The Washington herald., 1911-03-23
A SIMILAR FIRE.

$4,000.
A SIMILAR FIRE.
About year ago considerable damage
! was done to the home of prominent
citizen of that section. The result was
an investigation by Washington officials
and protests and demands for water
, mains on the part of the residents OF
that neighborhood were in evidence.
/ As result the Commissioners recon-
mended to Congress that an appropria-
tion be made to he used in laying water
mains through the suburbs. This appro-
nriation has been made by Congress.
| hut so far nothing has been done to-
ward perfeCting the water system in that
| vicinity.
When seen by reporter for The
Washington Herald last night. Chief
I Wagner said he is in favor of having
" ater mains laid in the suburbs as soon
as possible.
! Only recently l went TO see the Com
missioners on this subject" he said
and they outlined the plan which they
expected to put under way soon to give
the suburbs an adequate water supply.
There is already a water main to Twin
| ing City. and from what | understand.
| a Girect connection will be made with
that main and carried through several of
| the other suburbs.
The entire suburban section of Wash
J inCton," he continued. lis at the mercy
| of fire as the situation now stands. While
| the chemical engines stationed in the out
| lying districts are most serviceable. they
| cannot combat such flames as those en-
countered this morning. We did every
thing that could be done to save the
! buildings. but it is impossible to check
tre of such proportions without good
water service
According to statements. the suburbs
are well equipped with fire alarms. II
| the blaze is confined TO one room. there
! is little doubt that il could be extin-
! guished by a chemical company. But in
| instances were the flame is famed by
| strong wind, ii is nearly impossible
! for an apparatus OF that character 10
| check the FIRE.
| 1t is thought the havoc wrought by the
! Kenilworth fire will act as a warning
! and bring about an early remedying OF
the situation.
Rushed from House.
| Half an hour after the Gordon family
had rushed from their home to the
|
! Harry Gordon, eleven years old, turned
in the alarm.
The fact that there are no hydrants
| in the vicinity handicapped the fire.
| fighters. but large pool of water on
the property of W. B. Shaw. several
| hundred yards from the scene. was used
| by the firemen. To conduct this water
| to the flames required more than 300
| feet of hose, and a relay of three engines
| Only two small streams were available.
| According to Gordon, he was awakened
about o'clock by the continuous cough
| ing of his children. He went into the
| hall, and discovered smoke issuing from
the lower floor. Arousing his family he
rushed down stairs to the store. and
| found the rear of the building in flames.
Little Harry was hurriedly dispatched
| to the fire alarm box a block away,
while Gordon did what he could to stop
| the spreading of the flames. AS the
| lad ran to the fire box he shouted, Fire"
| and managed to awaken the neighbors
The wind famed the flames from the
store TO a vacant house owned by NAL
lery & Taplin and to the residence
of DR.. z. NJ. Brady, whose family
| although they got out OF the house in
time. were unable to save any of their
| belongings. with the exception Of three
| trunks Thomas Alsop was the owner
of the house.
1t did not take the flames long to
spread to the residence OF H P. Soper.
owned by A. R. Lindsey, but fortunately
most of his possessions were saved and
his loss is estimated at 500. Despite the
effort of the firemen, the flames leaped
to the two adjoining houses, both OF
which are owned by Mr.. Lindsey. also.
and property to the amount of 1900 was
| destroyed.
The last of the seven houses to be
reached by the flames was that of George
W. Baker. His family had no difficulty
in getting out, and their loss is placed at
500.
To House and Stable.
The flames spread to the house of L.
d. Hayes and the stable in its rear. both
OF which were damaged $3.50 The Pres
byterian church was slightly damaged.
Chief Wagner, who reached the scene
| twelve minutes after the Second alarm.
| personally conducted the fight As an
example of the ferceness Of the fire, the
kenilworth clubhouse, more than hall
mile away, caught fire from sparks and
hot Goals, as we'll as the residences of Po.
liceman Philip Browne and w. B. Shaw,
who furnished the water to the fire COM
panles from the lily pond in the rear OF
his home. Mr.. Shaw's residence was Sc
riously damaged. the Goals falling upon
the roof. while the damage TO the others
waa slighf.