Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-17
EARLY MORNING FIRE
FAMILY OF SIX RESCUED FROM
BURNING BUILDING.

Persons living in the vicinity of ID and NJ
streets southwest were aroused about
o'clock this morning by cries Of murder
and fire" and those who were unable to
see the blaze, which was said to be in the
grocery store Of Louis Wolfman, 201 NJ
street, thought murder was being COM
mftted. The appearance Of several compa-
MES Of the fire department however, soon
established that q fire was the cause OF
alarm. During the progress Of the fire 1t
became necessary to rescue Elias Stear-
man, his wife and five small children, the
eldest Of the children being ten years OF
age. They were taken out of the building
without any of them receiving injury. and
all had been removed from the second
story window before the arrival of the en-
gines. The store and front part Of the
building were a mass Of ruins before the
flames were ext1nguished. After the de-
parture Of the iremen Mr.. Stearman and
his family returned to the rear portion OF
the building and made themselves comfort
able until morning
The store of Mr.. Wolfn1an was in e
two-story brick structure on the northwest
corner of Delaware avenue and M street.
He had his place open for business all day
yesterday, the police state, and after clos
ing the front door at early hour last
night he left the premises and went to
make a call upon some friends. He re-
turned to the building before midnight and
went to his apartment, the front room on
the second floor directly over the store.
Soon afterward he detected the odor of
smoke and get out in time to reach the
stairway, before the flames broke out. He
called ''f,e' and the members of his fam
lily hastily prepared to leave their apart
ments.
Awakened by the Smoke.
Mr.. and Mrs. Stearman were awakened by
the smoke. but the children were so sound
asleep that 1t was necessary for their par
ents to shake them before they could start
them toward a place of safety. Mr.. stear-
man went to the door leading to the stair
way, and found such a quantity of smoke
that he was afraid to venture down. His
only thought was for the safety Of his wife
and five little ones. and in his anxiety to
find passage through which they could
reach the street without encountering any
danger he went too near the flames and
was burned. His beard was singed and his
face was slightly burned. He assisted the
other members of his family, however, and
in short while he had them on the parking
on the Delaware avenue side of the house.
w. F. Clark, who Is employed as driver of
team for the Boston Baking Company,
was delivering bread at a store in the
neighborhood at the time the fire was dis
covered, and he was attracted to the house
by hearing cries Of murder
When I first heard the cry" he stated,
Il was afraid to respond, thinking there
was trouble Of some kind. but I finally
went nearer the building and discovered
that there was fire.
Rescue Of Woman and Children.
Mr.. Clark hurried to where he could be Of
assistance. Mrs. Stearman was Excited and
frightened, he said and her screams
awakened the neighbors. Policemen Cal
houn and Jones Of the fourth precinct were
among those who responded to the cries for
help, and while one Of them went to turn in
the alarm the other remained to aid the
members OF the Stearman family. Harry
Stearman, cripple, eight years of age,
was the first of the Ave children to reach
the street. His father swung him from the
window and he was caught by the driver
Of the bakers wagon and the policeman.
The youngest member of the family, baby
OF four months, was making herself heard
by her cries. She was in the arms of her
mother until the father took her and
dropped her from the window. She was
Ing to one Of the policemen and Mr.. Clark.
When the other children had been rescued
Mr.. Stearman held his wife from the win
dow and dropped her to where the two res
cuers were standing.
Mr.. Stearman, relieved by the rescue Of
his wife and little ones. remained in the
some of his valuab les. Then he reappeared
at the window and dropped to the parking.
The fremen upon their arrival found the
blaze had taken complete possession of the
stoIe anu was last making ltS way 10 the
upper floor. 1t required but few min
utes' work for them to get the blaze under
control but it was not ext ngushed until
the entire stock Of groceries had been
practically destroyed.
Explosion Prevented.
There was a large can of oil in the store,
and the firemen feared an explosion. They
kept enough water near the can to keep
the temperature reduced, however, and no
explosion occurred. Some time after day
break the children in the neighborhood
gathered some of the damaged canned
goods from the pile of debris and enjoyed
the contents One little fellow got hold of
can of molasses. In help ng himself from
the receptacle he got about as much of the
contents of the can on his clothing as he
did in his stomach.
1t is thought that about 81 900 damage
was caused to the stock of groceries and
to the building. The loss is covered by in