The Washington herald., 1909-05-11

Fire in the four-stcry apartment house
al 81 Twenty-seccad street last nigh,
endangered the lives Of nine persons
Climbing down the ladders. fremen Of
Truck Company No ,. themselves al
Most overcome by smoke and escaping
gas. carried eight women and a man 20
safety.
M,mDers Of four engine companies
Uere directing their attention 10 TIE
flames, which had originated in the cell
lar Of the building and were eating their
way 10 The floor above. while the truck
men were effecting the thrilling rescues
Terming the blaze the most spectacular
ne had ever witnessed in MS thirty
years service. Battalion Chief Samuel r.
Henry said he had never seen such ex-
element
Panic on Fire Escapes.
Leaning over the railing Of the fire es-
caPes on the top floor. Tire women
screamed fraa1icauy 10 the anxious
crowds IN the street Several of the
pauic-sJTiCken were about 10 jump 20 the
ground when the extension ladders were
raised Miss EIba Schoolby. dazed by
the gaseous flames. vai-ly tried 10 free
herself from the rcscrc-s as she was
being lowered
" NJ Nadi yan. a Ess meter Inspector
entered the building scon after the fire
started and was overcome by the fumes
while attempting 10 disconnect the me
ters- he was taken from the house by
freme1.
The building is known as the RAYMOND
apartments. and there were q number Of
persons on the various floors when the
alarm was sounded Ar SIS O'Clock The
smoke filed the corridors and flames
famed by the draft. were carried I'd the
elevator shafts and stairwavs.
Il was only a few minutes after the
signal bells were sounded that the occs-
pants fairly fell over themselves trying
10 escape The smoke clouds that rolled
Up the shafts cut Of the esca0e for
those on the upper floors. and eight OF
the women were almost overcome.
Mrs ". JessUp- who was III in bed.
was unable % reach the door when r1e
fire was discovered. and was found in a
fainting condition on the fO0r when the
hrenen broke into the room.
One Woman Painted
IN an unconscious condition size was
carried out Of the building and taken 10
a ueighboring house.
Misses May and Maggie Eiearbliss
were found cropping for the FIRE escape on
the fourth floor. and were carried down
the ladder by Capt. r. n. Martin ana
Mrs. Ella SchOolby was carried 10 safety
by y Il. Klotz. who resides N the Raw
mond. and Miss Margaret Schoolhv was
rescued by L. Il. Bell. Mrs. ". 7. Ban
ninEton. Miss J. Bennington and Mrs 2
G. Legg were saved by fremen.
The fire IS supposed 70 have originated
in the basement where a quantity or ex-
celsior was stored Il had gained great
headway before being discovered bv NJ
johnson. the janitOr. Fearing the blaze
would spread 10 adjoining buildings. the
nrst company 70 arrive sounded a sec
ond alarm. bringing Engine COMPANIES
Nos. 1, ;, ,, and IS and Truck COMPANY
No. ,
Streams of water were poured into the
basement and the men directed their
energies 10 COnfninE the FIRE 10 the lower
floor. Flames were shooting from the
windows OF the ground floor. and the re-
hection Of the light was partIy. responSi-
bic for the stampede Of the occupants OF
the apartments.
Dwellers in adjoining houses became
frightened by the flying sparks. and hur-
riedly gathered their valuables and car
ried articles OF furniture 10 the street
Fire Marshal J. 3. Nicholson estimates
the damage at S3.coo. He arrived shortly
after . o'clock. when the flames were
under control Alonzo Bliss owns the
structure.
Joseph H Davidson, q fireman Of En-
zine Company No. > was injured while
arriving q line Of hose and fell in tho
aresway. injUTing his leg He was treated
u the Emergency HospftaI