Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-17
FIRE ROUTS DIPLOMAT
Commander NebIoSine AWak-
ened by Smoke in Home.
HE AROUSES HIS SERVANTS
Then Turns in Alarm That Brings
Department to Scene.
RESIDENCE IS BADLY DAMAGED
Russian Naval Attaches Personal
Loss Will Be So, 2,OO0-Preparing
for Wife's Return.

Commander A. K. Nebolsine. naval at
tache of the Russian embassy, had an
exciting time at his home. 1925 NJ street
northwest. this morning shortly before :
o'clock. when fire was discovered in the
house.
The attache, who was sleeping in a rear
first to discover the odor of smoke.
Awakened, he started into the hall to
make an investigation. The blaze had
almost reached his room.
Crossing through the hall to the front
stairs. he hurried to the basement and
aroused D. Portianko, his butler, and
wife. and had them leave the house. Then
the commander hurried to the corner to
send in an alarm.
Several companies of the fire depart
ment and the police reserve from the
second precinct responded. The fire was
extingushed after about $1,000 damage
had been done.
The damage to the house. owned by the
next-door neighbor. Mrs. Celeste A. Smith
of 1927 NJ street, Is estimated at about
So. 600. Commander Nebolsine estimates
the damage to his personal effects at
about 600.
Mrs. Smith carried $4,000 insurance on
the property. Inc contents OF the mouse
were insured for $1,000.
Fire Started in Pantry.
Fire Marshal Nicholson found that the
blaze had started in the pantry. on the
first floor, Practically everything in the
| small room had been destroyed. Matches
in the pantry. the fire marshal thinks,
became ignited lin some unknown way
and caused the blaze.
1t was evident that the fire had been
burning some time before Commander
Nebolsine was awakened. The blaze had
gone from the pantry through the dining
room and was burning its way up the
rear stairway to the top floor when he
left his room.
There were no electric wires in the pan
try. Gas there had been turned out be-
fore the butler retired. as5
Members of No 4 engine company were
the first representatives of the fire de-
partment to reach the building.
1T took them just one minute and
mander NebOlsine declared. Very quick
work for the fire brigade.
1T was A. small fire. quickly extin-
guished, the commander added. Il wish
you would express my thanks to the fire
men. The insurance company will act as
quickly as the fire department and the
house will soon be repaired"
Commander Nebosine had only recently
returned from his vacation. his family
being still abroad. His servants had not
completed the work of getting the house
in shape for the winter.
Last evening the commander returned
home early and spent some time in his
library. on the second floor. the butler
serving tea about 10 o'clock. The tea was
prepared in the pantry. where the fire
afterward started The naval attache re-
tired not long after.
The butler and his wife were about the
L
went to the pantry about midnight to see
that everything there was in proper con-
dition. Finding everything all right. Por-
tianko went to the basement and retired.
knowing nothing more until his employer
aroused him.
Destruction of Building Averted.
When the fire department neared the
house the flames already had taken pos
session Of the rear part of the premises
and had almost reached the roof. 1t was
feared the building could not be saved
from destruction. But the blaze was un-
without any damage to adjoining houses.
The most serious damage was done in
the dining room on the first floor. the
blaze having reached there through the
doorway, the door having been left open.
of solid cherry and the fOOr was highly
polished So intense was the heat that
I he hardwood was completely ruined and
will have to be replaced.
From the dining room the blaze made Its
way to the rear stairway and ascended to
the library. destroying valuable furniture
and pictures. Commander NebOlsine Oc-
cupied the room directly over the library.
He was awakened before the flames
reached there. The quick work Of the
firemen made it possible for him to re-
turn to his sleeping room when the ex-
citement was over and the firemen and
policemen had departed.
Mrs. Smith, owner of the house. was
| awakened while the fire was in progress.
She was sleeping in rear room in her
home when the fire aroused her.
She made preparations 10 leave her
house. The firemen assured her there
was no danger of the flames spreading.
| Portianco and his wife were at work
| early this morning removing evidences OF
the fire from the front of the house. Re-
pairs will be begun without delay. The
naval attache of the Russian embassy
expects to have the house in good cOndi-
ton by the time his family returns.