Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-14


up several stories in the elevator shaft
In almost the twinkling of an eye
When Proctor saw the fire in the roo
above him he knew there would be al
ugly fight. Capt Darlington sent In q
second alarm, which brought all the
downtown fire fighters to the blaze. and
with them came Chief Wagner in his rec
car. He had an exciting escape from
death in his mile-a-minute chase down
Pennsylvania avenue Speeding down thu
street with horn and bell sending al
traffic to the sidewalk, the machine
struck line of hose stretched acroS:
the Avenue in front of the burning build
ing.
Car Started to Skid.
The big car jumped into the air and
came down sideways and started to skid
With the presence of mind gained as
driver of a trio of fast fire horses, Driver
Monkey at the wheel of the chiefs car.
swung il around quickly and just escaped
crashing into the water tower by mat
ter of quarter inches.
Chief Wagner, not the slightest ruff1ed
by his plunge over the lines OF hose,
took one look at the fire, saw 1t in the
cellar and on the roof, and turned in a
third alarm. That was at nine minutes
past j. Fourteen minutes later the whole
interior of the tobacco companys build
ing was ablaZe. and a fourth alarm
called out practically every fireman and
every bit of apparatus, with the eXcep-
ton of a solitary engine here and there
in the extreme points of the District.
Hundreds of teams were on their way
TO the Center market just as the score
of fire engines were distributing them
selves at the fire plugs. The streets,
ordinarily bare of traffic at so early an
hour. were full of cOuntrym and their
horses and wagons.
hurry call for police help was sent
in to headquarters, as it looked for a
minute as If the marketmen were going
to spoil all chances of ever getting at the
from bed early and went down to take
personal charge. All the captains. in
spectors. sergeants and patrOlmen who
could be spared were hustled to the scene
Fire Lines Established.
that fire lines had TO be established al
9Th street on the west and AZ street or
the east and a vigorous policy of steer.
ing traffic out of the way of engines and
fire hose was quickly established and en-
forced without kid gloves.
1t seemed as il Pennsylvania avenue
was black with hose. Engines spread all
over the neighborhood were pumping wa
ter with every ounce OF steam Some OF
them had to pump 1t nearly a quarter
mile before it was available for the fire.
Engines, hook and ladder companies, hose
carts and fuel carts lined the streets
north, south, east and west for blocks
away.
The shouts of company commanders.
mingled with the hoarse orders from the
captains of trucks. as they directed their
men up the bending. swaying ladders
which leaned against windows and were
scorched by the tapping flames, which
came through every opening. daring the
smoke-eaters to take another step up
ward. Inside the noise was that of roar
hair, r la<te n
teeth of great fire. while the shril
whistle signals of the painting engines
called for fuel as fast ii could be
brought to them
fought from the inside. hut the fire leap
ing from cellar to roof in almost no time
at all had filled the building with a thick
smoke in which no man could live. Tx
fight ID from the outside, the front of the
building became alive with men crawling
UP the ladders, each one trying to get a
point OF vantage from which he could
direct a stream of water into window
1t was because they could not enter the
building but had to find a place on the
outside that Capt Brown and the mer
with him were buried beneath that great
weight or masonry.
Early on the Scene.
Capt Browns No. 4 engine compan,
was one OF those which ran on the frs
time The position for this company wa
ct tho ire plug on street. immediatel,
south Of the burning building and nea'
Jack Ryan's saloon. The saloon building
IN lower than the rear wall OF the Tobacco.
conpany's warehouse. and made an idea
place for fremen attacking that side o
The bla1e
Ftemen from other companies had beef
of ha
Company, 6l6 Pennsylvania avenue. ant
all hands were following the chiefs gen
eral plan to surround the blaze, drown
Ing II out. II possible, but to confine 1t u
the four wallis by all means leans The s, 81!
as all hope of the building and its con
tents was soon gone. Through the smoke
Chief Wagner and the battalion chile
men to mount the roofs near at hand and
to pour all the water In tho city. II posi-
BILE. into the windows Of the warehouse.
The nine men who had clambered e
near to the heart of the IRE az any ono
They had found vital spot In the flame
and were pounding II hard. Water from
six lines Of hose handled by these mer
1000 gallons in minute. They seemed
to have a temporary advantage, and had
bested their opponent for a minute, wheE
the explosion came.
Like all SuCh eXpiOSlOHS, II seemed Il
come from above and below and directl,
in front of those fighting the fire. NJ
one knew what had exploded. whether 4
was illuminating gas, or whether 1t wa,
one of those mysterious back drafts
or balls Of explosive gas. generated b,
the fire itself, and hurled with terrih,
force at the men who strive to beat tn,
flames 1t came with dull, deep boon
from the heart of the fire. 1t probabi,
came from the lower part OF the building
for the roof of the saloon seemed to fal
inward as the wall of the closely adjoin
ing tobacco building fell out on tn
ground floor and then, as easily as
glass of water being spilled. the shee
val of brick from the stories above tn
saloon roof fell down with a roar.
In Danger of Burning.
Not only the bricks fell. but great burn
ing beams. loosened by the explosion
were toppIed over on the men below. an
the danger of their being burned aliv
sartied those who saw the thing a
much as the burying of the men itsel,
Ffremen. trained to stand still IL, tie fac
l;<T; hnFfO