The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-31

The most disastrous fire in the res- idence district of Montgomery in re- cent years broke out yesterday after non shortly before o'clock and four handsome homes were destroyed and other valuable property was threat ened before the flames were controlled.
 The loss is approximately $25.000. Most of the loss is covered by insur- ance.
 The housese destroyed were those of R. s. Edson. 113 Sayre Street; Dr. S. M. Hogan, 115 Sayre Street; Mrs. Henry Booth, IF Sayre Street and R. L. Butt. 11s sayre Street
 The residence of Miss Bella Cog hill, II Sayre Street caught fire sev- eral times as did the residence of Sig Simon. 11S Sayre Street.
 The old Girls High High School building next to the Sayre Street School house and used as an annex to that institution also caught fire but prompt work by the firemen saved these structures.
 During the progress of the fire Leonard Curtis, pipeman of the Five Points Engine Company, fell from a ladder on the residence of Dr. Hogan at St. Margarets Hospital and will probably be laid up for two months
 Pipeman Jesse Watkins, whose home is in West End and who is new fireman attached to Steamer Compa- ny No. l, sustained a painful cut on his left hand.
 Originated at Dr. HOgan,s. The fire originated in the residence of Dr. S. M. Hogan and the cause Is unknown. Dr. Hogan had just reached his home for dinner, when a passerby called his attention to smoke issuing from the roof of his residence on the south side of the structure. He imme- diately turned in an alarm but before he had established telephone connec- tion, flames had burst forth and were roaring over the house top The fire department responded quick ly but before the companies reached the scene the flames had spread to the Edson and Booth residences, and were shooting toward the sky furiously. A brisk south wind was blowing The firemen first directed their att tention to the burning houses but it was soon seen that they were doomed
 In the meantime. the intensity of the heat was such that the Butt residence was afire and in a few seconds the flames were roaring southward
 The heat was terrific. There were hundreds of volunteers ready to aid the firemen in their great task of saw ing the block and the valuable school properties across Sayre Street, but the flying sparks, the intense heat and tn rough work necessary, soon made it impracticable for any persons to work outside of the seasoned firemen. In spite of these adverse conditions many volunteers aided in taking furniture from houses in the block which were threatened.
 Alarm for School Children.
 As soon as the fire had bained it's large proportions a message passed from house to house in the Western part of the city that the Sayre Street School house was afire. This rumor caused great excitement, parents of school children not stopping to don their street clothes rushed to the school building. in which their loved ones were studying to find no ground for alarm.
 When the fire bell rang and it was discovered by the teachers of the Sayre Street school the location of the con migration, the children were drilled out of the building and stationed on the lawn in front of the school house
 With the people of the neighborhood the curious and the numerous parents who had rushed to the scene the crowd reached enormous proportions and tne police department soon established fire lines.
 Under the direction of Police Ser geant Gladden. Harrison and Rounds man p. J. Sweeney. ropes we. stretched around the entire area of the fire and ten patrolmen guarded the ropes. With these precautions it was difficult to keep the people from the area of danger and the policemen were constantly on the alert.
 Every fire company in the city re- spOnded to the alarm. The chemical engine was present, but was not used Four hose lines were used on the front and two in the rear of the fire and each line was manned by three fremen and numerous volunteers.
 Insufficient Water Pressure,
 Two engines were used. but despite this, the water pressure was not suf- fcient. The streams had little force behind them and the firemen were com pelled to wade right into the fire, en- dangering their lives and limbs
 flre Sdptalh Bernarn or Five Points and his men who were first on the scene. were caught in the second story of the Hogan residence and had a narrow escape.
 After the houses had burned for q half hour, the timbers began falling and a perfect rain of sparks fell. Many of the spectators were scorched and q number of new Felt hats were ruined by the fall of fire.
 It was remarkable that there were n ot any serious accidents to spectators The crowds, many of whom were chill dren, were constantly rushing from this point to the other and nothing could stop them. A move of a hose was suf- ficient for a stampede
 Pipeman Leonard Curtis. who had been on the roof of the Hogan resi- dence. lost his balance while coming down a ladder, and fell to the paved