The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-08
Total Damage in North Highlands Fire Placed
 at Over $10,000
BELIEVED TO HAVE
 BEEN INCENDIARY
Fire Started About II O'Clock in Vacant House-Lack of Water Hindered Work of the
 Fire Department

Last evening between u o'clock and nidnight there was over s1GoOo damage done by a most disastrous fire at the corner of Nineteenth street and Sixteenth avenue, north, when the home of A. J. Miligan was completely de- stroyed with all of it's contents; R. Pate's residence suffered damage of about S5O0 and two other houses, vacant, were burned to the ground
 It is believed that it was of incendiary origin.
 MT Milligan was the first who noticed the blaze He says that he was awak- ened about Il o'clock by the bright light near his window. and springlng from bed saw that the adjoining house was ill flames. Fire station No. 5 orly three blocks away, was notified. Chief Bennett Found it necessary to order three more ffations to the scene a half an honr later
 When No. arrived the blaze had ex- tended from the house in which 1t started 70 Milligan's residence on one side ard another vacant house on the other SUIT breeze was blowing and despite the efforts of the firemen the fire passed be- Sond their control There was only one Hre plug available, and 1t was one block away. It was this which hndered tne men more than anything, as the supply of water was somewhat limited
 The fire broke out in a vacant house next door to Milligan's and from the extent of the blaze when MT Milligan was awakened it must have started about n o'clock The wind was blow Ing toward the city and during the short time that 1t took to notify the uepartment two other houses caught.
 The vacant house was not quite fin- ished. and there were shavings and bits of wood in it. The house on the corner. which caught next. was also vacant only recently bought by T. NJ. Bradley from the original owner who had built 1t, R. Pate
 Following the arrival of the other Three stations the extinguishing of the Flames was only the matter of a short time.
 Although Chief Bennett laid the blame, in part, on the firemen of sta tion No. for the communication of she blaze to the other houses, yet the Bremen as a whole fought the flames we'll
 It was one hour and half after the turning in of the alarm before the lire was well under control. Tho two Former houses went up in smoke in a Few minutes, owing to their fresh ness and the neWness of the material |. Their foundations were fully 12 feet sSoSn from the sidewalk and when the roofs caved in the entire structure rrumpled into this hole. sending q shower of sparks skyward.
 Another house, 1897 Sixteenth avenue owned and occupied by R. Pate, was also peverely damaged. but on the arrival of rbief Bennett, this was handled with sare and that part of the blaze extin- Euished with only loss of $5O0.
 It was stated last night that the mid nle house, In which the fire started, was owned by J. F. Baldwin and was a part of tranSaction with the I. E. Hood Lumber company. Although this house was not quite finished it is estimated ihat the loss was about $3GOO. and that the approximate value of Mir. Bradleys house was the same s3O0o The loss suffered by MT. Miligan will. according to lhe owner amount to about $2500. The home of C. C. Douglas was also slightly lamased although this will not amount to over SEQ
 The origin of the fire. according to in- restigations made last night, was incen- 1iary Chief Bennett said that he could ], Think of no way in which the blaze could have started unless It had been lighted by some one.