El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-05-11
FIRE DESTROYS
TRANSFER STABLE
And WAREHOUSE
Loss of $4,000 Caused by a
Blaze Which Threatens
Ell Paso Theater.

TUentv-ffve thousand dollars worth
Of property was destroyed ana 1lFe
horses were burned to death Saturday
afternoon by a fire which wiped away
a large sheetiron structure and the
TeXicO Transfer & Storage company s
two story brick building, on the south
west corner Of Mills and Campbell
streets For a time the FL IasO Iheater
building was threatened by the flames,
but strenuous efforts of city flremen,
assisted by 20 or 80 soldiers, Kept the
blaze from spreading No one was IN
iured although several tIremen in the
burning building had narrow escapes
from falling timbers.
Nearly every piece Of firefiShtiuS ap-
paratus in FL PasO was called into ser
vice. The first alarm rang in at 2:40
o'clock and 20 minutes later general
alarm was sounded. The central de-
partment, first on the scene, was fol-
lowed soon after by the Mesa Sunset
and East FL PasO crews The origin Of
the fire has not been definitely estab-
lfshed but it is supposed TO have start
ed from a lighted match or cIgaret
dropped carelessly in the alfalfa storage
room in the rear Of the frame and
sheetirOn building.
Fire Had Good start.
When the first alarm went In the
fire had gained such Roadway that 1t
seemed certain the IneaLer DulIdlnS
would also be destroyed. Fire chief W.
W. Armstrong ordered a general alarm
turned in as soon as he arrived and
saw how serious was the situation In
the meanwhile, Thomas A Burch, pro-
prietOr of the transfer company. was
busy trying to save the horses stabbed
in the building Assisted by stable
boys and civilian volunteers, he brought
IS animals out OF the stable, but could
not reach the other five. One of these
was his favOrite driving horse, which
was led nearly to the street. and then,
craZed with fear. 1t Jerked away from
its guide and ran back into the flames.
BuEEieS and Wagons Burn.
Much alfalfa and 20 to 80 bugEies and
wagons were stored in the iron covered
structure where the fire started, and
these burned like straw. 4 brisk wind.
blowing from the east, carried the
flames TO the roof and through ground
floor opening TO the two story brick
building where the transfer company 5
office was located Only the four walls
OF the building, cracked in several
places, remained after the fire OUT
whistle had blown.
From the water hydrant at the cor
ner Of Texas and Campbell streets the
first hose line was laid 1t was played
on the rear Of the theater building and
over the transfer COmpany's brick
structure The intense heat melted the
strips Of corrugated sheetirOn covering
the corner structure where the horses
were stabbed and heavy clouds Of smoke
rolled up from the burning alfalfa
Linemaa Has Close call.
Telephone wires surrounding the
building began TO break from the heat
and a EueDan was sent to cut them.
AS he climbed the pole in front Of the
brick building facing Mills street. a
sheet of flame and smoke belched from
q top story window and envelOped him.
For a moment it was thought he was
seriously burned, but ne came scrambling
down the pole unhurt and with his
Job" accomplished The crowd cheered
him
Household Goods Destroyed.
Household goods. including several
pianos. trunks and furniture OF oil kinds
We're stored in the building The COM
pany's books were saved by Mr.. BurCh,
who is making up q list of those who
had property stored in his building Nj.
Burch's loss VIII total about $4,000,
One-thlrd of which is covered by insur-
ance. It was 8 o'clock before the fire
OUT signal sounded and two firemen
were stationed at the building all night
TO watch for any smouldering blaze.
The sheet metal building was owned
by Horace BroaddUs and the H " New
man estate, and was not insured The
two story brick building was owned by
judge J. A. BuckIer and was insured for
$4,000.
jenkins Bescues Automobile.
One of the workers at the fire was
Kneelard jenkins. youngest son OF for
mer chief Of police Ben F. jenkins.
Shortly after the fire broke out and
while the flames We're sDOutiug from
every side. kneeland rushed into the