The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-19
RESIDENCE
 DESTROYED BY FIRE
 OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN
Damage Estimated at From $500O to $15, ,000-Neigh- bOrs Highly Commend
 Work of Bremen

Fire ot mysterious origin practically de- stroyed the residence of MT. and Mrs. Harry Speaker and Mir. and Mrs. A. E. wehass, 27o9 Tenth avenue. south about Il o'clock last night. The total loss was variously estimated at from 5000 to s15o0o and is partially covered by insurance.
 The fire was very spectacular. being in the rear of St. vincent's hospital, which was threatened for a time by flying sparks. All the residents in the imme- diate vicinity of the fire warmly praised the work of the firemen and Chief A. V. Bennett The firemen managed to hold the fierce blaze to one residence in the midst of several handsome homes.
 According to accounts of the fire it was discovered by A. M. Steck of the Schil- finger Brewing company. who lives next door to the Speaker residence. When discovered the fire was bursting through the upper windows and the roof. Chief Bennett stated at an early hour this morning that he started for the fire few seconds after the alarm was turned in and that crossing Twenty-first street bridge he could see the glow of flames When he reached the scene the chief said the house was a raging mass of flames, and seeing no hope of saving it he direct ed the efforts of his men to saving the adjacent property, which was in great danger. Glass in the windows of neigh bors houses was cracking from the in tense heat It was not until about l o'clock this morning that the blaze was finally put out.
 Harry Speaker, who lived in the burned house, made the following statement of the fire to an Age Herald reporter this morning.:
 'I was down town at the time oi the fire which destroyed my home There was no one in the house at the time as Mrs. Speaker was at East Lake and Mir. and Mrs. A. F.. Weharg are on visit north, so I cannot tell how the fire started unless it was caused by defective wiring, which l believe was the cause. My personal loss in the fire will amount to about $500 and is onl, partially covered by insurance The house, which was owned by Mrs Car son, who is also on a visit north is a total loss which I estimate at Sl0.. 900, and the loss to Mir. and Mrs We
 harg will amount to about $500. l als,
 understand that my neighbor Mr A 1 NJ. Stecls. also suffered loss of about | $500 to his home.
 | Misfortune is certainly following
 me- as the Victoria theatre, which | managed and of which I was part own.
 CT, was destroyed by fire on April 15 | and caused me a loss of S40O0, ane
 now my home goes up in smoke"
 Saxton D. Crawford of the Cruse
 Crawford company, neighbor. wa. | high in his praise of the firemen fol
 their successful efforts in confining tn, fire to one house. He said:
 l "I thought all the houses around here were going up in smoke for time as the house occupied by MT Speaker was certainly burning fast
 don't know anything about how tn. fire started but I know that when m,
 attention was called to it the whol, house was on fire
 pr. !. E. Dedman. who also lives in th | same block, stated:
 T want to praise the work of the fire
 men at the Speaker fire. l have neve | in my whole life seen better work b, | firefighters. When they arrived on tn
 scene they found the Speaker residence
 a veritable inferno of flames in the mids of several other frame houses. By thei efforts under the guidance of Chief Ben nett they kept the other houses iron catching fire. when if there had been tn slightest let tp In their vigilance Severa residences would have suffered damage As it was I believed the residence oc cupied by A. E. Steck was slightl. l scorched. As to the origin of the fire
 cant say how 1t started"
 Chief Bennett on his return from tn fire made the following statement: When I reached the scene the entir house was on fire. We did the best w could and managed to confine 1t to tn ~lx IN Cy. --1 house was slightly scorched and it's win dows were broken l estimate the dam age to the Steck house at about s250. am the damage to the residence occupie by Mir Speaker l am not sure. but | will not run over $5000. Of course. can not tell about the loss to the furnishings As to the origin of the fire that has no been determined as yet"
 The destroyed property was owned b. | Mrs R C Carson.