Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-02

that the supply of water was so short that
the men would have a great deal of trouble
In fact, ten companies could get none,
and Langford had to depend upon the
truckmen with their axes until additional
companies, summoned by a third and a
fourth alarm, could reach the battle-ground.
A Roaring Furnace.
The four-story stable was soon a roaring
furnace. The most spectacular scene of the
entire fire took place when bluecoats and
citizens ran into the stable, which was
burning briskly above. and, in the face of
rain of sparks and frebrands, cut the
halters of the stamping. squealing horses.
They came tearing down the runway to
the first floor, and ran around there within
nying, hooking for some way out. Many or
them broke down the gates fencing In the
elevator shaft and fell down there. where
many carcasses were afterward found piled
up one upon another Those which got out
ran hitler and thither. The street was full
of trampling hoofs and Of people hurrying
to get out of the way.
The flames from the stable leaped out in
the rear against the walls of the tall tene-
ments on 54th street, and stretched out to
lick at the window s.lls of the tenements
opposite the front part of the structure on
SD street. The J4th street tenements i'm
mediately in the line of the fire were
scorched, and the slls of several of the
o3d street tenements caught fire.
Routed the Families.
Policemen went through the sd street
tenements routing out scores of families.
On the top floor of 430 they came upon Mrs.
Sarah Maxwell, seventy years old decrepit
and infirm, who lived with her son-in-law,
John Reilly. These two persons they
brought through the smoke-flled Railways,
which were also full of shouting, panic
stricken tenants, and led them in safety to
the street.
Sergt. Woland and Capt. O'Connor of the
West Attn street station heard soon after
this from tenants that in the buildings on
West SD street were several strange men,
who might be thieves, waiting to get IN
their work under cloak of the fire. Police
man Moore and several other bluecoats
were sent to search the buildings at once.
They saw men running through the hall
ways. and chased them over roofs until
they disappeared through friendly scuttles
which were opened. None of them was
caught.
Adjoining the stable at 427. 40 was six
story double tenement, housing about fifty
families. The fire ate its way into 42I and
consumed part of the roof of 425. The first
three floors of 427 We're destroyed. The
police and the firemen routed out the ten
ants and they came pouring into the street
in their night clothing, with what belong
ings they could seize in their haste. The
same action was taken in regard to the
tenants at 421-423. BY that time West 53d
street and West 54th street. where many
families were also routed out. was alive
with excited, chattering men, women and
children. The roar of the fire, the throb-
bling and whistling of the engines and the
cries of those temporarily homeless all
went to make up an understandable scene.
Banisters Saved Them.
Engine 21's crew were at work on the
top floor of 427, under Lieut.. Gillespie, try
ing hard to get an adequate stream to bear
on the fire. Policeman 4ilbin and Fireman
Kinsela were with Gillespie. While they
were at work the supports Of the stairway
on which they stood burned out beneath
them. All except Kinsella saved themselves
by clinging to the broken hansters. He
was knocked unconscious down the stair
way. On him fell lot of debris. He was
removed to Roosevelt Hospital suffering
from several fractured ribs and other in
jures.
Another man injured was Fireman Cornell
ius Thearn of engine 54- A falling briclo
laid open his forehead, and he sustained
conclusion of the brain with probable frac-
ture of the skull. The bow deprived him
Of his reasoning powers and he ran about
acting like a wild man.
Capt Roach Of engine Is. Lieut.. Curtin
and six fremen had narrow escape from
death. They were at work on the balcony
of the fire escape on the top floor of 427
Suddenly a large section of cornice over
their heads trembled for a moment on the
edge of the roof and then fell A shout
of horror went up from the crowd in the
were killed. The cornice, which was blaz-
ing, hit the railing of the iron fence around
the balcony and hung there. sending forth
its heat against the eight men on the little
hemmed-n platform. 1t would not have
been long before the clothing of the men
would have caught fire had not the crew
of engine No. 2, which was working from
the fire escapes of 425. played its stream
on the rubber coats of Capt. Roach and his
companions and on the blazing cornice.
Even with three engines pumping a
line there was not enough water to melt
snow. In the height of the fire cries of
Police. help arose from 10th avenue and
55th street. Police We're sent there and it
was learned that several negroes had taken
advantage of the excitement to attempt to
hold up woman. The woman disappeared
in the crowd. and the men ran The crowd
took up the cry of stop thief and whether
at the negroes or in celebration of the new
year ten shots were discharged.
One of the fleeing negroes ran to SD
street and 9th avenue, and then to 54th
street On 54th street between Sth and 9th
avenues Detective Quinn of the West 47th
street station collared him and took him
to the station, where he was held on suspi-
ciOn.
The fire caused loss estimated at 5000, 900
at least. After 1t was over Chief Binns
made an examination. and reported that
fifty horses had been burned to death. In
all, a dozen persons were injured
-vxy- rrrDn ErnE