Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-09

and trucks, hose carts and fuel wagons
up and down eth street for distance OK
half mile. In front of the hre the
frozen hose covered the street so That II
was almost impossible to walk without
leaned against the 9Th street side or the
building and half dozen we're on the
New York avenue side and the men III
their ice-covered coats dragged the hed'y
lines of hose upward.
Inside the building there seemed to be
not a foot Of space that was not aoiaze:
From celfer to roof IL was caIdron or
fire. Notwithstanding this fact, the fire
men fought IT inch by inch. creeping as
Nose to the flames as they could possl-
bly, get Although there was danger
every minute of the long floors giving
away the men stuck at their posts and
some of them remained. hose in hand, for
three or four hours.
Between the top floor and the roof there
was a four-foot space. built like an attic.
No doors or steps led to this space, ac-
cording to Fire Marshal Nicholson. and
tire fire getting Roadway there burst
through the roof and Travelled north
rapidly The woodwork was so dry
that there was no way of stopping 1t
even with every engine pumping to its
limit.
For that reason, by the time the flames
near the paint store end of the con-
Migration had been partially subdued
there was shout from the X street COR
ner, and it was seen that the Peoples
pharmacy building had caught, and
caught good.
Firemen Switch Activity.
There was a great shift of apparatus
and work The heavy snow made it hard
work TO run ladders. but within a few
minutes the drug store was dripping in
side and out with water. Two floors of
that building. containing the laboratory
and storeroom, were ruined with water
and fire. With this building burning
there was every chance that the adjoin-
ing houses OIL the same block to the
east would be eaten. by the flames, and
two engines started throwing streams in
that direction.
Although the anxiety Of the firemen
was somewhat allayed by 4 o'clock, the
work was nowhere near completed. The
interior of the furniture store was still
burning, n floor would cave in and big
tongues of fame. fed by dry furniture
would startle the watchers. Men were
sent into the windows and through the
roof whenever the streams of water
would conquer the fire long enough for
man to crawl in.
At times men would be sent ND ladders
to make for vital spot, and the men
With hose on the street would play a
stream about them. Ice formed on the
soleS Of their boots and on their gloves,
them for three stories task not to be
envied.
One Fireman Injured.
In the thickest of the fire Fred
Schwerdtfeger. fireman of No. 6 COM
pany. loaded with ice and weakened by
tremendous exertiOn. tried little more
than his strength would bear. He was
making for a hot spot in the fire. The
men behind him played their hose on the
fire, dousing 1t in few seconds at that
spot, but the sitting smoke swirled
toward the fireman, choking him and
binding him. He stumbled and fell, and
was carried down the ice-covered lad
der unconscious. For a time it appeared
that he was done for but treatment at
Emergency Hospital brought him to con-
seriousness. and 1t was found afterward
that his exhaustion was not serious.
1t was daylight by the time Chief Wag-
ner began sending men home: BY that
time the early-mornfng workers, hooking
the streets for their PAGES of business,
stopped in droves to look on. The 7th
street cars. tied up by the mess of hose
ware not running until O'CLOCK, Wneh
gangs of men brought big steel arches
and bridged the tracks SO that the cars
could pass under the hose. The water
from the hose had flowed over the tracks,
leaving them two inches under Ice In
spots, and the first car through had to
act as an ice-breaker.
About this time. too. several men APP
-peared with great milk cans full Of stean1-
ing coffee, and the fire fighters stopped
long enough to warm themselves With cne
hot black Stimulant.
Silent as to Origin.
Fire Marshal Nicholson would venture
TO suggestion this morning as to the ORR
xfn of the fire. He said he had an idea,
but beyond that would cay nothing. The
only thing known at present about the
fire is what George Corey, the Waterman
on duty at jackson Bros, said:
II made my regular rounds all last
evening. / made round at midnight
and again at 1 O'Clock. At that time l
thought I smelled some smoke. and made
an extra round. / examined every inch
of the building and could find nothing.
hut / still smelled something. / went
outside and found policeman and asked
him to come inside. Together We went
over the building again, and l smeiled
a little smoke, but neither OF us found
the smoke must he coming from the out
side. I was In another part of the build
ing when the fire broke out SO 1t could be
seem"
person. When the engines arrived Police
man Trice, walking up 7th street, had
seen flames burning through the floor
fiercely He telephoned to headquarters.
Part of the Jackson Bros. building Is
the property of the Norment estate.
Charles J. inkins, attorney. Part Of It
IL controlled by the Washington Loan &
Trust Company. acting for LIE Roy NJ.
Taylor.
Blaze in Apartment House.
While practically the entire fire-ighting
force was engaged at the 7th street fire,