Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-11
down FIRE ESCAPES.
Driven by Flames From Burn
ing Apartment House.
ALL GET OUT UNINJURED
Woman, Overcome by Smoke, Res
cued by a Fireman.
ABOUT 5000 DAMAGE CAUSED
Blaze Originated at the Bottom of
Dumb Waiter Shaft-Origin
Not Known.

Fire broke out in the Frederick apart
ment house, at the southeast corner OF
9th and X streets northwest last night,
and the occupants of the building were
forced to come down on the fire escapes.
No one was injured.
About $1,000 damage to the building
and contents resulted. The blaze reached
only the apartment of the janitor, J. +.
Holidge, on the fifth floor. He did not
save much as a hairpin. His wife
managed to get clothing enough, but she
did not have time to get any Of her other
effects together before going down the
fire escape.
Fireman Koch of No. . engine company
carried woman from an upper floor OF
the building. She had been overcome by
smoke. AL other occupants Of the build
ing made their way down the fire escapes
unassisted. Several women on the fire
escapes, the firemen thought. were about
to Jump and Chief Wagner ordered them
not to do so.
When the blaze had been extinguished
most Of the tenants returned to their
apartments. On the ground floor the
stores of the Mount Vernon Fruit Com
pany, Grier & Grier, druggists and the
Russell Cigar Company were damaged,
but not to any great extent. The dam
age was caused chiefly by water.
Policeman Holmes Discovers Fire.
precinct discovered the fire. It had
burned through the shaft Of a dumb
waiter, the blaze having started at the
bottom of the shaft from an unknown
cause. He hurried into the building and
T71I
ened the occupants of the building. The
halls were so filled with smoke that It
was almost impossible for any of them to
leave the building except by means of the
fire escapes.
A telephone message called No. en-
CINE company from its quarters on 18th
street. Chief Wagner, who was In the
engine house, reached for the telephone
and learned that the fire was in an
apartment house. He dressed and started
to the lower floor, and before he reached
the ground floor an alarm was sounded
from box 132, Capt. Darlington Of No. 2
engine company having sent Private An
derson to the box for that purpose.
1.-The blaze was shooting fifty feet above
the building when 1 turned into New York
avenue at 18th street, said Chief Wag-
ner, land l lost no time reaching the
building
Second Alarm Sounded.
"A ScCOAu 0ldIln WdS SOuuuCu WISLooe
delay, additional fire companies respond
ing. Chief Wagner, Battalion Chief Sui
Ivan and Capt. Darlington urged the fire.
men to save the occupants OF the building
rather than run the risk Of sacrificing hui
man life at the expense Of the structure.
There's an old woman On the top
floor" shouted some person on the pave
ment.
Chief Wagner got his men busy on the
fifth floor. but he soon learned that the
only occupants OF the floor. the 5anitor
and his wife, were safe on the sidewalk
The janitor's dog and bird had been
burned to death, but a dog on the third
floor survived the fire. Ladders were put
UP to many windows of the building.
Left Sick Bed to Make His Escape.
Among the first Of the occupants to
reach the street on the 9th street side
Of the structure were l.. H. McMillen, his
wife and Mrs. Davis, mother Of Mrs. Nc
Millen. Mr.. McMillen was i'll in bed and
his wife had been out to get medicine for
him about IL o'clock. She detected the
odor of smoke and made an investigation,
but failed to find the fire.
When Mrs. McMilen saw that all the
occupants of the building were safely on
the sidewalk. She appealed to Chief Wag-
ner to get her jewelry. That was an easy
returned from the building with about
500 worth of her property. Others who
were on the third floor were Mrs Kate
Harbaugh. Miss Louise Harbaugh and
Miss Isabelle Rodgers. They descended
the fire escape without difficulty.
Hasty Flight Urged.
On the fourth floor were James S.
Roxburg and wife, Miss K. NJ. Rhodes,
j. W. Walker and wife. Mrs. a. G.
Chapman and family, n. o. Brigham,
F. b. Lask and J. n. Bobbitt. Miss
Rhodes was one Of the first persons on
the third floor to be aroused by the
ringing of the gong. Realizing what was
the matter, she opened the door leading
to her apartment and called for others
to make a hasty exit.
When the occupants Of the building
rea ched the pavement they feared the
building would be destroyed, and thought
they would have to find homes elsewhere.
Some of them were clad in little more
than their sleeping garments.
Fire Marshal Nicholson was among the
members of the department to respond to
the second alarm. He made a thorough
mine the origin Of the fire. He had made
an inspection Of the building yesterday
morning and found everything in salts
factory condition.
The building is owned by Stone & Fair
fax. real estate dealers. Mr.. Fairfax
reached the building while the f1remen
were at work and remained there until
after o'clock this morning. He compli-
mented Chief Wagner and his force on
their good work in saving the building.
The building is fully insured. The dam
age will be repaired as soon as possible.