The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-12-26
House of Mrs. GeOfgeL, Morris
 Damaged About $l2,OOO
IA FLUE WAS DEFECTIVE
Handsome Residence on South Twent- eth Street Partially Destroyed-in- surance Will About Cover
 All the Loss.

South Twentieth street. The loss is S1200O, covered by insurance.
 With the temperature degrees below freezing and the wind blowing at a lively rate the f1remen had to fight a stubborn fire last night about o'clock for an hour and a half. Mrs Morris residence is be- tween Quinlan avenue and Ninth avenue.
 Wherever the water fell it froze and the that it was dangerous to move on them. The grass was a mass of icicles, which varied from one to two inches in length, according to the exposure. The coats of the firemen were frozen and the men suf- fered severely from the cold. The house is on high hill and the full sweep of the wind struck it. flaming the flames and increasing the suffering of the firemen.
 The heavy loss was due partially to the lack of water pressure. Several men who were at the fire soon after 1t started stated that before the engines arrived 1t was impossible to get water to the second story of the building from some of the streams, and it was impossible to get a stearm of any benefit from tho lines of hose which ran down the hill to the plug on Twentieth street. Prominent men stated last night that they saw firemen holding the hose and almost praying for water, which was slow in coming.
 Origin of Fire.
 The fire originated, it Is supposed, from a defective fiue to the furnace which heats the house. The blaze seemed to burst from all parts of the house at the same time and when the fire was discov- cred there were flames in all directions.
 The fire is supposed to have started in the northwestern corner, as that DOT ton of the house is damaged more than other portions. Several men living near by were in the house in a very few min utes after the fire was discovered and they state that the flames were evidently coming from the cellar and following the flues of the furnace and coming through the openings for the folding doors in the parlor and other front rooms on the first floor.
 The fire department was summoned and at first the apparatus from Five Points and Southside responded. This brought out an engine and two hose wagons. As soon as Chief Mullen arrived he ordered out the other two engines and the hose wagon from the headquarters. With three engines at work the fire was quickly under control, but the distance of the engine houses and the lack of water had cost several thousand dollars.
 When the fire started there was no one in the house except the nurse and Mrs. Morris little daughter Helen. Mrs. Morris and one of her children were at the residence of W. N. Malone, which is close by, and the first intimation they had of the fire was after the alarm had been turned in.
 Some of the parlor furniture was saved, including the piano. The rest of it was either burned up or badly damaged by water. The furniture was estimated last night to be worth $7OOO or sSOOO. There was 5000 insurance carried by w. N. Malone 6 Co. and R. Mcconnell & Co. The loss on furniture will be almost complete. Thousands of gallons of water were thrown on the fire. and such furniture as N,as not burned was badly soaked Nearly all the furniture on the second story of the building was destroyed by fire and also a portion of that on the first floor.
 The house was one of the most hand somely furnished in the city, and there were many articles in it which Mrs. Nor ris states can never be replaced. She does not know yet whether her silverware and other valuables are destroyed, and until a careful search is made this morning the exact loss cannot be estimated It will depend great deal on this.
 MT. Webb's Loss.
 MT. and Mrs. Norman Webb, who cc- cupied suite of rooms in the house, lost almost everything they possessed. The fire was worse in the portion of the house occupied by them, and everything theR was destroyed. Their loss has not been estimated and it was not possible last night to find whether they had 1t in- sured.
 The roof of the house was burned al- most entirely off and a large portion of the interior was burned That portion which the flames did not touch is damaged by the heat and water. The brick walls of the house, the porches and some other portions are still in good condition and can be repaired. The estimated loss on the house is between S6OoO and sS000. It is covered by about $S0O0 insurance. all of which is carried by companies represent ed here by w. N. Malone & Co., MT. Ma lone said last night that he could not give the exact amounts of the policies, but that he estimated them as follows:
 New York Underwriters, s250o; Phoenix of London about s250O; German-American about s25oo, and the Manchester about $500. The policies are in the safe at his office.
 A conservative estimate of the value of the house and the contents is S20, 00O or $25,oOO The house is said to have cost in the neighborhood of s15.ooo or $1s.000 when erected.
 At one time, early in the progress of the fire, the firemen thought they had the blaze under control and the men who were moving the plano down the front steps were told to move 1t on the porch, which they did. Later the fire gained more headway and spread rapidly for some time until all the engines could be brought into play.