The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-10
FIRE CAUSES 4 LOSS IF S45OO No Fife Apparatus in Reserve
 to Respond FIRE CHIEF MULLEN TALKS
Is Mad About Recent Fire Losses Which Occurred Because He Has Not Enough Men
 and Engines.

While almost the entire ire depart ment was fighting the fire at the rolling mill last night, second fire broke out in the two-story frame building at 2S14 Avenue H, and before the department could reach the scene from the rolling mill, three other houses had caught and all were destroyed. The loss will be about s45O0. partially covered by insurance. Nearly all furniture was saved.
 The houses burned are:
 Two-story frame residence at 2314 Ave nue H, occupied by the Rev D. Ebinger and owned by Mrs. Wiggins, at present in Louisville; loss about 5000; insurance not known.
 One-story frame residence at 2s16 Ave- nue H. occupied by Harry Turney; loss about $500 partially covered by insur- ance; owned by Mrs. John Dreher
 One-story frame residence as 2s1s Ave nue H, occupied by Elkin Dickson; owned by Mrs. John Dreher; loss $s0O, partially covered by insurance.
 One-story frame building at 2S2O Ave- nue H, occupied and owned by Mrs. John Dreher; loss about 5000, partially cov- SIeu Dy Insurance.
 When the fire was first discovered it had gained considerable headway. and the slight breeze was causing 1t to spread rapidly By the time the alarm was turned in the second house had caught, and before the fire department arrived the third and fourth were blazing.
 At First Fire.
 Chief Mullen was at First avenue and Fourteenth street when the alarm came in. With him were an engine, a hose wagon and some distance behind was a second engine and hose wagon. As soon as he heard the bell he hurried all the apparatus up and went ahead himself to find the location of the fire. The only hose wagon in condition to answer the alarm was that at North highlands two miles from the fire. It arrived first and laid line of hose. With this one line going from house to house the fire was prevented from spreading to frame build ings at 2312 Avenue H on one side and 2324 Avenue H on the other. The hose in the other wagons was all rolled up and in sections. As soon as possible this was connected and soon there were half a dozen streams, four of them from en- zines.
 The streams from the plugs were not of sufficient strength to reach to the top o1 the two-story buildings, but were used effectually by the firemen climbing to the roofs of the two-story buildings on either side of the burning buildings. Alderman Harry Jones was present at Al ment in regard to the possibility of get ting more men and equipment he refused to talk. He would not say anything on the weakness of the water pressure, de- clining to be interviewed He is chair man of the fire committee of the board of aldermeen.
 Chief Mullen Mad.
 Chief Thad Mullen when seen after the second fire last night, made the follow ing statement of facts which he says is evidence enough that he needs more men and equipment:
 When the second fire broke out I had absolutely no reserve with which to an- swer the alarm and had te fire been an hour sooner it Is probable the entire block of buildings would have gone. We had no chance to fight it, having only one hose wagon fit for service at that time and that two miles away.
 "I am mad tonight over the great losses in the last twenty-four hours. A large portion of it was useless and with proper equipment and enough men we could have prevented most of it. What chance had we to fight this last fire with only one wagon of hose All the rest had been rolled up and was thrown into the wagons coming from the rolling mills fire. have lost all the religion 1 had in the past twenty-four hours.
 1T and my men are so tired, wornout and sick that we are hardly able to move in many instances. Some of them were out yesterday for twelve or fourteen hours and have had little rest and sleep. I have none to relieve them and now they have been fighting fire of the mean est sort since o'clock tonight It is now nearly midnight.
 ''The men have ruined all their cloth ing, one of them is badly burned, the horses are run nearly to death and before we can extinguish one fire another alarm comes in and we have nothing with which to answer 1t.
 Needs New Engine.
 "I wanted an engine and a few more men after the Saks fire. l wanted an en- zine. a hose wagon and still larger number of men after the Moore-Handley fire. I wanted the engine the hose wagon and the men after the rolling mill fire, and now I don't know exactly what I want.
 'sThe lessons of the past few days should be enough to convince any one that I need equipment The men have worked splendidly none could have worked better-but need more of them and more equipment"
 NUheu tha chief gave this interview a was standing leaning against a fence at the corner of avenue H and Twenty fourth street so tired that he could hardly