The Washington herald., 1908-07-07
EVERY FIRE ENGINE
IN CITY CALLED OUT
Continued from Page One.

bled there. One of the hands turned in
an alarm.
More than sixty-fve horses were sta
bled in the building, and the employees
and volunteers turned their efforts to-
ward rescuing tho animals Twenty-Five
horses were stabbed on the second floor.
Five of these were rescued before the
flames drove the rescuers TO the ground
floor, The other twenty perished in the
flames and smoke. their pitiful neighs and
screams stampeding the horses quartercd
below and making the work OF the res
cuers doubiy hard.
Horses and vehicles were run from the
burning structure and dragged through
the streets for blocks, where the hors4s
were tethered. A white man who re-
fused TO give his name had narrow
/ escape from being crushed by falling
beam He started to leave the building
when the others left, but the cries Of the
/ horses were TOO much for him. and he
turned 70 make last desperate attempt
| 70 save the animals. He had gone only
few steps when he was struck by
| falling board Or beam. burned from its
/ place in the ceiling.
| When the fremen arrived the flames
\ had spread over the entire loft. and had
caught IN the saloon OF F. Roessler, at
! 4S3 c street. From the saloon the flames
/ were jumping 10 the Old mailbag repair
shops at 40 and 4Sl c street. The fire.
men made short work Of the flames in the
saloon. which were confined TO the roof
and the few sparks smouldering in the old
repair shop.
Fire in n Laundry.
Their attention was next called TO the
Tolman laundry, adjoining the stables on
the west. and occupying teh northeast car
/ ncr Of Sixth and c streets, and the stable
Of George Hyman. next to the laundry in
/ Sixth street and backed up against the
burning structure.
Above Hyman's stables are the shop Of
I p. II. Banville, a horseshoer, and the Ma
/ tional Stables. owned by j. ]. Murphy.
These buildings are separated from the
/ Virginia Stables only by narrow twelve
foot alley. For a time the flames threat
ened TO jump the alley and attack the
stables and laundry. Prompt work on the
part Of the hremen kept the fire In the
stable where it started. Holsters and en-
ployes in the several stables held the
horses-more than l00-by their halters.
! ready al a moments notice 10 take them
TO a place of safety.
Eleven engines and four trucks and the
water tower responded 10 the fire IN G
I street and Chief Belt took charge. He
was assisted by Fire Marshall Nicholson.
Battalion Chief Keliher, Of the Third Bat
talon. and Capt. Charles Beers. OF No.
Engine Company. acting battalion chief.
EX-Fire Marshal Parish was on the scene
and assisted the men in the rear in pre-
Bieber. the local politician. was at the
fire. as was District Commissioner Mac
farland.
First reports had the fire in the Ma
tional Hotel. then In the old police head
quarters. and in the District Building.
The burned stable fronts on c street and
runs back 10 an alley on the north, that
runs behind police headquarters and the
District Building Only about 100 feet are
between the rear Of the stable and the
abOve-named buildings The clouds OF
smoke and tongues Of flame easily led 10
the impression that other buildings were
ablaZe
Fire Under Control.
1t was nearly Il o'clock when the fire.
men got the blaze under control Fire
Marshal Nicholson made an investiga-
ton. and announced that the damage 20
the building would amount TO 5000 and
10 contents $500 Part Of the loss IS
covered by insurance. The owners OF
the building. however. place the loss a;
much higher figure. Against the $500
loss named they place the damage al
nearly S25.Oo0 This is due TO the fact
that several Of the horses burned tC
death are believed to have been blooded
stock and worth thousands OF dollars
The fire marshal valued the horses from
an ordinary standpoint OF horsehesh. The
owners value the horses according q
their respective merit.
II was said last night there were sew.
eral horses in the building worth several
thousand dollars. These horses had not
been accounted for at q later hour. and
are believed 10 have perished in the
flames.
The stable IS tenanted by E. L. Barker
and J. A. Jones. They had more thar
sixty-five animals there. Six vehicles
besides the horses, were burned. The
property is owned by the James Pun.
phrey estate.
Fire Marshal Nicholson gives the origin
Of the fire as spontaneous combustion.