The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-16
WEST END ESCAPES
 DISASTROUS FIRE Large Business Building Is En-
 tireIy Destroyed TWO FIREMEN ARE INJURED Volunteers Do Good Work Unoer Chief Bennett, Who Took Out Equipment to Assist In the
 Fight.
TWO FlREMEN ARE INJURED

Hard work on the part of West Ends volunteer fire department. with the as- sistance of the Birmingham department. saved the town of West End from ap- parent destruction when fire destroyed the large frame building at Tuscaloosa avenue and Vine street at 11:3O o'clock last night. A runaway accident of one of the West End wagons, which occurred shortly before 1 o'clock, when the fire was gotten under control, resulted in the injuring of two of the youthful volun- teers, Clyde Vaughn receiving broken ankle, while Roswell Anderson had his face and hands badly bruised.
 T. c. McGahey and Dr. W. c. Gewin owned the structure It was partially covered by insurance, 5000 being car ried on it.
 Grahl & Beck carried a stock worth s120O with $500 insurance. The plumbing company had nearly a 5000 stock; loss to the real estate exchange was about $4oo, while the Odd Fellows had several hundred dollars worth of paraphernalia
 
 ing club were saved. None of these car ried insurance.
 It is believed that the grocery store was first robbed and set fire. The store occupied the corner of the building, while the pressing club was in the rear. | facing Vine street. Fire broke out in | the rear of the store and the first parties 1 reaching the scene stated the door to | the pressing club was open and also the l door connecting to the grocery store. l There was also an odor of kerosene West Ends volunteer fire department, | composed mostly of youngsters, made | game fight under Chief Adams. Chief Bennett also won the warm thanks of West End residents by going out himself and sending a wagon from the Greener station at Tihrd avenue and Fifteenth street, north. He took charge and it took but a few moments to get the fire under control. It was not necessary to use the hose from the Birmingham wagon but the laddies did good work. After seeing that all danger was over Chief Bennett left the volunteers to put 1t out entirely.
 West Ends fire wagon stalled in a
 
 of its house. The youngsters, however. were quick to act and it took but few seconds to stop a passing electric car. unload the hose from the wagon to it and rush to the fire.
 The fire made a tremendous blaze, from Birmingham it appearing as if the en- tire town of West End was on fire. The good work of the youngsters was shown by their saving a stable within 25 feet of the building. and two cottages in less than 40 feet of the building on each side.
 After the fire had extinguished Chief Adams with Vaughn and Anderson re- turned to fire headquarters and hitching two horses to light wagon started back to the scene of the fire for the purpose of removing the hose. Just as they turned into Elyton street the horses be- came frightened and dashed up the street for half a block before they could be stopped. Both Vaughn and Anderson were thrown from the wagon. Anderson was stunned for a moment, while Vaughn was unable to arise. Several doctors were quickly summoned and it is feared his ankle is broken. Both of the young sters did exceptionally good work in fight Ing the fire.