The Washington herald., 1910-12-24
BY cARYLL NEIL oDELI..

BY CARYLL NEIL oDELI.
If reporter for The Washington Her
aid had not left his gloves in the Office
when he started for home at o'clock
yesterday morning. Washington might
have suffered FIRE catastrophe similar
to those which visited Chicago, Phila-
felphia, and other cities in the last few
days.
1t was the reporter returning 10 the
office for his gloves who discovered the
/ fire in the Stag Lunchroom, at 1927
street northwest The blaze did not
amount to much but firemen who ex-
! tinguished it would not hazard guess
as to the damage it might have wrought
had il not been discovered In its incip-
iency
The reporter was passing the George
Washington Hotel, in New York avenue
near Fifteenth street, when he caught
whiff Of smoke. Trained to the scent,
he at once knew that a fire was smoIder-
! ing somewhere in one Of the buildings
built SO close together in the square
bounded by New York avenue. Four
| teenth, Fifteenth. and G streets.
Streets Are Deserted.
The streets were deserted. There was
not even policeman, street car, cab, or
| lonely pedestrian in sight. The windows
of the hotel were dark. and the reporter
sDeculated on the consequences OF a fire
/ in the hostery He stood in front of
the hotel. waiting fsr another smell of
the smoke, hoping he might learn from
what direction il came. Suddenly a tiny
| film of smoke blew past the arc lamp.
and the sight moved him To action. He
started to walk hurriedly around the tri-
anguiaT-shaped block
As he passed the Thompson Pharmacy.
in Fifteenth street. he saw a gas light
burning in the back OF the store and
throwing "A red haze on the objects with
in its radiance. The reporter looked
through the window and saw the store
was filled with smoke. a cat was paw
ing at the street door. as though trying
10 escape. It's crying could be heard
through the crack in the double doors
Satisfied that the store was burning.
but unwilling 20 give the hremen a
needless run, the reporter turned and
ran at top speed TO the newspaper office
The city room was deserted when he
rushed IN and seized a telephone.
Sends i'm Alarm.
Main 60oo quick" he called through
the transmitter. Hello. fire alarm head
quarters. Give me the IRE board. Hello
Send an engine company 10 Fifteenth
and 6 streets northwest. Thompson's
drug store is on fire.
The reporter returned TO the drug store
TO guide the fremen when they arrived
He waited only short time before the
hose cart and engine No. ! company
came down Fifteenth street. While the
engine was being connected TO the hy-
drant AZ the corner the reporter showed
the firemen the cloud OF smoke in the
drug store.
The door would not give and there was
no key. One OF the frtmen lifted a crow
bar and shattered the plate glass. Sew
eral hremen entered. carrying a line OF
chemical hose a search OF the ground
floor revealed no fire and the fremen de-
scended 10 the cellar. There was no blaze
there and the fremen were puzzled by the
clouds of smoke
Finds Origin of Smoke.
There was no rear entrance 10 the store,
but the smoke was apparently coming in
from the back Leaving the store. the
firemen dashed around the corner 10 q
street. hoping to get to the rear of the
drug store through one of the office build
ings Whilo looking for an open entrance,
one OF the fremen pointed to the front
entrance of a lunchroom beneath the level
of the street and reached by an iron stair
way.
Through the windows could be
seen a dense cloud Of smoke. lighted
up by a duh red glow from the rear
Of the room. Realizing that the IRE
might have gained big headway and
hard work might be in store for them,
the firemen shattered the door with an
AK and threw a stream from big hose
into the room.
In less than three minutes the fire was
out and only the light from the FIRE
mems lanterns, throwing a glare on the
film of smoke, could be seen from the
street. But when the members OF No.
engine company first saw the fire in the
lunchroom, an alarm was sounded from
box No. 49, that sufficient men and ap-
paratus might be on hand to stop a large
FIRE had the blaze gained headway.
More Companies Respond.
Just as the No. / men were stamping
out the last sparks the air was filled
with the clang of the downtown appa-
ratus responding to the box alarm. and
engine companies l. ., H. 16. and .,
truck companies and 3, the water tower.
Second Battalion Chief Henry, and
Deputy Chief Sullivan reached the scene.
Such was the array of fire-fghting men
and machines prepared to stop the prog
ress Of the fire. but No. 1 company was
the only one TO go into action.
There was but a handful of fire near
the coffee urns In the rear of the lunch |
room. and the damage of the flames, |
smoke and water did not exceed $50, |
but veteran fremen who inspected the
room and adjacent buildings were of the
opinion that IF that little blaze had Just
got little more start there would have
been hot work stopping il"
There is a small areaWay In the rear
of the lunch-rOom, forming a sort of
airshafk for the group of buildings hud- !
died on the western extremity of the
block. and the flames were making to- |
ward that areaWay when the water was