Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-06
Eighteen Companies Fight
Flames in Pattern Shop.
LOSS FIGURED AT $4,000
Marines, With Two Lines of Hose,
Render Valuable Assistance.
WEIRD SIGHT IN SNOWSTORM
Three Alarms Sent In-Supposed to
Have Been Caused by
Electric Wires.

Fire in the pattern shop OF the navy
yard early this morning caused loss
estimated at $4,000 and gave the MEM
bers of eighteen companies of the fire
department that responded to three
alarms hard fight.
A few minutes after $50 o'clock the
sentry on duty at the wireless station
and another at the lower end of the yard
both noticed flames in the 26o-foot build
ing Before they could summon the fire
company in the yard. however. the flames
had spread from one end to the other of
the building. windows had been shattered
and volumes of black smoke were melt
ing the snow on three sides of the struc-
ture.
Two lines of hose operated by the ma
rines under Capt Berkeley of the yard $
fire company. were soon at work ana
probably prevented a much more serious
confiagration than otherwise would nave
occurred. An alarm sent in from box o2s.
the private alarm in the navy yard, nou-
lied the city department.
Second Alarm Turned IN.
Engine companies Is, s, 10 and 4. truck
companies and 10. the F'irefighter and
N--~
rules of the department requiring an un-
usually large number of companies to re-
spond to the navy yard box. Members
of No. 1s engine company saw the hshl
from the burning building the moment they
left their quarters. Chief Proctor reacneu
the scene of the fire soon afterWaro lie
saw the dangerous condition which con-
fronted the department ana promptly
sent in second alarm
Chief Wagner responded to the second
alarm his big touring car getting nun 10
the yard in remarkably short time Four
additional engine companies and TWO
trucks also responded. Chief Wagner
feared they would be unable to protect
the valuable government property. no"
ever, and q third alarm was SOUNDED
three more engine companies. one truch
and the water tower responding.
Marines Do Good Work.
Eighteen companies of the fire depart
ment were then on the ground and the
firemen were scattered in all directions
1t was necessary for the navy yard lfe
company 10 step aside and remove It's
lines of hose from the plugs i'm order
that til. city department might have the
benefit of the additional water service
The marines had performed good service,
il is stated and some of them beheNed
Iney could have extinguished the fiames
without assistance.
Two streams from the FirehSnter were
used with telling effect, and the sight OF
the fircmen working on the river front III
the driving snow was remarkable one.
When / reached the building said
Chief Proctor, ''and saw that the blaze
extended from one end to the Othef, set
the men at work to keep the flames from
the east wing of the structure. They neld
the blaze in check until the other com
panies arrived and prevented II from
reaching that part of the building.
Thrown Out of WORK.
While firemen still were at work on the
building many of the men employed there
appeared Some had been advised of the
ire. while others knew nothing OF 1t until
they reached the yard. More than 2oo
men are employed in the building, but all
Of them were not thrown out of employ
ment by the fire.
The machinery in the building was ON
the ground floor: where ammunition
boxes desks, rammers and ships httlnSS
were made, while on the upper floor was
the pattern shop. Saturday afternoon at
4:3O o'clock the building was closed, two
electric lights having been left burning
There were no fires in the building. 1t Is
supposed that the electric wires caused
the fire.
capt Frank E. Beatty, commandant of
the yard and Commander II. r. Jones,
captain OF the Saru, were HittIeStcu spe.-
tators at the Tire. They feared that the
entire building and its contents would be
destroyed, but when the firemen had fin
ished their work they were pleased to
find that the damage in the pattern shop
had not been as serious as they had an
ticipated.
Hot Coffee for Firemen.
Very few OF the patterns had been
ruined and the records had not been
destroyed Neither officer would suggest
the probable cause of the fire or the
amount of damage done. but others
thought $4,000 would cover the damage
TO the building and machinery. Many of
the mechanics lost personal property.
Some owned the expensive tools they
used and others lost articles of clothing.
During the early hours of the morning
the frenen were served hot coffee Later
the officials of the navy yard had break
fast prepared for those who had to re-
main after most of the companies had re-
turned TO their quarters. Firemen, under
the direction of Chief Proctor, succeeded
in getting most of the water from the
building before they left.