Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-03-17

". Is, hu-nmei-bahaEe 10 etpchs
$3.50.
IRE that did damage estimated at
not less that $50 900 started this morn
ing on the third floor OF the l. Y. L.
furniture stol :, 45-5t east Third South
street The damage 10 the building
viii amount TO at least $4,000 and the
loss to the stock burned and damaged
by water will be probably $4,000. The
building and stock were covered by IN
suranCe.
The fire started on the third floor Of
the building near the southwest corner
about 50 feet from the front and
was discovered by an employe
at S:26 o'clock. Two alarms were sent
IN and Operator Fred Gulbransen i'm
mcdiately called out all the apparatus
from headquarters and then sent in
calls for Nos. 2, 4, and S. The entire
FIRE fighting force with the exception
Of a hose wagon was on hand within
few minutes and for three and
half hours waged a fierce battle
against the roaring flames. The blaze
was started either by an electrician
bveturning a fire pot. or sparks from
a short circuit in the wiring setting
fire 10 paper and excelsior. The third
floor was used as a store room and
was literally packed with furniture
wrapped in paper and excelsior. once
the blaze got started IL soon spread
TO the roof and then began to burn
between the ceiling and the roof. ex-
tending the entire length Of the build
ing. 800 feet and 20 feet wide. The
building was valued at more than
100000 and the stock was valued at
100000
SPECTACULAR BLAZE.
The blaze was a spectacular one IN
maRy respects and attracted thousands
no "a Tor
direction OF Chief Barlow, Lieut. shan
non and SerRt. Johnson, rendered
valuable assistance to the firemen by
establishing fro line and keeping
the crowd back. one streetcar line was
blOckaded but the other was operated.
Hose shields were used for the cars to
run without cutting the hose. Twelve
lines Of hose were in use for more than
Two hours and two steamers were
brought into commission. Lines were
run from the front, rear and both
sides and all the available stand pipes
We're brought into service.
USED GOOD JUDGMENT.
The fire was one Of the most dlni-
cult to hgh the department has ex-
perienced. owing TO the great quantity
az innammable material on the third
floor and the fact that furniture was
packed In so. II was impossible for the
flremen 20 get TO the seat Of the blaze
at once. The smoke was dense and
the heat intense, but the fire laddies
fought determinedly until they had
control of the situation.
Chief Glore displayed judgment IN
handling the fire. After getting the
hose To the rear Of the building he di-
rected his men TO force the fire toward
the front and cut of all the drafts
possible The flames finally burst
through the roof and started a fire
in the Luna roominghouse above the
Luna theater This was quickly dis
covered by the hremen and they lost
no time in putting out the blaze.
KNOCKED OUT BY SMOKE.
In spite Of the seething flames and
dense, choking, binding smoke. the
firemen, regardless Of personal safety
crept up foot by foot and stayed IN the
fight 10 the finish. BY 10 o'clock the
blaze was completely under control and
half an hour later was out entirely.
Several Of the flremen We're tempo
rarily knocked out by the thick smoke
and fumes from varnish and paints
The department was greatly handi-
capped by reason Of the crowded con-
dition OF the third floor. The men
were unable 10 see where best TO work.
and when they did finally locate the
seat OF the FIRE, were unable to reach
IL until they cut away part Of a stair
way and removed "a quantity Of fur
niture. glass and tin BY this time the
flames had got between the ceiling and
the roof and spread the entire length OF
the long building. Flames shot out
from the east and west SIDES but the
fire hghetrs continued 10 pour In thous-
ands Of gallons of water The press
ure was good but tho two steamers
were needed.
DAMAGE BY WATER.
Tho water trickled through the brick
walls and dropped then from floor %
floor I'm great streams, covering the
ground floor and basement causing an
immense amount OF damage 10 costly
furniture, beautiful tapestries and other
stock But little damage was done 10
adjoining buildings and the theater
was not damaged az all
There was considerable excitement
among the spectators when the win
doWs on the third floor were broken
by the heat and force 0f water glass
was hurled 40 tlc middle Of the street
ana there was "a speedy scattering Of
curious spectators
+, a. sorenslu. president OF the J.
X, l., association rs boo Idaho ON bust
ness and has been notified By wire of
the blaze. lis SON, Nelh Sorenson.
ana Roy Brown secretary were ON
hnnd ana lu" mo- dime in removing
books ana pHU.ra of value 10 a place
ar s1fetN whom DO became apparent
thlt iH0 fre would get beyond control
force of DO men was put 90 work
with hro1ms and buckets clearing the
water from tHe ground floor aa fast as
a. fei
Yesterday the company Just som
Ileted the work of delivering a. tho
hungalow hllel 5000 worth N furn-
turo which bad been temporarily on he
third noor AM the stock ON this hoor
was ruined either hy flames or water
ana smoke
CHIEF CLoRE's STATEMENT
'"rhc nrc tras one OF Tho worst Nc