The Washington times., 1905-12-19
BIG FIRE IN HALL
I Of SLEEPING BOYS
At DEAD OF NIGHT
Reform Schools Main
Building Destroyed
by Flames.
OCCUPANTS MARCH OUT
Dormitory Was Clear With
in Five Minutes and
Nobody Injured.
OCCUPANTS MARCH OUT

Fire at . o'clock this morning de-
stroyed the administration building Of
the Reform School for Boys. on thu
Bladensburg road. three miles east of
the Capitol
There were 100 boys In the building at
the time, but SO admirable had been
their drilling for Just such an emer-
gcncy, that they walked out OF the
building in an orderly manner, and not
one received the slightest scratch or
burn.
While the flames were confined to the
main building. the loss is estimated AT
xlUJ.9e0
Found by Watchman.
While on his rounds, the night
watchman discovered smoke in the north
hall on the fourth floor and ran to the
end of the corridor to learn the cause
When he reached the end Of the hall.
tongues OF flame were already coming
down from the ceiling
He gave the alarm and in five minutes
the building. where the 100 boys had
been sleeping. was clear The inmates
fled out in order and then turned and
gave their aid in fighting the fire.
What the cause of the blaze was no
enc has been able TO say Superintend-
ent l. ID. Porter thinks Il was caused
by the contact OF electric wires with
some of the steel pipes At the corner
OF the building where the fire started
were about twenty telephone wires,
which had recently been installed The
work upon them was not complete and
II is believed that some OF the loose
wires struck the pipes and caused q
spark
Not Water Enough
AS SOON as the alarm was sounded. tho
hose with which the building is sup
Piled was pressed into service. but on
account OF the scarcity of water. little
headway in checking the fire was made
The only water that the institution has
Is supplied from tank which holds
% 600 gallons. pumped from an artesian
well. AS long as the firefghters used
but one hose. they secured a stream
that worked effectively. but as soon as
the other pipe was attached the stream
diminished, so that the second line had
TO be abandoned
The fire department from the city was
summoned. and three engine companies
and truck company responded. They.
water. Lines of hose were run three
quarters OF a mile from Langdon to the
burning building
When water finally reached the fire
the flames had spread 10 the three
lower floors of the building. and threat
ened TO catch the other buildings
Lost Clothing.
officials. inmates. and fremen Joined
in the efrerts to save the furniture, but
the only articles that were saved were
the records and the superintendent
desk. All of the clothes OF the boys in
the building were destroyed, as well an
all the clothes of Superintendent Porter
In his efforts 10 get the boys safely
from the building. he left all Of his
clothes except a shirt and pair of trous-
ers and an odd pair Of shoes
Besides being used as the main dormi-
tory of the institution. the demolished
structure contained ali of the offices
and the main dining -oUIu- The kitchen
and the store house were in the base
ment. In the latter all the provisions
were burned
All of the boys. officials and hremen
were fed this morning from one of the
other kitchens. Temporarily. the chapel
is being used as dining room and dor
mito-y. The upper part is used as the
dinngroom for the officers and the
basement as diningroom and sleeping
apartment for the boys
Superintendent Porter said this morn
ing:
The alacrity with which the boys re-
sponded 10 the call upon them this
morning shows the high discipline at
this place
Polish Hero.
"one incident that occurred impressed
me deeply We have a little Polish hoy
who has been here but three DAYS and
he was in the hospital last night with
sprained ankle When the alarm was
gievn. he jumped from his bed and was
the means OF saving more OF the records
or the institution from the burning
building than any OF the other boys or
men.
The firemen and police deserve credit
sor the prompt response 10 the call for
help"
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