Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-20

/ OEe QUILTING OWueu ny ArS. 3ASA- /
Five business houses on the north side of
Louisiana avenue between 9th and 10th
streets were wrecked by fire this morning
and two other buildings were damaged. Be
fore he had had an opportunity to make q
complete examination of the buildings and
confer with all the owners of the stock that
was destroyed Fire Marshal Nicholson told
a Star reporter that the estimated damage
would be about $4,000 to the buildings and
about $35, 900 or $4,000 to the stock. 1t Is
thought that the damage to the buildings is
covered by insurance and that the stocks In
the several buildings were partly insured
The heaviest damage to the stock 1t Is be-
lieved was that to the stock of P. H. Heis-
kell, jr., & Co., dealers in hardware, har-
ness and seed. A number of heavy wagons
were carried in stock by this firm, and 1t
was impossible for them to be saved. While
the store of the firm was at 919, much of
its valuable stock was stored in the other
buildings that suffered from the fire.
1t was in the store of P. H. Heiskell. jr.,
& Co., it is stated, that the blaze started,
as the fire was at its worst stage in that
establishment at the time of the arrival of
Chief Belt and his assistants. BY the time
the firemen arrived upon the scene the blaze
had spread to the establishment of Hen
Erickson & Co., commission merchants at
921 on the west and those OF l. w. Waller
stein. commission merchant, 917; w. 8. Hoge
& Bro commission merchants, 915, and A
Corriglio, fruit dealer, at 913. The last
mentioned place ad1oins the Majestic Thea
ter and the firemen directed their efforts to-
ward saving that building and the several
commission and fruit stores on the ground
floor.
When the fire was under control and the
theater building had not been attacked by
the flames Chief Belt was highly compli-
mented for the successful efforts he had
made in that direction. Had the theater
building been destroyed the loss would have
been fully twice as heavy as 1t Is. The loss
would have fallen heavily upon the several
merchants in the building. because they
carry practically no insurance on account
of the high rate charged by the companies
on stock in such a building
Sounded Two Alarms.
1t was just $3.50 o'clock when Special Po-
liceman William Lloyd turned in an alarm
from box 158 the box being directly in
front of the buildings that were then in
danger Of destruction. Thinking the box
had not worked. the special policeman call
ed TO another man to pull the box on 10th
street-152 The second box was pulled and
companies were sent in response to each
alarm, which proved matter Of great as
sistance to the fremen, the additional COM
panies reaching the vicinity Of the fire
without any delay. A second and third
alarm followed, and Chief Belt finally had
nineteen streams of water playing upon the
burning structures q h1IiId nj In -xyl,3a lob,
the fire occurred extend from Louisiana
avenue to street and the fremen were
given an opportunity to work from both
ends 1T proved fortunate thing that such
wat the case, for had the fire occurred
upon some other business block the loss
would probably have been much greater. As
It was the f1remen were able to attack al
most any part of the buildings and were
able TO play water on q blaze as soon as 1t
made its appearance. The fire recalled to
the members Of the fire department the
serious fire that occurred on the south
side OF louisiana savenue about ten years
ago, when several members Of the depart
ment lost their lives by the falling of
the walls
IN not send my men into these build
ings. said Chief Belt to Star reporter
during the progress of the fire this morn
Ing. III have to know something about
the safety of the buildings and of the
amount of combustible material there is In
them. The great amount of hay stored on
the upper floors of the BUILDINGS is heavy
and may cause the walls to collapse at any
time" '
Commissioners on the Scene,
About the time he was telling Of the dan
ger a number of bricks fell from Just be-
meath the cornice of one of the buildings
and caused the chief and number of hts
men TO fall back. The hose line Of No. 16
company got out of the hands of the men
and several of them were knocked down.
the water being poured into a business
house on Pennsylvania avenue. Cant Ian-
ahan Of No. 13 Engine Company received
the full force OF the stream and was thrown
upon the street. He had to be assisted from
the street, but had not received serious In
jury and returned to his duties a few min
utes later. District Commissioners Macfar-
land and Biddle appeared upon the scone
shortly after the accident happened. and re-
manned with Chief Belt for some minutes
The Commissioners were anxious about hsy-
ing the firemen being given coffee and
something to eat, and ascertained that the
wants OF the men had been looked AFTER
by the merchants and others. Commission
er Biddle noticed that the sewers were be-
coming clogged by the great mass OF debris
floating out of the commission houses. and
he ordered q squad of men to the danger
points In quick time. The sewer, iniets
were cleared just In time to prevent the
great floods OF water running out OF the
burning buildings from backing up on the
sidewalk and flooding every cellar in the
block.
Firemen Well Nigh Exhausted.
At least four Of the com4,anies OF freneu
called into service had been on continuous
duty for almost thirty-six hours Engine
companies Nos. 8. 10 and Is and truck q
were at the reform school fire until after
o'clock this morning. ana they had
(cantinued On Third Pass5