El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-06-02

Loomis Bros and the J. H. Smith a@en-
clec
y have not the least i'll n in the
world how the fire could have started.
I was there until o'clock Wednesday
evening and one of the boys Went
back after we closed at TO turn on
the window lights. There was nothing
in the back end of either the first or
second floors of the b1ilding from
which the fire could have started and
am at a loss to know how il originated.
Department Efficient.
Coming at the time the fire insur-
ance rates and fire insurance comprise
q matter of such general public Interest
the fire was practical lesson OF insuI-
ance and fire losses. To class the FL
PasO fire department as Inefficient aft
er the splendid work done Wednesday
night is a manifest injustice. With
high power overhead wires TO interfere
with the work of the department IN
stories Of the Welch building and the
necessity of shutting off the lights In
that district TO prevent fatalities from
live wires, the fire department proved
itself 90 percent efficient at the fire
and handled the dangerous blaze with
the least possible loss The only pos
sible objection that could be found 10
were too many men trying TO give or
ders. For a time in the alley in the
rear OF the Masonic temple the COM
mandS of the chief could not be heard
for the bedlam Of shouting by the VOL
unteers on the ground.
Lesson.
Another Lesson TO be learned from the
fire was the necessity for fire doors
and elevator traps to prevent the fire
fro
from one part OF the building to an
other Starting in the elevator shaft
at the rear Of the building, the fire
went up the shaft as up a chimney and
spread TO each Of the three floors. 1t
also spread to the north rooms on the
second and third floor through the
openings in the brick wall. Had there
been fire doors at these openings and
traps to the elevator shafts on each
floor, 1T is probable that the fire would
have been confined to the floor where
it originated.
Dangerous Wires.
More serious than the apparent need
IT fire doors in the building was the
interference the Isrelneu encountered
from the power wires in the alley TO
the rear of the building. The feed
wires for the entire block and adjoin-
ing blocks pass through this alley and
greatly by this inability TO get ladders
against the building from the alley. AS
the greater part of these wires were
charged with high voltage current, the
burning or breaking of one meant death
10 anyone near it when the wire struck
the ground. 1t was necessary to shut
off the water at one time during the
lire TO prevent the electricity from be-
ing carried through the stream of water
TO the firemen- Finally the lights in
the entire district were cut off and the
scene of the fire was left in darkness.
rms was as great a hindrance to good
work by the firemen as the presence of
the live wires, as ii was impossible for
them to see.
Couldn't Use Ladders.
insurance men anu property owners
declare that it will be necessary to put |
all of these telephone and power wires |
IN conduitS under ground in the bust |
ness district. 1t would have been out
OF the question to have attempted TO !
use the aerial tower in the alley Wed
nesday night, as it was almost i'm !
possible to get a small hand ladder |
through the network of wires. With |
these wires buried under the ground, /
ootn the danger and hindrance to the !
ire fighters would be eliminated.
II Is the general opinion that the fire |
might easily have spread to the new
part of the Masonic temple building, /
which has just been completed and TO |
nave consumed the entire block between !
Mesa avenue and Stanton street The |
1IIey between the Welch and the |
Masonic buildings was piled with lum-
per from the addition to the former and |
lad the fire escaped from the rear door |
II the WEIGH building it could easily |
nave spread TO the adjoining building.
Praise for Firemen.
The work of the fire department re- |
suited IN the saving of a heavy fire loss |
% the city and the firemen and their !
hlef are being praised by everyone
-oday.
Ihat fire was well handled" H B. |
-eVenS said Thursday morning. 1T !
shows that our department is a good |
one and has chief who knows his
usiness."
Nv. Bridgers, who was standing |
the alley watching the department
II work Wednesday, night said: THAT |
IRE fighting. The boys went right !.
1t 1t where the work was most needed |
ma the fact that the fire did not
spread to rha front of the building
CwS what Eood judgment was shown.
=! Paso APPEARS TO have a real fire