Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-07
pigeons, ducks, chickens and other poul.
try succumbed to the smoke and flames.
Firemen's Efficient Work.

/
| try succumbed to the smoke and flames.
Firemen's Efficient Work.
AS stated. the most serious blaze Of the
| three was that in the Virginia stables,
back of the National Hotel. Quick and
efficient work by f1remen and stable hands
was the only thing that kept the loss in
horses down to twenty. as there were six
ty-five animals stabbed In the building.
The twenty that were burned to death
were all but five of those stabbed On the
second floor of the structure.
| When the fire apparatus reached the
scene of this blaze the flames had already
spread over the entire loft and had start
ed in on saloon at 4S3 c street and
repair shops at 479-4S1 c street The sa-
loon fire was put out in a bury and then
| the fire fighters devoted themselves to
saving the Tolman laundry adjoining the
burning stable on the west: the Hyman
stables, next to the laundry, and several
other buildings separated from the flame
ridden structure only by a twelvefoot al
ley. Good work kept the fire where 1t
started, but all the time the fremen were
busy 100 regular men, hostlers and volun-
teers held an equal number Of animals by
their brides. ready to rush them out to
safety at moments notice.
Chief Belt of the fire department and
Fire Marshal Nicholson this morning esti-
!
three CONGREGATIONS would amount to 500
at the Haines store, s., 80 at the c street
stables and "a, OO at the Louisiana avenue
blaze. 1t Is understood that all the losses
are covered by insurance.
Michael McCarthy's Fall.
Michael d. Mccarthy, a Louisiana ave-
nue. saloonkeeper, had a thrilling II some
what humorous experience during the fire.
He was on the roof Of his building, hold
ing bucket of water and watching for
sparks. when. going north as far as the
buildings on street. he stepped on q
skylight and fell through to the upper
floor Of the building. He was hurt, too,
but forgot all about 1t when he found he
had landed In pen with a full grown
bear. Bruin> was singed and hot, too,
and growled like everything when Nc
Carthy came down. kerplunk, on its back.
Mccarthy never bothered to climb over
the pen. He just went through one OF
the sides and sped out into street, with
boards and things hanging all over his
person. He was so doggoned happy at
getting away from the bear that he didn't
remember he'd been hurt till he got home.
Then he sent for doctor, and he's spend
ing today In bed.
Need for High-Pressure Service.
Commenting on the need for a high
pressure fire service. as demonstrated
last night, Commissioner Mcfarland said
today:
I'VE had a striking object lesson In the
three fires last night Of the imperative
necessity for a high-pressure special fire
protection service for the heart of the
city, which the Commissioners have been
recommending to Congress for the past
eight years and which would cost only
$4,000. 1 wish every member Of the
congressional appropriations committees
could have seen the conditions last night
and l hope that all the taxpayers will
earnestly support the Commissioners in
pressing the matter next winter. The
plain fact is that II another large fire had
occurred anywhere outside of the center
of the city the fire department could not
have COPIED with it. and we should have
had a great confiagration and with loss Of
life as well as property. The whole
strength of the department was engaged
and at the third fire both the men and the
horses were at the limit Of their powers.
/ saw the horses come in. with the appa-
ratus. 80 tired as to be nearly exhausted.
"All the rest Of the city and all the
suburbs were unprotected; nothing else
could have been done. and the work of
the fire department was, as usual, OF the
best character. But we cannot protect
District Of Columbia without a high
pressure special protection system of wa
ter mains, which would be equal to forty
engines. and leave the engines free for
the protection of the rest of the city and
the suburbs. The first cost. that Of the
water mains from the Fort Reno reser-
voiA AS feet above the sea level and
seven miles from the heart OF the city,
which would give US gravity pressure to
throw water from the hydrants over the
highest buildings, would be the chief cost.
the maintenance being comparatively
small.
Our people have not been fully alive
to the necessity. Last night showed for
tunately without loss of life or great loss
of property, that not only the business
men in the heart OF the city. but every
citizen throughout the District of Column
bia. are directly interested in having the
where 1t Is being introduced. and we
ought not to lag behind. The only reason
we have not secured 1t Is because 30
many other large improvements have
been making. and Congress has not
adopted the Commissioners plan of dis
tinguishin between extraordinary i'm
provements and current expenditure and
appropriating for all of the former sep
arately. but each year, instead. has linn
tied the appropriations by the revenues
of the year. Jumping together the extraor-
binary and the current appropriations
Two Slight Fires.
The appearance of No. engine COM
pany on 18th street opposite the Treas
ury Department yesterday afternoon
about $3.50 o'clock caused the spreading OF
a rumor that the Treasury building was
burning The firemen had been called
to the National Metropolitan Bank and
Ford & Graham's lunchroom, where q
lighted cigar had set fire to the awnings.
1t Is stated that the cigar was thrown
from an upper window in the bank build
ing. Not much damage was caused.
No. IA engine company responded to a
local alarm this morning about 8 O'Clock
and found slight blaze In the fue at
638 Pennsylvania avenue where Louis
Monte conducts a lunchroom. The build
ing was not damaged.
Appointed Letter Carrier.
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