The times., 1901-06-04
Two FIRBMEN INJURED
Hurt While Fighting Flames at
Butterine Factory.
4 Loss of $4,000 EntRiIcd in the
Destruction of II. &. Dotson's
establishments On North Capitol
Street-SIigu Insurance Carried.

\ Loss of S25,OOO EntRIlcu IN tht
Destruction of X. c. Dotson's
establishments On North Capitol
Street-SIight Insurance Carried.
Two firemen hurt and a loss estimated
at 81, 900 briefly tells the story of a fire
last night at the butterine establishment
of Robert c. Dotson. SOP North Capitol
Street The injured firemen are Simon
Hughes, of No. 10 engine company re-
siding at SIS Thirteenth Street northeast,
and John L. Lusby, of No. engine com
pany, whose home is at 511 Sixth Street
southeast Both men received treatment
at the Casualty Hospital and afterward
went to their homes where they were Wis
listed by District Commissioner II. B. f.
Macfarland and Chief Dutton of the de-
partment The origin of the fire is
shrouded in mystery
Dense volumes of smoke and fame pour
ing from windows along the front OF the
doomed building was the first warning OF
the confiagration Benjamin Perry,
| bookkeeper, employed by his uncle, VIII
liam II. H CisseI, feed dealer whose es-
| tablishment adjoins the butterine plant
| on North Capitol Street. was about to go
| home and was standing I'm front OF the
| feed store as the fire burst forth, shortly
| before o'clock. Young Perry made
dash for the fire alarm box at North cap
itol and f Streets. as did half dozen
frightened citizens who were near the
| scene of the fire. An alarm was sent in'
| calling out several companies OF the de-
! partment. On the arrival of Asslstaht
Chief Belt shortly afterward second anu
| third alarms were sounded IN quick sue
! cession, and ten engines. two truck COM
panies and the new water tower were
| soon at hand. Chief Duuon came on the
third alarm, as dld CommlSsloiier MI. ~
| farland, and both remained about the
| burning building for an hour or more.
AS the firemen arrived they We're assign
| ed to various positions along the front
| of the butterine establishment, and the
| side of the Cissel feed store, adjoining,
and running back on h Street to an aley
| in the rear of both buildings. several
| ladders were run UP the slGeS Of the
| buiIdings. ard tirernen mounted to the
| roofs hauling lines OF hose after them 10
points of vantage. streams OF M3ttI
! were poured into the burning Dullolhs
from the roof, windows. ana doors.
| 1t was evident at first that the hLe
started at the front OF the butterlne plant
| near an immense refrigerator, DAT ~
rapid was the spread of the names th5il
! the whole building was practlcaliy IN
! flames before the firemen got falrly 70
! work For a time there was danger lnit
the flames would break through the oIlcfl
! wall into the feed store, and one company
| was assigned to protect the ClSsel estaD-
| lishment and prevent the spread OF lhe
flames in that direction.
| Although the water tower was at hauu,
| il was determined not to put IT in ser
vice, because the burning buildlng was
| but two stories in height, ana eaSily
! scaled with lines of hose oy nledhs % ~
| ladders The clang of engines, the smoke
/ and flames, and the excitement l~licloeIIt ~
| to the fire, served to attract 10 the sgelI si
about $1,000 people, who surged pshihu
guard ropes strung alongside the cuIn-
ing by the Sixth precinct police IN the
! crowd were seen besides Commissioner
Mcfarland Judge Kimball, OF the Ponce
| Court eX-Chief Paris, coroner NeNlte'
! and many insurance men. .,
/ Both Hughes and Lusby the injured
! firemen, were hurt early IN the progress
/ of the fire. Hughes was working "Ilh
his company on the North Capitol street
front of the butterine establishment, ana
| was overcome by smoke While pressing
! forward with a pipe into WlhdoW Oh
| the second floor Of the building. sever
/ al firemen were close behind him, ana
| conveyed him down the ladder to the
! ground. A patrol wagon IN waiting
and I.usby was removed to the hospital.
| Shortly afterward Hughes. while about
/ TO enter q window of the CiSsel store, on
/ the Z Street side, was struck by stream
of water from pipe and Knocked OF ms
| feet to the ground. Hughes 1eii from
| the ladder and was painfully bruised and
| cut about the head. He was sent TO the
| hospital and later was removed to his
| home in the patrol wagon
| An early arrival on the scene OF the tlre
| was Robert G. DotsOn, owner of the but
terine factory He said to a reporter for
! The Times that he had no idea how the
| flames started He stated there was no
| fire in the building at the time. nor were
there any electric wires in the building
| at all.
u fear my loss will be heavy" said Mr..
| Dotson THE machinery on the second
J floor, together with fixtures, including re-
| frigerators, is worth in the neighborhood
| of 81. 900. On this property ! have an in
| surance of about 5000. In addition, I
| have a policy of $500 on my stock. At
4 present | have in the building stock worth
| about s. 600, so that this loss is more than
| covered by insurance" Mr.. Dotson said
! II. r. Howenstein, an insurance agent,
| had placed his insurance for him.
! 1t was learned that stock valued at
! nearly $1,000 had just been shipped from
| the butterine establishment to Baltimore
! parties The last consignment was re-
| moved from the Dotson plant yesterday
| afternoon. Mr.. DOtson has occupied the
| present quarters for about eighteen
| months. 1t is understood the building
| belongs tC the McCullogh estate
| Very little damage was done TO adjotn-
! ing property by the fire. The wall sepa-
| rating the butterine establishment from
the Cissel store did not give way. and
only water damaged slightly the stock
| of hay in the upper story Of the feed
| store. Some months ago fire broke out
! in the Cissel store causing considerable
damage TO both building and stock