The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-26

In the most destructive FIRE that has
ever occurred along the Washington wa
ter front the lumber yard of johnson *
Wimsatt, in the block bounded by Water,
Twelfth, and Thirteenth streets. last
night was practically wiped out Of ex-
istence, and the adjoining coal and lum-
Der yards Of Johnson & Bros. were
heavily damaged.
According to the estimate of Acting
Chief Wagner. the loss viii approximate
$4,000 OF this Johnson & Wimsatt viii
bear sg0,000, and Johnson Bros. $4,000.
There viii possibly be a few thousand
dollars loss added TO the total from
minor damages.
The fire started at u.10. D. m and was
not under complete control until / o'clock
this morning.
The origin of the blaze is unknown.
but It is thought to have started in the
Office Of the johnson & Wimsatt Com
pany wholesale lumber merchants.
spreading from there in all four direc-
tions and taking in over an entire city
block.
Flames Jump Across street.
Johnson Bros, adjoining johnson &
Wimsatt on the north. also suffered heav-
lly' the flames playing havoc with the
immense piles Of cord wood acting as
bins for tons of coal Several times the
flames Ieaped across Water street TO the
piles Of shingles on the land side but
each time they We're quickly beaten back.
Five Pullman cars in the yards of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company suffered
through windows being broken by the
heat and the paint and varnish scorched
and blistered off
Commissioner West and Mai Sylvester.
chief of police, We're enthusiastic iu their
praise of the work of the hrebolt Fire
fighter saying that this was the first
chance il had had 10 prove its merits
Drawing up to the Wimsatt wharf on the
first alarm, the Firefghter put seven
streams of water into play using four Of
them on the four -masted schooner Laura
Lunt, tied Up near the heart OF the blaze.
and thereby saving the vessel. loaded with
laths. from total destruction.
Two other schooners, the Mabel and
RHt h,and the Grace Rena. e.. each loa led
with lumber. from New Bern. n. c., were
lashed 10 the Lunt. but they were in no
immediate danger.
East Sheds Saved.
The two west sheds, office, and two cen
ter sheds of the Johnson & Wimsatt
Company are a total loss. The fire was
intercepted at the east sheds. and they
We're saved intact.
The kindllng wood factory Of Johnson
& Bros, adjoining the lumber yard on the
north, lived ~ o. its designation, and was
ready fuel, the fire extending in a line to
the piles Of cord wood and coal bins, doing
heavy damage.
The loss of Johnson q Wimsatt is en-
tirely covered by insurance. as is that of
johnson x Bros. In the east sheds is a
quantity of lumber belonging 10 c. II.
Johnson, uninsured, but this was undam-
aged. Martin Wiegand. a lumber dealer
at F0ur-and-a-half street and MARYLAND /
avenue. it is said. lost 5000 worth of
lumber stored in the Johnson & Wimsatt
yard
William a. Wimsatt. who is said at
present 20 constitute the firm OF johnson /
* Wimsatt. is at present in Florida on /
a pleasure trip. His son was on hand /
having seen the blaze from uptown and I
recognized the location. He could not give /
the names Of the insurance companies in /
VOWED in the loss, saying that there were /
several
Weather FavOrs Firemen.
Weather conditions favored the firemen.
but their work brought appreciative praise |
from those involved in the loss. It re- /
quired nearly an hours fight to stop the /
spread of the flames. but after this was
accomplished they worked steadily and |
constantly in a narrowing circle, and at /
O'Clock despite the threatening breeze
that SpTdng up in the west, were rapidly |
subduing the blaze. The best work was
done on the south side, in the saving of /
the east sheds. containing about 5000
worth of lumber, and the stables Of
Thomas r Riley, who is known as the
fire hoodoo lumber man, he having suf-
fered heavy loss on four occasions. The
last FIRE on the river-front section de-
stroyed his yards, along with a plant of /
the American Ice Company.
There were, as usual. q score or more
of first discoverers, but I'm this case sew
eral of them performed meTit0riouS serv-
ices Bicycle Policemen Williams and
Cole two Of the first on the scene. smash
ed the doors to Thomas R Riley's stable
in close proximity to the blaze on the
south, and with the aid of willing citi-
zens, turned the ninety or moUe horses
and mules quartered there loose, and
drove them pellmell into the street
Turn Horses Loose.
Fred Thomas. colored, a special police
man. employed as night watchman
along the river front, turned in the first
alarm. and he and officer L. A. Carlin
and Harry Schaefer rushed into The sta
bic of Johnson q WimSatt adjoining the ,
blaze, and turned loose the horses and +
mules there The animals from both sta
bleS scattered in every direction. and g.
probably were peacefully grazing the 7
streets in the distance, as none of them ! .
We're again seen in the vicinity of the FIRE
Humorous incidents without number r
were sprinlIled in the tragedy Of the big :
blaze. Many mishaps OF a Iaughable ?
character occurred TO the fremen as ;
they narrowed their circle cIambering over !
lumber piles. There were numerous oc- !
casiOns when they were lifted entirely off +
by a rival stream. And the tumbIing of :
piles Of shingles with too heavy a load ;
Of spectators was Il common sight
Despite the great heat and these acci-
tents. no one was seriously hurt Several
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