Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-30
Did What 'Masi,E Expected In
Saving 'BurningsMagazine.
THEY DARE DEATH At FIRE
Rescue Powder and Prevent Explo.
sion at Navy Yard.
HEROES IN MAYFLoWER CREW
Flames Extinguished by Chief Riors
dams Brigade Before Arrival
Of City Apparatus. Il

''Of course. Il &as risky undertaking.
The men did what was expected OF them. ,
Sailors OF the navy are expected to do
such things"
Rear Admiral e. n. c. Leutze. COM
mandant of the navy yard. SO appraises
the act OF marines and the crew OF the
Mayflower in removing powder from the
navy yard magazine In the face OF nre
therein.
Smokeless powder samples becoming
overheated.' says Admiral Leutze. caused
blaze in the magazine In the yard last
evening shortly after O'Clock.
About 200 pounds of black powder. such
az is used for saluting purposes. were
stored in the small brick structure ~
was all removed before any or II coulo
ignite. The marines in the yard ana
sailors attached to the Presidents yacht
Mayfiower risked their lives to save the
government property.
Admiral Leutze on Scene.
Admiral Leutze was upon the scene
shortly after the fire was discovered.
He expressed satisfaction with the man
ner in which Lieuts. G. ]. Rowcliffe and
Semmes Reed of the Mayfower squad
had directed the efforts OF those who ex-
tinguished the blaze and removed the cans
Of explosive from the structure.
Private Gravatt OF the Marine Corps Is
the man who discovered the nre. he
acted SO quickly that the blaze was eX.
| tnguished in time to prevent an explo-
sion. Not more than SIS damage was
done to the building.
AS soon as Private Gravatt sounded the
alarm Lieuts Reed and Rowcline led the
rescue party to the building. The scene
of the men working to save the maya
zine and its contents from the effects OF
a possible explosion was exciting.
al ~
of the yard were alarmed. An explosion
| was feared. which would cause bricks and
debris to be hurled in all directions. ana
cause great damage. Occupants of small
boats. knowing nothing of the special
| danger. pulled in the direction of the
| wharf property when they saw there was
a fire in progress. They were waved
off shore.
The quick work done by the sailors
and marines removed the danger In a
few minutes. Members of the fire bril-
gade and the sailors and marines were
loudly cheered. Admiral Leutze COM
mended them.
Building Would Have Been Wrecked
Had the powder in the building ex-
ploded. said the admiral. the Mayfiower
would probably not have been damaged.
the small quantity OF the explosive In
the building hardly having power enough
to do more than wreck the building.
Chief Belt of the fire department said
the marines and sailors had done good
piece of work. and used excellent judg-
ment Other officials of the fire depart
ment also praised the men.
After the blaze had been extinguished
the powder was returned to the building.
There was practically nothing about the
exterior to indicate there had been a fire.
The magazine is small two story
brick structure built almost over the
water at the extreme southwest corner OF
the reservation. There Is an electric light
connection with the building Chief Belt
was of opinion the wires caused the blaze.
Admiral Leutze told Star reporter that
the current was not even turned on last
evening,
More than fifty men aboard the May
flower were at work coaling the boat last
evening. faces and clothing blackened
almost to the hue of the material they
were handling.
Whats the matter at the magazine?"
Private Gravatt asked a comrade. Is
that smoke or Steama
Hurrying to the magazine Gravatt de-
tected the odor of smoke. He lost no
time in sounding the alarm. The city
fire department, Chief Rordan's brigade
of four pieces and a squad OF marines
from headquarters in the yard responded
Seventy six" was the shout that gave
notice of the location of the fire. That
Is the number of the magazine.
Flames Put Out and Powder Saved.
The possibility of strenuous time
ahead was realized. The uniformed men
dragged the four pieces of apparatus from
the quarters of the company to the maya
zine. The sailors and marines had the
building open already and had started
the work of removing the explosives
Chief Riordans firafRhters at the same
time were doing effective work with the
hose line The water was poured on the
flames until the last spark had disap-
peared. About the time the fire was
tinguished Chief Belt. Deputy Chief Wag-
ner. Battalion Chief Henry and several
companies of the fire department reached
the yard The frebcat Firefighter was
the last company of tle city department
to arrive.
No. IS engine company. the first on the
spot was the only one to go in service.
A hose line laid through the ward
TO the magazine. The work of Chief
Riordan's men had been effective there
little for the city fremen TO do other
than make inspection of the building.