Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-01
FIRES AND FIREMEN
NO DISASTROUS CoNFLA6RA.
TIoNs-FLAG AWARDED.

The District was fortunate during the
year in having no disastrous fires. The fire
department had many runs to make, but
through their promptness and through early
discovery of most OF the fires the losses
were small.
On the crisp winter morning of January 8
1856 guests In the National Hotel were
aroused from their slumbers to learn that
the structure Was on fire. The fire was
soon under control. No one was seriously
injured. The C street side of the structure
was Quilted, the damage amounting to about
$4,000.
The second catastrophe Of the kind was
at 1929 + street northwest, on the morning
Of November 8. The fire was discovered in
the rear of the building, used on the ground
store. The owners OF the building, Mrs
Virginia Miller and Mrs. Annie Minor. esti-
mated their loss at 5000. the merchant
placed his damage at $1,000. and other
losses amounted to about $1,000 more. The
rescue Of a woman from the blazing struc-
ture was thrilling incident Of the blaze. .
The first fire of the year, which was of
more than minor Importance. was the burn
ing of the paint supply house occupied by
Ambrose B. Stannard, contractor for the
new Agricultural building.
The passage of the new fire-escape law
and the measures taken by the Commits
SlOnerS TO put IL INTO I0rce marked dnOlner
stride in fire protection in the District. The
law was approved March 10. 1895. The
Commissioners. through the building inspec-
tors Office and the fire department.. took up
the regulations to govern the installation
and maintenance of fire escapes On build
ings. and on December 20 these regulations
were announced.
One new fire house was added to the sys-
tenn during the year. that for the crew OF
the Firefghter on the river front. The
h1,i11 inp fret ME nm q
The Mcfarland trophy was awarded this
year after the annual inspection and drill
to No. 10 engine company. 1t was the Sec
ond time that the company has won the
trophy, and in appreciation the citizens OF
the northeast section gave the members a
banquet.
Report of Fire Chief.
Chief Belt of the fire department, who
sent number of his men to the scene of
the wreck as soon as heard Of it, made an
official report to the Commissioners late
yesterday afternoon follows:
II have the honor to report that at 6:5s
pm. on the Both instant 1 was informed by
Lieut. Charles T. Peck, in charge at police
headquarters. that there was wreck on
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad at Terra
Gotta station, and that four persons had
been killed.
81 Immediately ordered Acting Battalion
Chief c. F. Beers and No. II engine com
pany to go to the scene of the wreck and
render such assistance as was possible in
the case. Acting Battalion Chief Beers, No
II engine company, Fire Marshal Nichol-
son, Deputy Fire Marshal Seib and other
members of the fire department reported
at the wreck.
When they arrived they found that a
rear-end collision had occurred between a
passenger train en- route from Frederick to
Washington and a train of empty cars
The engine attached to the empty train
telescoped three of the passenger coaches
killing outright forty men, women and
children and wounding fifty more. The
occupants of the coaches were scattered in
along the track.
1.-The members of the fire department as
sisted in gathering up the dead and in
jured and carried them to places of safety
until such time they could be taken away
by the several trains and ambulances sum-
moned from Washington