Evening star., 1913-05-19

Fire department at work ON burnil
ing, heard muff1ed sound as IL there had
been an explosion nearby and soon he
detected the odor of smoke He quickly
sounded an alarm from box 196. calling
seven companies of the fire department to
the scene The sounding of the alarm
from the private box should have sound
ed bells throughout the building and
warned Miss Dickman of the danger, but
the bells it is stated failed to ring
and Miss Dickman knew nothing of the
fire until the smoke poured into her room.
Had 1t not been for mistake in turn
ing off the gas supply. firemen say. the
fire would not have amounted to much
Firemen were certain the three-inch sup
ply pipe had been closed, however. and
they were unable to account for the gas
in the building. until second employe OF
the gas company came and succeeded IN
closing the valve and shutting of the
flow OF gas
No Stopcock Outside Building.
Until it became known that the flow OF
gas had not been cut off firemen though,
the troublesome gas in the building had
come from the chemical laboratory OF the
geological survey. Water thrown into the
cellar extinguished the blaze at the end OF
the melted gas pipe and permitted the
gas to flow from the opening. endanger-
ing the lives of those engaged in the
work of fighting the fire, and one after
another the firemen succumbed.
There was a time when the gas COM
pany had stopcocks on the pavements OF
parkings in front of buildings said a
member of the fire department this morn.
ing, but the custom has been changed
and the stops are placed inside bmlolngs
Had there been a stopcOck In front OF the
Hooe building most of the trouble would
have been avoided and there would nave
been no patients for the hospital"
More than a dozen firemen managed to
get out of the building and recover from
the effects Of the gas, while their less Tor
hospital, some of them returning and re-
newing their efforts to save the build
ing The flooring of the apartment occu-
pied by the American Express Company
the only part of the building not fire.
proof. soon burned through and dropped
the company's effects to the cellar.
Firemen succeeded in confning the
blaze to the cellar and office and receiv-
ing room Of the express company. IL was
$40 o'clock when the alarm was sounded
a second alarm being sent in nine min-
utes later. So stubborn was the fire and
the department had been deprived of the
services of so many firemen at O'Clock
Chief Wagner called two additional en-
gine companies. making total or Tour
teen companies at the fire.
Police Reserves on Scene.
were on hand to keep the crowd of sew.
eral thousand spectators from impeding
the work Of the firemen. and several am
| balances were present with physicians
ready for emergency work, two surgeons
OF the fire department also being In at
| tendance.
| It was not until long after dark tina
| the last OF the companies lef
| the vicinity Of the fire. and shortly
| after IL o'clock No. engine company
received a call from the building be
cause of a slight blaze in the debris, {
| second similar call being received tive
hours later. No trouble was experienced
| by the flremen in their efforts to pre-
| vent other serious fires.
| At the Office of the Washington Ga:
Light Company this morning it wa:
| stated that one man sent down tn,
manhole to cut off the flow of gas li,
not succeed. The second man who
made the attempt. it was stated. wa:
| delayed more than thirty minutes b,
| the captain of one of the engine com
panies delaying the opening of th'
| manhole.
| 1t was thought by employees OF th'
gas company that fumes from th
chemicals in the laboratory of thu
geological survey had affected th
says that not bottle of chemicals wa
i broken.
Officials OF the gas company explaine,
| that more than ten years ago the com
pany abandoned the practice of putin
| stopboxeS In front of buildings. especially
the smaller structures. the company hav
/ ing had many troublesome suits growin
| out Of persons stumbling over them.
/ Wheel valves are placed outside mos
large buildings. Secretary Orme stated
| especially apartment houses. Gas meter
| and stops it was explained, are nov
located by regulation. For number O
l years the gas company had trouble locat
/ ing them. and finally a regulation was en-
acted dealing with the question. the Ia,
requiring that meters shall not be In
i stalled near furnaces or electric ligh
/ meters.
Better Protection Urged.
/ 1t was said at the office Of the gas com
pany that the question Of better fire pro
| lection In the geological survey had bee
| taken up with officials by representative
Of the company. The officials. it wa
stated, had been urged TO provide bette
ventilation for the cellar and to see tina
proper means Of escape for employees wer
provided.
Fire Marshal Nicholson today made q
i careful inspection of the premises ane
estimated the damage done. Durini
the inspection he learned that the fir,
had been started by electric wires hav
ing become short-circuited
Damage to the property of the Amer
lean Express Company Is estimated a
about $4,000, while the damage to tn,
stock Of Becker's store. 1926 F street
is not more than 5000. This establish
ment formerly was in the part OF tn,
building occupied by the express com
pany. Albert Leavey. proprietor Of tn
Japanese bazaar at 1892 + street, say
his loss may reach $4,000. Edmonston'
shoe stoe was filled with smoke. bu
L 80 4SS,s--...<.- -. -, NJ a. -