The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-09-23
Origin Of the Fire Is Supposed
to Have Been Defective
Electric Wire.
BUILDING IS INSURED
STOCK PARTIALLY SO
FIremen Were Slow In Responding to
Alarm and Fire Stubbornly Eats
Its Way Throughout
the Building.

Louis saks estimates that the dam
age to his stock will amount to $685.
Doo.
Damage to the building will probably
be $4,000.
Amount of Insurance carried could
not be learned definitely, but the build
Ing is probably fully insured, but stock
Is not.
The large store of Louis Saks, the
clothier, at First avenue and Nine
teenth street, was burned this morning
by fire which began at 20 minutes
to l o'clock and which at o'clock is
still beyond the control of the firemen.
The loss will be more than s260000,
nearly all of whicn is covered by in
Burance.
The store was packed with the large
fan and winter stock which had just
been received by the firm, and this
runs the value of the buildings con-
tents up to more than $225,000, ac-
cording to estimates made by mem
bers Of the firm. The building was
valued at possibly $4,000, as it had
recently been much improved.
Origin of Fire.
The fire started from a spark from
a ave electric wire on the third floor,
where the large reserve stock of the
firm was placed The wire was in the
rear of the building near the alley
and about the center of the building.
Mr.. Boyd, an electrician employed by
the Southern Bell Telephone company,
was one of the first men in the build
ing In company with a reporter Of
The Age-Herald and the first batch
of firemen to enter the building, Mr..
Boyd made his way to the third floor
and discovered the exact place where
the spark had ignited it.
after the current was cut off Mr..
Boyd made a statement of the above
facts, declaring he was positive as to
the cause, for he knew the circuit
well and he saw plainly where the
first spark had burned into the floor.
When seen this morning Mr.. Louis
Saks was very nervous. He stated at
first that he did not know the value
OF the stock, but later said 1t was fully
S225 900, as he had only recently added
his large fall and winter stock. He
said he carried large amount of In
sGrance, but could give no exact state
ment with reference to the amount or
the companies with which it was
placed Ee added that the insurance
would not cover the loss fully on the
sock, though II would on the building.
Department Was Slow.
1t was twenty minutes to one o'clock
when the cry Of fire was heard and
the alarm turned in. The department
was slow in responding. 1t was an hour
when slumber Is most profound and the
firemen were naturally slower in re-
spending than they would have been in
the day time. 1t was fully ten minues
before the first stream OF water reached
the fire.
At this hour the streets are deserted
dashing over the pavement awoke many.
crowd soon gathered around the build
ing, hurried by the clang of the fire en-
gines gong and that indefinabe some
thing which stirs the blood at the cry
of fire.
The hremen. when they arrived. wasted
precious moments in getting to work-or
at least so 1t seemed to the onlookers
At this time all that could be seen OF the
fire was light in the third story of the
building. which was visible from the
northern end abutting on First alley.
Doors Were Strong
Through the door way of the building
on this end an attempt was made to get
line of hose. Inc doors were strong
and securely fastened and the firemen
could not break them open They had
glass pannels. and after the attempt to
break open the doors was abandoned the
glass in them was knocked out and a
line OF hose run into the building and
carried up to the second floor.
In the meanwhile, however. the fire hao
gained headway and the dense smoke
which accumulated soon drove the fire.
men back.
Then the aerial truck arrived and a
ladder was slowly raised on the Nine
teenth street side of the building. For
some time after reaching the fire the
hremen seemed dazed and did not know
exactly how to make the attack But
while much time was lost. the firemen
showed plenty of grit after they began
the fight Two men STOOD on the top or
this ladder directing a stream of water
into a window while dense black clouds
enveloped them-so black that it seemed
impossible that they could live in them
Flames whirled around them, but for
hours they stuck to their post.
Fire Was Persistent.
The fire slowly ate Its way forward
towards First avenue. In spite of the fact
that five or more streams were turned on
it. and that all the apparatus of the de-
partment was busy, 1t worked its way
forward window by window, until 1t
reached First avenue.
While the fire was gaining headway
some OF the electric wires In the alley