The Washington times., 1911-03-29
CHIEF STIRRED BY
FLAMES EPIDEMIC
Wagner and Assistant InveS-
tigating Yesterdays
BlaZeS.
THREE WERE STARTED
BY AN INCENDIARY
Narrow Escapes in Lively Fire
in F Street Last
Night.

Fire Chief Wagner and Marshal Mich
olson this morning began an investiga-
ton of six fires which gave the de-
partment the busiest five hours yes
terday they have had in many a day.
Three of the fires are known to have
been Of incendiary origin,
The only blaze which gave the depart
ment much trouble started in the base
ment Of the building at 1929 F street
northwest, and did damage estimated
today at 81, 500. Insurance covers the
loss.
The fire was discovered shortly be-
fore o'clock last night by David E.
Edmonston, who has a photograph
apartment studio on the second floor
and occupies the third floor as a living
apartment with his family.
Edmonstons attention was attracted by
smoke in the hallway. He Immediately
notified the janitor and an alarm was
sent in. Before the arrival of the fire.
men the flames had burst through the
floor of the haberdashery establishment
Of A. Minister. known as The Vogue. on
the first floor. Minister'S stock was
practically all ruined, his loss being
about $4,000. The damage to the build
ing is 5000.
Warehouse Burns.
Hardly had the engines left the scene
of the F street blaze when an alarm
came in for a fire in big junk ware
louise Of George w. Robinson, in the
alley between Second and Third, H ard
L streets southwest. Spontaneous COM
bustion is believe to have started the
fire, which did 5000 damage
Alarms for two other small fires came
in a shOrL time afterward, and Just after
10 o'clock the incendiary who has kept
the residents of the northeast and
southeast sections OF the city in a state
of excitement for the last few weeks
began to get in his work.
A shed in the rear Of q B street
northwest, owned by Mrs. Josephine w
Hester, was discovered on fire. The
blaze was extinguished without much
difficulty, and when an investigation
was made it was found that some paper
had been stuffed in one corner to start
the fire. The damage was SO
Shortly after Il o'clock two sheds in
the rear Of 325 street northeast
were set on fire. The fremen arrived in
time to put out the blazeS before they
gained much headway Battalion Chief
Proctor learned that a white man was
seen running away just after the alarm
was sent in, but the description OBJ
tained by the police IS so meager that
they have little hope of apprehending
him.
Chinese Suffers.
The other two fires, earlier in the
evening, were in sheds in the rear of 23
Pennsylvania avenue northwest and 325
Missouri avenue northwest. The former
was used as a storehouse by Wah Yick
& Co, proprietors of a Chinese restau-
rant. Sixteen ganders and four ducks
were roasted alive. the damage amount
ing to $50 The Missouri avenue blaze
did s. damage.
Mr. Edmonston and his wife were in
the studio on the second floor when the
F street fire was discovered. On the
third floor were Mrs. Bdmonston 5
mother and the photographers two little
children. The smoke filled the hallway
so rapidly that Mr.. Edmonston barely
had time to reach the third floor and
assist his mother-in-law and the two
children to the second floor before
escape by the stairway had been cut
of. They left the building by another
entrance to the studio at 1881 F street
The damage to Edmonstons studio
and living apartment by smoke and
water is estimated at $1,000, while a
quantity Of negatives stored in the base
ment were ruined. Water and smoke
also damaged the dental offices of DR.
NJ. P. Eslin, $1,000.
''The fire is almost identical with the
one which occurred in the same build.
ing a few years ago." said Fire Marsha
Nicholson this morning. Both origin
ated in the same place in the basement
and worked their way up the partitions
to the first floor in the same manner"