Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-04
F|REMEN SAVE BLOCK
Quarters of Rudolph, West &
Co. Suffer Severely.
$4,000 DAMAGE is DONE
Hard Fight With Menacing and
Spectacular Blaze.
AID FOR VICTIMS OF FLAMES
Stocks of Other Concerns and Office
Room Put at Their Disposal by
Business Men.

To prevent the total destruction of the
hardware building Of Rudolph. West &
Co.. 1892 New York avenue, members of
the fire department labored hard for two
hours or more last night, making a sue
cessful fight against one of the most
threatening and spectacular fires that has
occurred in this city in many months.
While it is true that about $4,000 dam
age resulted. it is equally true that the
good work of the department prevented
much more serious damage, and saved
the entire block from destruction.
The loss is fully covered by insurance.
Tenders of assistance by merchants in the
same business enabled the firm whose
quarters were so badly treated by the
flames to announce last night that there
will be no interruption to business.
Aid Offered Victims of Fire.
AS soon as members of the hardware
firms of Barber & Ross, 18th and q
streets. and the James G. Lambie Com
pany. 1415 New York avenue. heard of
the disastrous fire, they Immediately plac-
ed their stocks at the disposal Of Rudolph,
West & Co. James b. Green, 1896 New
York avenue, offered the firm the use OF
his Office rooms in which to transact
business.
Appreciation was expressed by CunO
III. Rudolph, head of the firm. this morn
ing. The offers are accepted. he states.
and his business will suffer no interrupt
ton.
Mr. Rudolph was on hand at his tenn
porary office early this morning to greet
his business partner, Mr.. West, who had
been summoned from New York Many
sympathetic messages and additional Of
fers of assistance have been received.
cL DAT
The flames were seen by pedestrians
shooting through the roof of the building
at 1920 o'clock. Just about that time
J. B. Byrne and Martin Cotter. employees
of the firm. at work in the Office on the
mezzanine floor, heard a commotion in
the upper part OF the building.
Their first thought was that robbers
were in the upper rooms. The noise
sounded to them if made by one or
more persons moving about the rooms.
Going to the upper floor they discov-
cred the fire. There was nothing they
could do to hold the flames in check
They returned to the Office and closed
the door OF the safe. thereby protecting
the papers OF the firm from ruin by fire
or water. They then made a hurried
exit.
Meanwhile persons on the street and
in neighboring buildings were shouting
fire.
From an upper window at 1928 New
York avenue n girl screamed and dis
played such evidence Of terror that
Thomas c. Bradley. an attorney. hurried
to her assistance. He met her coming
down the stairs. Continuing to the up
per floor. Mr.. Bradley found Nine. A.
Garet. milliner. gathering her effects to-
gether and getting ready to hurry from
her apartment.
Fire Department on Scene.
BY this time the fire department had
reached the scene. No time was lost
getting TO work.
Chief Wagner summoned several COM
panies i'm addition to those which re-
sponded to the regular alarm. He was an
early arrival at the fire and remained to
direct the movements Of the firemen until
the last spark had been extinguished.
Commissioner mcfarland and Mr.. Ru-
doph the head of the hardware firm,
left a dinner at the New Willard, where
Japanese visitors were being entertained,
and hurried to the fire.
The fire started on the top floor Of the
building and reached the floor below be-
fore il was discovered. Firemen flooded
the building and kept the blaze from
reaching the ground floor. although con-
siderable water damage was done there
and in the cellar.
Explosions Cause Apprehension.
Several explosions in the automobile
department alarmed firemen and specta-
tors. They were not OF force sufficient
to weaken the walls.
About $50 damage was caused to the
saylight and about the top of the eleva-
tor shaft I'm the building occupied by
Hugh Reilly. on one side of the hard
ware store. The National Electrical Sup
ply Company, on the other side, suffered
about $500 damage.
Fire Marshal Nicholson examined the
burned building. but was unable to de-
term.ne the origin of the blaze. Buildings
adjoining that OF the hardware firm were
not damaged enough to interfere with
business.
Mr.. Rudolph sad this morning that the
work of repairing the damage and restor-
ing the stock will be begun as soon as the
insurance is adjusted.
JUDGMENT AGAINST MILLER.