Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-07

Every available piece Of fire apparatus
and every fireman who could stand on his
feet turned out last night between 8
o'clock and half-past II to fight three
fires that ragged simultaneously in different
parts Of the city. Had there been another
'connagration between those hours it
would Just have had to burn itself out.
There would have been no apparatus and
no men to fight 1t.
The aggregate damage from the three
fires was about $4,000 the losses includ-
ing twenty horses which were burned to
death.
The District Commissioners and the
fire department officials think that the
situation last night emphasized as nothing
else could the imperative need of a high
pressure service for the heart Of the city,
a project which has been recommended to
Congress for the past eight years.
The losses are partly covered by insur-
ance.
Great crowds gathered at all of the
hres and the police reserves had their
work cut out in preserving order.
The first fire started in the basement of
the Haines department store at Sth and
- streets southeast shortly after o'clock
last evening and 1t Is thought 1t was of
incendiary origin Anyhow. the police of
the fifth precinct believe they have several
good clues and are investigating today.
Fire No. was discovered in the livery
stable of Jones & Baker at 1881 street
while the Haines blaze was still burning
briskly and 1t looked so serious that four
alarms were turned In. 1t was here that
the score OF horses, in addition to a num-
Der OF vehicles and more than twenty tons
OF hay, were consumed.
Hotel Guests Alarmed.
This second fire was spectacular to a
degree. The stables are Immediately in
the rear of the National Hotel. and when
the fire apparatus came changing up
from every direction the crowds gath
cred. the scorched horses kicked and
sauealed. flames shot up and the punsent
acrid smoke of burning hay swept in
great clouds through the open hotel win
dows. there was genuine panic among
the guests. But when they found that
Tor the time being at least, there was
no pressing danger. the guests found their
wits again. and until the blaze had been
extinguished the hotel windows were
jammed with paJamaed and nightgowned
folks Of both sexes who watched with
an interes,, shared by the great crowds
In the surrounding streets below. the eff
.orts OF the firemen to rOut the flames.
local fire officials think that emphatic in
dorsement of the high-pressure PROPOSE
ton was given last night, Is simply that
In fighting the two simultaneous fires
fortythree pieces of fire apparatus were
IN use-every one in the city. No. II being
called in from Brookland and taking UP
quarters in No. las house.
In the Commission District.
The third alarm was sounded from the
box at Pennsylvania avenue and c
street. and the firemen, almost exhausted
from their efforts In fighting the two
preceding fires, harnessed their painting
horses in double time and hustled to the
scene Of the new blaze. hoping against
hope to find 1t false alarm. But II
wasn't. When they changed across 9th
street flames were shooting from the
BLOCK between 9th. 10th. Louisiana avenue
and c street, and things looked mighty
bad at the time. This is In the old COM
make excellent fuel when q blaze gets a
good start and a number of disastrous
fires have occurred down there in recent
years. This fire started In Joseph Fer
rero's building, 925 Louisiana avenue
which Is occupied by D. W. Ballinger and
A. w. Gray. poultry and egg dealers. and
was confined to the second and third
floors. Three engines and two trucks and
reserves from the first, second third,
fourth. sixth and eighth precincts took
care OF this blaze and Of the crowds
which 1t drew to the spot. Lots OF