The Washington herald., 1910-10-13

Fire OF mysterious origin. originating in
the general merchandise store OF i. Edla-
witch & Co. wiped out the business sec
ton OF Bowie, Nd. early last night, en-
failing a loss estimated at $4,000. The
following buildings were destroyed:
Edlayitehs general store. Loss. $1,000.
imperial Hotel. owned by II. r. Gunther. Loas.
NO0O.
Smiths Hotel owned by George T. Smith. Los.
SWo
Two dwellings ard store of r. H. sansbury. Los.
5000
store and dwelling 4 John MulligAn. Loss. $500.
Unoecupied store. owned by r. o, Belt. Loss
q.OO
sigoh tower Of Pennsylvania Railroad. Loss
NoO
Only the heroic efforts Of train
crews and station hands, summoned by
the wreck whistles" sounded by locomo-
tives. saved the railroad station and other
railroad properties from destruction The
fire. which was discovered about clock.
spread with such rapidity that In an hour
the business section Of the town was
nothing but mass OF smoldering embers.
Neither City Responds.
Aid was summoned from Baltimore and
Washington. but neither city sent fire.
fighting apparatus. After tho ire had
burned itself out. the ire-nghtlng engine
of the Pennsylvania Railroad arrived
from Washington. but its services were
not needed.
Signal operators in the tower Of the
railroad company discovered the fire in
the Edlavitch store. Smoke was issuing
from the windows and In a few minutes
the building was a mass Of flames. The
alarm was sounded by the wreck CALI
from three locomotives. and IN e few
minutes a bucket brigade was formed by
citizens. while railroad employees coupled
hose TO the water tank near the tracks.
Famed by a twenty-miIe breeze, the
flames swept 20 adjoining buildings, and
efforts of the volunteer fremen were
fruitless. The Imperial Hotel. which is
near the Edlavitch store, was soon afire,
but all the guests had been gotten out
safely. Some furniture was saved by
the FIRE fighters.
Smiths Hotel. the Sansbury dwellings
and stores, and the Mulligan property lay
in the path of the flames. All the build
Ings We're Of frame construction. and one
after another fell to ruin. The railroad
tower caught fire from Smiths Hotel and
the operators had barely time 10 get
out In safety before the structure fell.
Railroad Station Saved.
When the fire was at its height. John
Brunar and Nelson Harvey, railroad en-
ployes, coupled a hose 10 the supply
tank and saved the station. Brunar's
coat was burned off his body and his
face and hands were bllstered. but he
stuck TO his post until the danger had
passed.
The continued shrieks OF the wreck |
call" which was sounded for half an
hour. brought the townspeople Of Bowie (
and the surrounding country to the scene |
The flames Illuminated the heavens, and I
the reflection couldC be seen for miles I
around. Added 10 the country folk were /
passengers from half a dozen trains on
the Pennsylvania line. which were held !
up lot three nOurS by the fire.
There was no one in the Edlavitch store /
when the fire started. The building had /
been closed for the Hebrew holiday. and 1
The proprietors are at a loss to explain 4
the origin Of the fire. Persons who were /
n the Vicinity say an explosion occurred /
before the alarm was sounded, but rail- 1
-oad signal operators. who discovered the /
ire. deny this.
Signals Sent by Hand.
When the signal tower was destroyed, |
abroad officials who were summoned 10
Bowie made immediate arrangements for
conveying Of signals by hand. Arrange
nents will be made to-day 10 have a tenn
'orary signal tower placed in working
rider.
H. T. Waters, superintendent Of the
Baltimore division Of the Pennsylvania
Railroad. arrived soon after the wreck
ais had been sounded. and with Train
master G. c. Gilmore. took charge of the
lre-fghting and saving OF property.
FAMOUS BELL STOLEN.