Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-11
FREIGHT SHED BURNS
.oout$1O,OOOD Damage Caused
in the lexington Yards.
ASCRIBED TO AN OIL STOVE
Flames Break Out in Small Office
and Rapidly Spread.
BLAZE ATTACKS CARS NEAR
Water Found Frozen in the Emer-
gency Buckets-No Flow in
the Standpipe.
BLAZE ATTACKS CARS NEAR

\ small oil stove left burning in
frame Office is thought to have primarily
caused the partial destruction of the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad shed at the
lexington freight yards, 1st street and
Florida avenue northeast. at an early
hour this morning. The total damage is
estimated at about $4,000
The blaze was discovered at 3:n5 O. clock
this morning. Silas Wheeler, foreman
Of the freight gang. has his office, a
frame structure. in the east end of the
shed. He had been working in the ONCE
Tor short time, and small oil stove
had been lit for heating purposes After
performing some duties in the place, Mr.
Wheeler went to a car standing on a side
track and was engaged there when one
Of the employees discovered that the Of
flee on fire.
Efforts to Put Out the Fire.
Robert Nilburn of Baltimore one of the
members of the gang. ran to New York
and Florida avenues. where he sounded
an alarm from box 81, to which engine
companies Nos. L. and g. with truck COM
pany No. 4, responded. Battalion Chief
keliher responded at the first alarm. AS
soon as the firemen reached the scene.
Battalion Chief keliher discovered that
COmDQniQS
would be unable TO cope with the flames.
which were rapidly spreading, and he
Immediately turned in a second alarm
To winch engine companies Nos Z 10 and
: ana truck company No. responded.
The members of the freight gang ra y
Tor the fire buckets, but the water IN
them is said to have been frozen. 4
standpipe in the building was next
thought of. but when it was opened
the water would not flow. II was
thought that the water in the nine
had become frozen. but il was expla in .
ed later that it had been turned ofs
Under the building to keep from freez-
ing. and the employees overlooked this
matter, at the critical time
Spread of the Flames.
The small frame Office and its con-
tents were soon destroyed BY the
flames. which spread toward the east
end of the shed. This department,
which was occupied by the ROYAL Blu
Line Transfer Company. contained
large quantities OF groceries and mer
chandise. After the contents OF that
cnd OF the shed had been burned and
Inc roof had also been DESTROYED the
flames spread toward the west erd.
which is occupied by the Baltimore
ana Ohio Railroad Company. A large
partition separated the two depart
ments. but the flames burned so ranidIy
maj the PARTITION was soon DESTROYED
and quantities of furniture meats and
other articles stored in that depa rfrnenf
were soon ablaze.
As the flames had gained consider
abie Roadway in the east end of the
shed. Battalion Chief Keliher dira,tc.I
the efforts of the firemen toward tho
east end. in an effort to keen the
flames from spreading to the main. Of
nee In this they were successful. as
AFTER about one hours work the fire
was under control.
Several freight cars which were
standing on side track along the
north side of the shed caught flra
y railroad engine was brought to he
scene and the cars were removed some
distance from the confiagration. After
short time, however the fire bro,. =
cut in the cars and another alarm wa :
sounded The flames had done con
siderable damage to the cars before
they were extinguished.
Estimate of the Loss.
charles &. Schwartz, Superintendent .,
the freight yard. stated today that th.
loss 10 the freight was small. as tber.
was but little freight in the shed at tn,
time Mr.. Schwartz was unable to ac
count for the blaze. He stated that a
rigld rule is enforced about the plac,
against smoking and that there is a fir,
drill for the employees once a week
fiTt hdFSndi NlcnOiS0n, Who was on fl1
SCENE early. estimated the loss to b,
about $1,000. OF this $1,000 is on tn,
freight. He stated that the walls Of tn,
end of the shed would have to be tori
down and that much of the roof would
nave to be replaced.
Milburn. who sounded the first alarm
returned to the building and endeavoret
10 get water from the standpipe. blu
while so engaged the flames had spreat
about him and he was forced to fiee from
the place. He ran TO the east end q
the shed and fell out Of a door, injurin,
one or his knees. He later went to tn
Homeopathic Hospital for treatment.
Several Slight Fires.
An alarm of fire sounded from 80 short
~ before g o'clock last evening summon
ed firemen and policemen to the house o
Henry Langley, 1919 18th street south
east. a Ieaky oil stove caused the bla &c
which resulted in about S35 damage
The explosion of all oil stove caused