The Washington times., 1901-07-23
A BR0OKLAND HOME BURNED.
Residence of Henry Fnrquhnr BADLY
Damaged by Flames.

Residence of Henry Fnrquhnr BADLY
Damaged by Flames.
disastrous fire. which for n time
threatened to spread and do great dam
age. was discovered shortly after Q o'clock
yesterday afternoon by Mounted Police
man J. e. Bryarly. of the Eighth pre-
cinct. in the home of Henry Farqubar. a
well-known resident of this city on the
Bunker Hill Road. opposite the Catholic
University. As a result of the conflagra-
tion Deilah Nickens. a young colored
girl employed by Mrs. Faruuhar as do
mestic. is now at the Emergency Hospital
suffering from severe burns about the
head and body, from which she will prob
ably die
1t wasl i3:I0 o'clock in the afternoon
when Mounted Policeman Bryarly. while
riding past the Farquhar home on his
way To the patrol box, was attracted to
the house by huge columns of dense
smoke winch rolled out of the windows
on the second floor The bluecoat did
not wait to investigate the matter more
thoroughly, but put spurs to his horse
and rode to the Brookland station. There
he reported the fire to Policeman Stro-
man, who at once turned in an alarm.
After doing so the two bluecoats made
their way back with all haste and found
the entire frame structure of the building
abiaze. Bryarly, assisted by Policemen
Stroman and Barrett who also came to
the scene, at once ran into the blazing
house, and. with the assistance Of numer-
Gus citizens. removed into the front yard
nearly all OF the household effects.
The fire was started by the Nickens
woman. who, it is said, was busily en-
gagged in one of the bedrooms in cleaning
with some gasoline. While so doing. it Is
said, she stepped upon loose match,
which started the fire In a few moments
the screams of the woman, whose light
wrapper had been caught by the flames,
attracted the attention of William Pol
lock, who ran at once to the wo-
a wet blanket about her blazing clothing,
rolled her on the lawn. After long and
tedious undertaking Mr.. Pollock succeed
ed in smothering the flames. and at once
telephoned for the ambulance in or
der that the. colored woman. who was in
fearful condition as the result of her
severe burns. could be taken to hospital
without the slightest delay.
In the meantime the ladies of the neigh
borhood responded to the Farquhar's call
for aid. While their husbands assisted
Foreman Nicholson and his men of Truck
ID, and those of Engine Company No. u
to extinguish the flames, the women them
selves dragged numerous household ar
ticles out of the house to save them from
care of the injured colored woman. Later
DR.. Henry Brooks, who resides in the vi
cinity, dressed her wounds
In the meantime the ambulances of both
the Emergency and Freedmans Hospital
were racir- neck by neck for numerous
squares In hopes of beating each other
to the scene of disaster the Emergency
ambulance succeeding finally in securing
the woman. having arrived Just one min
ute before their fellow workers from
Freedman's. Upon the woman's arrival
fyact ftrrtfn cl1a
in a critical condition and after medical
treatment had been rendered by the sur
geons. she was placed on cot
From the time Truck d and Engine
Company No. Il arrived up to the time
they had the flames under control 1t was
feared that the firemen might be unable
to secure water. as the streams pumped
by the engines lacked the necessary force.
Several times Foreman Nicholson. fol-
lowed by several of his men, together
with these from No. y. climbed upon the
roof of the burning building and cut away
pieces of the roof. while the structure it
self swayed to and fro as if on pivots
But luckily for the firemen none of them
was seriously injured. The entire upper
story of the dwelling was destroyed. while
the first floor was saved only after an
hours bard work by the firemen.
The police reserves from the Eighth pre-
cincti under command of Lieut. John Ken
ney, hurried to the scene and rendered
eXcellept service by securing all the prop
erty removed from the house, including
very fine and valuable library, togeth-
er with large quantity of household ef-
fects rinto a corner of the Catholic Uni
versity grounds, where guard was
placed.
Lieutenant Kenney last night stated
that. i'm fiis2opinion. the dwelling had been
damagsai TO the extent of $500, of which
s., ESQ was covered by insurance.
Owing to the excellent work done by
the members of Truck D and Engine
Company iNo.-12 it is expected the citi-
zens Of that section will tomorrow send
to each foreman of those companies a
letter Of thanks The run to the scene
of the fire was one of unusual length, and
exhausted the engine horses badly, s..
that 1t WAS impossible to use them foi
several hours .afterward.
The condition of Delilah Nickens, the
colored woman. was reported TO be the
same at late hour last night, and the
surgeons at the hospital hold out but
little hope for her recovery.