The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-23
Two Are Injured Fighting Flames at Avenue A and
 Sixteenth Street
HIGH WIND HAMPERS
 EFFORTS OF FIREMEN
Delay in Turning in Alarm Caused by Telephone Wires Burning in Two. Damage Is Covered by
 Insurance


 The warehouse of G.. W. Hopson & Sons. wholesale grocery merchants, was totally destroyed by fire last night The damage is estimated by member of the firm at sso,0OO The brick walls were all that remained of the building. Two fire men, H. E. Hayes of Station No 6' and G. W. Crossett of No. 1, were painfully injured while fighting the fire
 Hayes was fighting from the eastern side of the building and was at the nozzle of No 6s line. The water had been shut off to change the position of the line, and when released only one man was hold ing to the hose The nozzle jerked loose from the fireman's hand when the water pressure was turned on, and hit him on the right leg below the knee several times before help came to him. Chief Bennett, after looking at the injury. ordered the injured fireman to his station Although only a cursory examination was made yesterday evening, it is believed that the bone was fractured just below the knee.
 Crossett III But Plucky
 Crossett. who was i'll when the alarm came in, had insisted on going despite the orders of his captain After holding up for half an hour, he sank to the floor In the midst of the burning build ing, unconscious Other firemen investi- gating the cause of the slackened hose, found him lying on his back beneath a sack of merchandise which was burning. He was carried out to No, 1 hose wagon, but revived when taken out into the air. He was stretched out on the hose for 45 minutes and finally recovered and insisted on going back to the fire.
 The fire was first discovered by Night Watchman J. s. Collins. He had gone around behind the building to inspect the stables and upon his return found the whole front blazing Battering down the office door, he tried to get connection with the fire department and after 20 minutes of vain attempt, discovered that the wires had burned in two. Another watchman in building further down the street, however, turned the alarm In at $40 o'clock and Stations g. and ' an swered the call.
 The wind. a perfect gale at that time. was blowing in southeasternly direc- ton, approximately 20 miles an hour, and by the time the firemen reached the scene the building appeared beyond hope. Chief Bennett answered the alarm several min utes later and says that when he got there the whole building was ablaze. He immediately turned in general alarm, stations l. and 6 responding.
 Hampered by Structure
 The firemen were greatly hampered by the structure of the building It was one-story house, with the doors set up four feet from the ground. These were made of thick, strong wood and heavily padlocked Many precious minutes were spent in cutting their way through these doors before a line could be gotten in- side Meanwhile Chief Bennett, with the men of station No. ' behind him, had raised ladders on the western end Of the building and placed the men along the top of the building on that side. In the manner the wholesale flour and feed house of w. M. Cosby, immediately adjoining the Hopson building, was saved from any damage.
 By II o'clock twelve hose lines were playing on the blaze from all sides and from the top. A little after Il o'clock the entire roof of the blazing building fell in, several firemen narrowly escaping being buried beneath the burning debris.
 Inside the place was. packed from the ground floor to the roof with wholesale merchandise. Paths had to be hewn through this, sometimes of solid packed sacks of meal or sugar, and in other places of boxes of canned goods.
 The fire vas under control about Il o'clock, and by midnight only the embers inside lit up the skies The firemen had fought for three hours Three engines were at work all of that time pumping water, and un extra coal wagon had to be put in use to rush the coal from No. station.
 G w. Hopson, the senior partner of the firm, WIS notified after almost an hour of telephoning. At the time he was in his home In Woodawn and rushed to the scene in an automobile. In speak ing to an Age-Herald reporter of the JOSS and possible origin of the blaze, he said: :: Tn all probability the flames first started from matches These were stored in great quantity near the center of the building and against the wall of the of- flee The blaze according to our watch man, seems to have begun in that direc- tion.
 50 far as it is possible this evening. I should place the loss at about So.oOo. That would cover our entire stock, and the building will probably run 1t up to over sS0Oo0. Of course there will be some
 
 little.
 Live Stock Saved
 ,'The damage is partially covered by in surance with the firms of A. D. Smith, JG Smith and Whatley and Whatley.
 The live stock. consisting of several mules and three horses. were taken out of the stable xhich adjoins the building at the back An automobile truck, partially loaded with flour. and standing near the house, was also saved. Other than this, the flames consumed everything.
 When asked if he would be able to fill the orders which he has at present. Mir. Hopson answered: We will not only fill the orders which we have on hand, but will immediately make preparations to handle any others which will come in. We have large shipments on the road and these will be placed as soon as they arrive in Birmingham.
 Immediately following the settlement by the insurance people. we will rebuild. Tn the meantime. we will be able to take care of entire business
 The firms of Wood X Crabbe, W. NJ.