Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-28
BLAZE IN A GARAGE
Two Mail Trucks and Three
Automobiles Destroyed.
ESTIMATED LOSS, $4,000
Store and Contents Destroyed at Vii.
lage Of Lincolnville, Causing
Loss Of $500.

Two mail trucks. two touring cars and
another automobile were destroyed by
fire last night in a garage in the rear of
the salesroom Of David s. Hendrick. in
the building Of the Builders and Manu-
facturers' Exchange, 1917 H street
northwest.
that Macomb Payne, colored, who was
employed in the garage. smashed big
plate glass window with a cleaver and
rescued William Croker, chauffeur, who
had been forced to seek safety In the
front Office Payne was heartily cheered
by the bystanders.
Croker was almost overcome by
smoke, and was SO weak that his at
tempt to break the window proved futile.
Payne saw him In the office and quickly
rescued him. Payne lost all his clothing
while engaged in the rescue work.
Dinner Interrupted.
About 200 delegates to the National As
ISOLATION of Builders Exchanges were on
the second floor Of the building enjoying
buffet supper when the IRE started.
They quickly abandoned the hall, seek
ing safety in the street.
1t was about 1915 o'clock when the fire
started. Chauffeur Croker turned in his
mail truck and ''bacxfire' explosion in
the motor started blaze. So quickly did
the flames spread that Croker was
obliged to nee to the Office In front of the
building. Two cars were pushed from the
garage to the front office and the door
between the two places closed The two
cars were only slightly damaged by the
heat and water.
Three men were working In the garage
when the fire started, and they assisted In
saving the two automobiles. There was
so much oil on the floor that the blaze
was almost Immediately communicated
from one end of the big garage to the
other. forcing the several employees to
leave the building, leaving number OF
the vehicles behind.
The blaze reached the metal ceiling, but
did not burn through to the upper floor
Most of the metal was burned from the
joists or had to be torn down.
Firemen directed streams Of water from
the front and rear of the building, soon
getting the blaze under control and saw.
ing the upper portion of the building from
damage They also prevented the blaze
from reaching the adjoining premises
which are occupied by the LoZ1er Auto
mobile Sales Company.
When the blaze was extinguished the
firemen dragged the frames of the de.
molished automobiles to the alley. The
fire marshal estimated the damage to the
building at $1,000 and to the stock Sc, 800
The loss is covered by insurance.
Store Building and Shed Burn.
The general merchandise store and ad-
joining shed of Alden Bates, Washington
avenue and 5Oth street, Lincolnville, d
c., were destroyed by fire last night about
1920 o'clock Bates closed his store abou,
10 o'clock and visited neighbors. When
he returned he discovered he was home.
less and that his stock had been de.
stroyed.
No l chemical company responded to ar
alarm received by telephone, and found
the one-story frame structure almost con
sumed All the firemen were able to d.
was to prevent the flames from spreading
to adjoining property.
Bates estimated the loss in stock a.
about 800 while the loss of the building
which was owned by Louis Alexander o.
212 G street northeast, amounted Il
about $5OO-both partly covered by In
Surance.
Small Fires Elsewhere.
Smoke from pile Of burning rubbish
in the basement at the house OF Alex.
ander Hall. 1916 25th street northwest
yesterday afternoon caused q fire scare
The blaze was extinguished by occupant.
| Of the house before the arrival Of fire.
men. No damage resulted.
A, alarm Yesterday aftornOon a,ayYo,