stand between him
md the broken ordinance. tela-
phone message of the same sort was
eceived from Mayor Dyer. The chief
with the engine, the truck
md the Pioneers. The Victors were
Intercepted on their way to their hose
louse and brought back Before the
ruck with the chemical engine reached
Van Buren street it encountered a
,roken off and it went no farther
Nearly a half hour had been lost.
\ $4,000 house had been burned
Fourth avenue was filled with fur
Liture, carpets, lace curtains and
whatever else could be snatched Up
astily and carried out. People a block
way from the seat of the trouble We're
eaiy to carry cut their goods. but
hey didn't know where to put them,
Or no place outside the limits seemed
afe.
There is no fire plug in that neigh
orhood, for the inhabitants had never
elt the need Of protection. Two lines
hose were laid from the canal, one
uickiy and the other with delay. The
uick puffs of the engine was a chal-
enge to the flames and their course
-as instantly checked by a powerful
-resrn and half hour later the fire
7as over The anti-expansion a61i-
on had been saved by the imperialist
ty
But justice was blind yesterday as
sUal and more than ordinarily blum
ering Mr.. Campbell, the only loser,
one of the few men in that neig'hbor-
God who has all along been in favor
annexation. His argument was that
re protection was needed, and every
ling he had was destroyed. There was
single house between his property
nd TOW of buildings owned by an
her man who IS enc of the most
tive opponents of annexation. With
Continued on Fourth Page.)