Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-28
DESTRUCTIVE BLAZE
PHOTOGRAPHIC PI.AHT OF GEO.
LOGICAL SURVEY DESTROYED.
Loss Estimated at e$13;ooo-Fire Be-
heved to Haves Been Caused
by Electric Wires.

A fire which broke out ON the sixth floor
of the Hooe building adjoining the Ebbitt
House, at the corner of 14th and F streets
northwest, last night resulted in loss of
about $4,000 to the building and contents.
The Photographic plant Of the United
States geological survey. located in the
building, was completely destroyed, and a
portion Of the expensive exhibits for the
st. Louis exposition were damaged. The
cause of the fire is not definitely known,
but 1t is thought that 1t was caused by
electric wires. The building is owned by
c. c. Willard, and 1t was damaged to such
an extent that 1t will take about 5000 to
pay for the necessary repairs. The re-
mainder of the loss was suffered by the
government, and there was no insurance
carried.
The fire started about $50 o'clock on the
sixth floor in the northwest corner of the
building, where a large amount of photo
graphic goods and chemicals were stored.
Norman w. Carkhuff, chief of the photo
graphic division, with his wife and brother.
were on the top floor when the blaze was
discovered by the former. He had just
left the supply room when he returned to
get something else. and on opening the
door found the room. in a. mass Of flames,
although he had only left 1t about two or
three minutes before.
Cardhuff, with his wife and brother hur-
riedly left the building and gave the alarm.
Two calls were sent in to fire alarm head.
quarters in rapid succession.
A fireman standin. In front Of No. 2
engine company's quarters, near the cor
ner OF 10Th and D streets, had noticed the
reflection of the blaze, and the company
had started for the fire before any alarm
was sent in. Assistant Chief Wagner, with
several engine companies, two truck COM
pan1es and the water tower responded to
the alarms, and the firemen found the en-
~ 30 tLn ,1rfD
of the building in flames. The flames had
burst through the roof, and the lower Sec
ton Of the city was brightly illuminated,
attracting large crowd to the vicinity Of
the fire.
Building Filled With Smoke.
The building was filed with smoke, and
at first 1t was impossible for the fremen
to- tell how much Of the building was
ablaze They succeeded in making their
way up ladders on the outside and by
means Of the stairs on the inside, although
the smoke was sitting.
large skylight in the center Of the west
ern half of the building gave way with a
crash after its supports had been burned
away, and fell on the firemen on the steps.
Fortunately all escaped inquiry, with the
exception Of Private John Altman Of No.
chemical company, who was cut on one
to the Emergency Hospital, where his in
jures were dressed.
quantity Of chemicals In the room where
the fire originated gave off fumes which
for time made it dangerous for the fire.
men to work, but that was soon overcome
and they were enabled to get closer to the
seat of the blaze and subdue it's force with
several well directed streams of water. The
side of the Ebbitt House near the roof adj
joining the Hooe building became ignited,
but a deluge of water soon put the hotel
building out Of danger. The guests on the
fifth and sixth floor Of the building adjoin-
ing the burning building were somewhat
alarmed when the fire broke out, but when
it was seen in short time that the hotel
building was in no danger their fears SUBJ
sided.
number of exhibits intended for the st.
Louis exposition We're stored in the base
ment Of the building and were not damaged.
The lower portion of the Hooe building Is
occupied by D. G. Pfeifer's plano rooms;
M. r. Seitz's tailoring establishment and
the Edmonston shoe store. "A small amount
or water leaked from the top floor through
the openings around the hot water pipes,
causing small loss to the stock of the
shoe store. The other two establishments
were not injured.
Succeeding the fire the f1remen were
served with hot coffee and sandwiches pur-
chased with their supply fund for that pur-
pose.