Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-02-18
Big Tenement Occupied by
Negroes Destroyed.
HARD FIGHT FOR FIReMEN
Flames, Famed by High Wind,
Threaten TO Wipe Out Several
sIocks-sparks Carried to Adjoin-
ing Housetops-Big Crowd at Scene

Famed by high southwest wind,
fire OF unknown origin, which start
ed in and destroyed big two-story
tenement house occupied by negroes
al Jefferson avenue and Nineteenth
street, threatened to wipe out sew
eral blocks in the Bloodheld ana
Rockets sections early last night.
Led by Fire Chief w. w. Stow. the
firemen of the Central and East End
companies fought desperately against
almost overwhelming odds and finally
succeeded in preventing the flames
from spreading. Flying sparks ignit-
ed the roof of a two-story dwelling
house on the south side Of Twentieth
street, but the firemen soon con-
quered the blaze, the damaged 20 the
house being small.
The destroyed tenement house was
owned by NJ. Cohen formerly of this
city, but who now lives in Cali
fornia and was valued at $4,000 The
house was fully insured. Much OF
the furniture in the building was
destroyed and the loss on that Ia hard
TO estimate. but it will not exceed a
few hundred dollars. The damage to
the house on Twentieth street, which
was owned by Mrs. Mary Rosenbiock,
will not exceed $500. but the furni-
ture was almost completely ruined
by water which was thrown into the
building. This loss cannot be esti-
mated.
Gained Great Headway.
The fire originated in the northwest
corner of the negro tenement house
and probably started from defective
chimney or an overheated wood stove.
Il Is supposed that no one was in
that part of the building at the time,
for the flames had gained great
Roadway before other persons living
in the building discovered them The
l.egroes began running out OF the
building discovered them. The
negroes began running out OF the
building. yelling and screaming. Many
cs them succeeded in getting much OF
their furniture and personal effects
out OF the structure.
In the meantime someone turned In
an alarm OF fire to the department at
I7:15 O'Clock and the East End Com
pany responded. BY this time, the
flames had broken through the roof
Of the building and they began to
spread rapidly. the high wind blow
ing the flames along the roof oi the
structure. Before the East End COM
pany reached the scene a second
alarm was turned in and the Central
company went to the scene.
Crowds at Scene.
Immediately after the alarms were
turned in hundreds of people began
gathering at the scene of the fire. The
election from the flames could be
seen in all parts of the cities and
scores OF people came hurrying TO the
scene from all directions. East End
ers and the people from the central
cart of the city gong to the scene
ON street cars. in wagons, automobiles
and on foot. Within half an hour af-
ter the alarm was turned in. several
thousand people were collected around
the burning building and on Jefferson
and Ivy svenues.
The burning building was outside
Of the city limits and was rather
inaccessible for the firemen. the near
est water plug being two blocks
away. The East End engine was
coupled to this plug and the Central
engine was coupled to the plug three
blocks from the burning building
Two lines Of hose were quickly laid
and the fremcn soon had streams OF
water playing on the burned struc-
tBrc
BY this time more than half OF the
building was ablsze. the FIRE roaring
ard cracking as Il ate through the
ory wood q the structure Chief
STOW sent G.cmcn with one stream
q water In between the burning
structure and the houses facing on
Twentieth street IN an EFFORT 90 pre-
vent the flames from spreading. The
second stream was played FIRST on
The front and south side q the struc-