The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-16
FIRE IN HEART OF.
RALEIGH.
The Home Building Visited
by a Disastrous ConAag-
ration.

Early yesterday morning fire was dis
covered at the bottom of the stairway OF
the Home building, on,Fayetteville, street.
When first seen a red glow was seen TO
emit from the door out on the street.
The next minute the glass in the door
ratified out. This noise attracted Police
man Walters, who was at the head of
Fayetteville street, as it did also the
colored man who turned in the alarm.
When Mr.. Walters arrived on the scene
the stairway was afame and the strong
iraught converted this into veritable
flue.
The fire companies arrived on the scene
promptly but there We're not enough
hremen there to manage the hose For
some unaccountable reason the bells i'll
the rooms of great many OF the in
dividual volunteer firemen did not sound
MIR. Hinant, the driver of the Rescue
wagon, said: The fire was only burn
ing on the stair-step when | got there
The Capital Company was already there.
There were no men to manage the hose.
| laid one line of hose. broke the couple
myself and attached the nosel BY this
time Mr.. Woodall and Mr.. Walters,
policemen, and Mr.. Ed, Parrish had a
stream CT water playing on the fire. 1t
had gained good Roadway before they
could get the stream on. There was
such a draught up the stairway. Then
[ went around on Salisbury street and
put a line of hose from there. Two mem
bers of the Legislature, whom | did not
know. helped me to put up a ladder to
the first story window. BY this time the
fremen commenced coming
The second alarm was sent in and the
Victor Company responded There were
three streams playing on the building
which seemed to be only burning on the
second and third stories. In a compare
lively short time the fire was gotten I'M
der control by the hard, incessant work Of
the fremen. Chief Lumsden worked SO
hard that he was completely tagged out
and had to be carried home. A doctor
was called in. He is now all right.
Among the fremen who first arrived on
the scene and did valiant work We're.
Chief Lumsden, Assistant Chief Ever
EFT Baker Messrs. John Mangum, Ed.
Parrish Tode Poole, Charlie Otter and
Lennie Bagwell. The work of Police
men Walters and Woodall no doubt went
a great way toward arresting the spread
of the fire.
There are two theories as to the origin
Of the fire: One is that it caught from
defect in the electric metrc-the other
that it caught from scuttlc of hot
ashes left at the bottom of the stair
way by some enc. The latter theory is
the more plausible one.
The Elks had a meeting in the build
ing Wednesday night and were there to
a late hour. 1t is supposed that the hot
ashes came out of the stove in their
lan The scuttle was found sitting in
The place the fire was first seen
4 fair estimate of the loss to the
building as told the News and Observer
man by several Raleigh contractors
would be about $4,000. The building is
1wned by Miss Eleanor Vass and is fully
insured.
A member of the firm of T. T. Hay &
Bro said "Our greatest loss is the
.oss of records This l can not as yet
estimate. Our furniture is not injured to
any extent
The Seaton Gales Lodge loss amounts
to 81 500 with 100 insurance. The Man
teo Lodge loss amounts to $500. Insur-
anee not known. The Roval Arcanum
loss will estimate 500. The Elks lost
most of their paraphernalia The Broth
arhood of Locomotive Engineers loss was
about $780, The furniture in the n. G..
Home Insurance office was damaged
-cme by water. 1t is fully insured. The
ROYAL Arcanum's greatest loss is sever
valuable oil paintings, Including one of
Mr.. c. M. Busbee. The value of these
will amGuOt n o0OdlV SIM
The building will be rebuilt at once.