The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1906-02-07
Blaze Did Little Damage and
Was Soon Extinguished.
Probably Caused by Cigarette Stub
Two Other Fires This
Morning.
FIRENIEN KEPT QUITE BUSY,

The fire department experienced
strenuous times this morning. begin
nng shortly after midnight and last
ing until after day break. Three
| fires were discovered but the COM
panies made good runs and did ex
cellent work. checking the flames in
each instance before any great dam-
age was done. One of the fires was
at the county Jail, and created con-
siderable excitement. but did little
! carnage.
The first alarm was sent in about
70: Is this morning. A small gun
barrel type of residence occupied by
William Hightower and located on
Salem avenue in Rowlandtown. was
afire. The blaze was discovered In
| the middle room. II had started evil
IDENTIFY from coal falling from the
| crate Little damage was done. and
the fire was extinguished before II
had gained any Roadway. The dam
| age will amount TO no more than
| $50. Companies Nos. and an
| swered this alarm.
| The second fire was discovered
between l and 2 O'Clock by members
| Of the No. company ladder truck
as they were turning in from the
arst alarm. A stable in the rear OF
! I. u. Perkins residence at COS
| Bronson avenue, leading OF South
| Tenth street. was discovered ablaze.
rhe company extinguished the fire
! with speed and the roof is the only
loss. The stable was empty except
| from rubbish.
| The third fire and most important
was at the county Jail at Sixth and
Clark streets About o'clock this
| morning Murray Howle. who sleeps
It the Jail every night as turnkey,
discovered smoke issuing from the
top floor in the hospital ward and
l,yomen's department He investiga,-
| ed and found the wooden floor,
| which is built Just above the ceiling
| Of the upper cage, ablaze
/. The fire companies were called
/ put and Nos. l. and 4 answered. II
required little work to extinguish the
FIRE and but, little damage was done.
iailer James Eaker stated that he
'ould not account for the fire unless
/ started from a cigarette or cigar
Tub carelessly thrown on the foor.
The fire, II permitted to burn, could
| not have done much damage. as
here is but little wood about the
'ail. There was considerable excite
ment for awhile, But upon It becom-
ng apparent that there was no dan
ger. the crowd soon melted away.
Prisoners in the county jail are
rot enjoying the usual comforts OF
their cells today. however, and may
not be able to for some days to
come. the result OF the fire in the
hospital ward.
Jailer Eaker turned the jail cage
quickly, as soon as the fire was dis
covered, and released the prisoners
into the corridor for safety. Sixteen
colored and seven white prisoners
we're released from their cells and
removed to other departments of the
Jail. and after the fire was extin-
.uished and all danger passed. Jailer
Eaker started to turn them into
their cells again, but the cage would
not work.
Mr.. z. ID. Hannah. the plumber,
| and Mr.. Foreman, the machinist
we're summoned and found that the
noor of the hospital ward had settled
down, weakened by the fire on top
| Il the cage ceiling. and prevented i;s
moving. Il is impossible to turn the
cage and 1t may he that the entire
floor will tlave to come up, although
the portion burned is only about or
10 feet square.
"The Jail in this department,
might have been badly damaged had
the nTO HDl Uttu Ql1'ONtitl WYNN ~
vas. Jailer Eaker declared this
morning. Several places on the
,ospital floor where we store old
beds were filled with starw beds and
Rad the fire gotten into them 1t
would nave meant a bad fire in TIE
,ail. | discovered paper and straw
several inches thick between the floor
and ceiling of the cage. II had been
carried there by rats and even this
morning the work of the rodents
could be seen.
Taller Eaker has removed every
thing infiammable from the jail and
thinks it as fire proof now as posi-
lie to make It. He will also start
crusade against rats and hopes to
rid the Jail of them entirely
IT is impossi ble TO estimate the
damage to the jail until the cage Is
repaired. The actual damage donc