The Washington times., 1901-11-20
A LARGE WAREHOUSE
DESTROYED BY FIRE.
HORSES SAVED FROM REAR STABLE.
Foreman Dement, Telephones Alarm
and FIees From FInues-BuiId-
ing and Its Contents
Total Loss.

The feed warehouse Of w. H. Michael
725 to 73l Delaware Avenue northeast,
was completely destroyed by FIRE yester-
day afternoon. The loss is variously esti-
mated at from S12 2OO0 to $4,000, the for
| mer estimate being made by the members
Of the Fire Department. Two box cars
| belonging to the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company were in the building at the
time, and were practically destroyed.
The butterine factory of the National
Dairy Company, which adjoins the ware
house on the south. was threatened.
Heroic work on the part of the fremen
practically confined the flames within the
walls OF the building where they started.
| These walls are now bulging and will have
to be torn down.
Water Tower Used for First Time.
The threatening aspect of the fire when
Chief Belt arrived induced him to send in
fifth alarm, which brought out twelve
engine companies, four trucks, and the
water tower The tower was placed in
service for the first time since its acquisi-
tioa by the department.
The origin of the fire is shrouded in
mystery 1t was first discovered by Scott
Bowles, negro driver. who was feeding
his horses in the stable in the rear of the
building The flames were then just be
ginning to creep out from a pile of baled
hay in the southeast corner of the build
ing.
Running to the stairway leading to the
Office on the second floor, Bowles notified
the foreman, J. G. Dement,. An alarm was
sent in over the telephone. The pro-
prletor. who was absent, was notified in
the same manner. Dement,, who did the
telephoning had barely time to escape,
without stopping % place the business
records in the safe. These were destroyed
with the rest of the contents Of the
building.
Two Horses Rescued by the Driver.
BowIes had been last seen in the build
ing going toward the rear il the direction
of the fire. Anxiety was expressed con-
cerning his safety. 1t was found that he
had managed to reach the stable and
rescued the two horses which he had but
a few moments before fed
Cars on both branches of the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad and the Colum-
bia Street line were delayed for over an
hour, much to the Inconvenience Of race
goers who were at that hour desirous OF
reaching the track. The occupants Of
many of the frame buildings in the imme-
date vicinity removed their belongings
from the houses, but ii proved unneces-
sary after the french arrived.
Mr. Michael stated that he had in the
warehouse about hundred tons of hay,
fifty tons of straw, 5ol bushels Of corn,
2.0CO bushels Of oats, and fifty tons of
bran and meal. He valued 1t at about So
0g0. and carried an insurance Of $1,000.
The Valuation of the Property.
The building was formerly occupied by
w. F. Hewlett and is owned by the Jacob
Tome Institute, of Port Deposit, Md. It
is valued at about $4,000. although its
construction cost twice that amount The
salvage on bricks and other material will
probably reduce the loss by several thou
sand dollars. The two freight cars We're
valued at 81 eco each.
The damage to the building occup ID by
the Dairy Company and owned by the Nc
Gill estate viii amount to several hun
dred dollars, while on the stock in the
hutterine factory loss of $1,000 is
claimed.