Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-07-23

the entire department had concentrate
ed its efforts in an attempt to getehe-
meath the cleaning company's roof the
outlook seemed propitious for a confia-
grafton of really great proportions. but
Asst. Chief Crosby caught sight OF the
new complications and took radical ac-
ton which again centered the flames IN
their original source. Sending file OF
firemen 10 the chemical engine
he soon had them at work in the Me-
tropole hotel. two to each floor, using
hand chemical devices on the beds.
which were afiame, and on the burning
window stills and doors. These effec-
tive little machines nipped this source
OF trouble In It's very beginning. From
third-story window, where the assist
ant chief himself was using a chemical
hose, he noticed that the Normandy
room, TO the west, was blazing at the
caves and smoking on the gables far
Their up. Shouting his orders across the
well of flames below In the cleaning
company's establishment, he had lad
ders fixed and a line Of chemical engine
hose run to the opposite roof
DANGER OF SPREADING.
For time this could accomplish
but little. as the galvanized iron re-
sisted the efforts of the men with AK
es, but finally an opening was secur-
ed through the roof, and the blaze
among the rafters was quickly ex-
tinguished. II broke forth afterwards
many times from the heat, but was
quickly and successfully attacked in
each instance. A brick barn at the
rear of the cleaning house often be-
gan TO blaze, but this, too, was kept
under intermittent action from "a main
line OF hose playing into the principal
fire, and II WAS not allowed to spread
the general area.
GASOLINE EXPLOSION.
The fire started at l2.a5 O'Clock.
The start was with a terrifice explo-
sion of gasoline in the dry cleaning
room, at the rear OF the building which
faces on Third South street.
This sent the brick walls flying to the
east and west, and the roof cayed in 70
the floor. Flames shot up at once to
great height, and the rolling clouds
of smoke suggested that the fire had
already secured great Roadway They
also gave the department which made
splendid run south ON State street. a
quick Idea Of the work before them. A
second explosion OF gasoline occurred
as the department began It's attack, and
another came little later, dispensing a
large crowd that had gathered through
Victoria alley into the center of the
block.
CONFINED TO REAR.
The front part OF the cleaning COM
pany's premises was not damaged. ana
the fire at no stage began 10 work ita
way forward. Lines Of hose we're
brought in from Third South street.,
and from Main street, while the steam-
ers from No. l and went 10 work
al fire plugs on the south side OF Third
H. - 4.
through the front door OF the pTem~
iscs 10 the FIRE.
a MARROW ESCAPE.
II is remarkable Incident Of the
explosion that no one was killed on m
turcd. Title Wagsfan. Mrs Olsen and
Mary Robinson were nj work IN the
dry cleaning room when the explosion
occurred. The force Of the explosion
Knocked Miss Robinson down, and
scorched her arm and hair, but she
remained conscious and fed with the
TWO other girls before the roof caYed
In. H. Merrllees and Geo. Scheller. the
proprietors Of the place declared thdt
they had been unable 10 get Insurance
on the plant az any price and that II
had cost them about $4,000. In addition
OF this the ary room was filled with
clothes, al OF which were destroyed.
we hive Alh lHfA WIFI EAuftN lllf
iire." said Mr.. Merrllees. Our employees
Ind Just finished work on the mornings
run and were going home 20 lunch
when the explosion occurred, and the
Are began. n II had happened Is min
utns earlier some OF the employees
would probably have been seriously
hurt.
~ THE METRpoLF
william Ueld Avho slo.ne in ons 40
the rooms OF the Mctrlpole which
caught on Gre said that the heat from
the first explosion was so great that
the bedding and window sills were g-
nlied He was awakened By the OK
poslon 20 ilnd the flames In his room.
ana he fled down the hall thinking the
whole hotel was afire. He carried the
word to Asst Chief Crosby which re-
suited IN bringing the hand chemical
supplies into the hotel and saving Il
without the Hood OF water that would
have been necessary few mlnutea
Letter.
The fire was partly under control at
1880 p m. ana had been snbdued be-