The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1910-01-14
FIRE IN THE HOME OF GEORGE
WILLIS BURRlLL, OF BROOK
LYN, N. Y.
Special to the NaShviHe Globe:

!"
SpeciaI to the NdShViHe Globe:
Brooklyn, N. Y, Jan. 6, l910.-Fire
which threatened to destroy a row OF
four-story double brick flats on Reid
avenue, between Macon and McDo-
nough streets, broke out at 6 o'clock
last night, and it was only after three
alarms had been sent in that the Fire
Department got the blaze under coli.
troll. The fire started in the palm
shop occupied by Morris Coewitz, at
2S0 Reid avenue, and extended into
the next building, causing a total loss
of nearly $4,000.
AS early as 4 o'clock in the after
noon, Mr.. George Willis Burrill, who is
employed by the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit and lives on the first floor
over the paint shop, though he smelled
smoke, and went to the apartment OF
Mr.. Titus, who lives on the same floor.
Together they made an examination
of the building, but fire could not be
found in the house, so the searchers
went into No. 2S4, next door. In the
cellar under the store occupied by Peter
Tribeker, they came upon a man, who
said he was a plumber and was thaw-
ing out the water pipes. According
to Mr.. Burrill, the man did not look
like a plumber, and after the fire was
discovered, three hours later, he noti-
fed the fire marshal of what he had
een
Mr.. Burrill was just about to leave
the house, and was saying goodby to
his wife when somebody yelled Fire.
He went down to see what he could
do, and his wife, Mrs. Margaret Bur-
rill, who has just recovered from a
long illness, got out of bed, slipped
on a few clothes and, taking her two
children, Evelyn, a year and a half
old, and Margaret, less than n month,
carried them down the stairs, which
was by this time crowded with tenants.
AS she reached the street she slipped
on the icy pavement and fell the two
children sprawling on the street. They
were all picked up and taken to the
home of a friend on Hancock street,
where they spent the night. Their
apartments were entirely burned out,
with a loss Of $1,000.
The second floor, which is occupied
by H. e. Pennington, was also burned
out. Mrs. Pennington was at home
with her four children and her sister,
Miss Kate Milard, who was preparing
to leave town. When the fire broke
out Mrs. Pennington took two Of the
children, while Miss Milard took the
others, and led them down stairs,
which was, by this time, a mass OF
flames. The top floor was occupied by
Harold Simpson. his wife and one
child. They also made their way to
safety by the stairs. Their apartment
was also burned out.
After the fire fighters arrived and
had been at work for almost a quar-
ter of an hour. a second alarm was
turned in. This was followed by q
third, two minutes later.
Eating it's way through the walls
the fire spread to 284 Reid avenue
This is also a double-fat house, but
at the time of the fire there was only
one family living in the north side o.
the building. John Kisslig, his wife
and n child, who occupied the thirC
floor. Their home was Quilted. TIL
cause of the fire is unknown, and &C
cording to the police there is nothing
suspicious about it. The people VIII
were burned out, however, are of a dif
ferent opinion, and believe that the fir
was started for the purpose of gettin.
insurance.
Mr.. Geo. Willis Burrill is the son o
Mr.. Chas. H. Burrill, Dean" and Sex
rotary of the Globe Publishing Con
pany, and who was proof-reader a
the National Baptist Publishing Hous
until a few months ago, when he n
turned to his home at 203 Haisey stree
&c the result of Illness