Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-27
FIRE DESTROYS
THREE HOMES
IN HOLLYWOOD
HighSchool Students
Fight Flames
JeweIry Valued at 5000 Disappears
During Excitement-oWner Be-
lieves Japanese Boy May
Know of Jewels

Know of Jewels
Fire, originating from an uneX-
planned cause, completely destroyed
three houses on Michigan street, west
of Detroit, in Hollywood, last night.
One of the houses was occupied Dy
Capt. j. c. Waterous, who returned
home today from Santa Cruz, where
he has been at the state encampment
in command of troop ID, N. u. .. u
e. E. Roessler, with his family, occu-
pied another of the burned dwellings,,
while the >third, a tWo-story nouse'
lust completed, was unoccupied.
The flames were discovered in time
to prevent their spreading had ade-
quate fire fighting equipment Deen
available, but the Waterous house,
where the fire originated, is practl-
cally half a mile from the nearest fire
hydrant, while the Hollywood fire de-
partment, all told, has only 1900 feet
of hose.
Efforts to extinguish the blaze with
a garden hose were unavailing and
from the Waterous cottage 1t spread
quickly to the two adjoining dwellings,.
The combined loss is estimated at
about $4,000, fully covered by in
surance.
School Boys Do Good Work
Pupils of the Hollywood high school,
who were attending commencement
exercises in the school building not
far away, responded to the first call
of fire and as soon as 1t was seen the
Waterous home was doomed began to
remove the furniture, carrying 1t to
vacant lot across the street, where 1t
reminded several former San Francis
cans of the scenes following the earth
quake, -,
The boys worked with will and
succeeded in taking from the house
practically everything of value before
they themselves were driven out by
the flames and smoke.
BY this time the Roessler home also
was on fire. Such Of the family's be-
longings as could be gathered hur-
| riedly were packed into trunks and
with the furniture were carried out
| One trunk containing among other
things Mrs. Roesslers jewelry, was
| thrown from a window in the hurry
and burst open.
JeweIry Is Missing
Someone on the outside seized it
and pulled it away from the approach
ing flames. When Mrs. Roessler dis
covered 1t later. however, she found
that about half Of the trunks contents
had disappeared and that $500 worth
of jewelry was missing.
Running toward the burning house
she deserted smouldering heap of
clothing on the ground, about where
the trunk had been, but was unable,
because of the flames, to get near it.
A few minutes earlier a Japanese boy
had been seen running from the fire
with something that at the time was
thought to be sofa pillow in his arms
and while 1t is possible that the jewelry
may be found later, Mrs. Roessler fears
| that this supposed sofa pillow may have
been a bundle in which was secreted a
part, at least, Of her missing Jewels.
The police were notified and in turn
notified the Los Angeles authorities.
| Much credit Is due the high school
boys and others who succeeded in res
cuing from both houses practically their
entire contents.
The third house had just been COM
pleted and was being painted. 1t was
two-story structure. owned by e. M.
Champion of Los Angeles, and cost
$4,000.
The house occupied by Capt. Water
Gus was owned by Mrs. Goodin or
Los Angeles. Here the loss was $4,000.
Loss Is Complete
Mr.. Roessler had recently removed to
HOLLYWOOD from Redlands and had just
bought his house, the title not yet hav-
ing been transferred. EIe places the
loss at $4,000 and says he believes the
insurance will cover it, though of this
he is not certain. The loss in each
case was complete so far as the houses
themselves were concerned, nothing
now being left but heaps of shoulder
ing ashes.
Capt Waterous returned to his home
at O'Clock, He had been absent in
Santa Cruz for some time and the
house had been closed, Mrs. Waterous
being in the east. He walked through
the several rooms. but says he struck
no matches, merely turning on the elec-
trio lights to see that everything was
all right. He was not smoking at the
time.
Seeing nothing wrong, Capt. Water
Gus left the house to go to the Holly
wood hotel and had walked about three
blocks toward the hotel when he met
night watchman. He stopped to
speak to the man, and while talking
heard a cry of fire.
"Why, that's near my house., ne
said, and the two men started leisurely
toward the sound. They had not gone
far. however when the captain deserted
flames issuing from the rear of his
house and broke into a run, the watch
man following him.
He is entirely unable to assign any
cause for the fire, as everything, ap-
parently, was in good order when he
left. only few minutes before.
The alarm was given by DIR. w. 6.
Rowen, who saw the flames from his
hack porch and who telephoned to the
hotel, thinking he would find some
member of the fire department there
Tbie noessape for help, 1t is said, was
never delivered by the hotel people, as
thew were unable to find the man to
whom it had been sent.
DR.. Bowen summoned help from the
neighbors, however, who did what they
could to lessen the loss.