The Washington times., 1911-03-17
GRANDSTAND AND
BLEACHERS BURN
Discovered Shortly Before
Noon Sweeping Dry
Tiers of Seats.
Continued from First Page.)

pany, that that he could only estimate
the extent of the firms loss. The
building, which was destroyed, he said.
was filled with hardwood that had
been milled and was ready for shipment.
The company carried between $4,000 and
$4,000 insurance.
About four years ago the yard was
destroyed with a loss of 100000, and
a year later second fire did about
$50, 900 damage. Both fires were sup
posed to have been of incendlary origin
They started during the night, the last
one damaging the clubhouse and grand
stand of the ball park, which adjoins
the lumber yard on the north.
Chief Saw Flames From Train.
Fire Chief Wagner, who had been in
New York witnessing a demonstration
of a new automobile fire engine, was
on his way TO Washington when the fire
started. Seeing the smoke and flames
as the train passed through the Ecking-
ton yards, he got in an automobile at
Union station and was driven to the
scene, arriving in time to take charge
jEst after Deputy Chief Sullivan an
nounced that the flames were under
control
How the blaze originated is a mystery.
There are electric wires in the grand
stand and under the bleachers where it
started, but no current has been turned
on since fall, the wires all being
dead" No one was known to be in
the park except the three men who
were standing at the gate.
Superintendent ODea endeavored to
put out the fire with his hands when
1t first started, and was burned about
the left wrist. He refused hospital
treatment
The fire attracted a large number of
persons who climbed to the top of piles
of lumber, roofs and nearby buildings,
nearly every police precinct were called
out to handle the crowds.
Traffic Interrupted.
Traffic on the Seventh, L, and Ninth
street lines was blocked for nearly half
an hour. The hose was finally put
above the track on bridges, and as
soon as traffic was resumed, there
were several minor accidents. One
Of the hose bridges had been set too
near the tracks, causing a car to run
against it and knock it down.
The bridge fell on a delivery wagon
OF the Excelsior market, Seventh and
X streets, the negro driver narrowly
escaping injury. Two women were
knocked down by the fender of a
car. but said they were not hurt and
refused to go to a hospital
A pile Of lumber on which several
boys were standing watching the fire
fell throwing them into mud puddle.
The boys said they were not hurt and
scrambled TO the top of another pile.
The roof of the old Maryland House
caught fire two or three times from fly
ing embers. Several men had been sta
toned on the roof with buckets of
water, and put the flames out before
they gained any headway. The stables
in the rear of the hotel were destroyed
several years ago and 100 horses burned
10 death.
The crowds that focked in the ball
grounds made it difficult for the firemen
TO work until the arrival of the police
reserves, who kept the crowd back until
the fire was under control.
Many persons who insisted on getting
too near the burning stands We're
wrenched with water when the firemen |
would move a hose.
Seats Burn Furiously.
The grandstand and bleachers burned |
like tender, and the area soon covered |
by the flames made IT almost impossible |
for the firemen to tell just where the .
most effective work could be done
About ten pipe lines were laid In the
lumber yard to check the progress of
the flames, and while every effort was
made to save the south bleachers, it
was seen that it would be useless to try
and eXtinguish the blaze in the grand |
stand, which was burned from end to
END.
In little more than half an hour
what had been the large stand and
were a mass of smouldering
ruins.