Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-23
FIRE DOES DAMAGE
EXCEEDING $5O,0OO
ChinaWare Establishment of
E. B. Adams Company
Burned.
STARTS ON TOP FLOOR
AND GAINS HEADWAY
Three Alarms Sounded and for a
Time It Looked as if It Would
Get Beyond Control.

| Originating from an unknown cause
| fire broke out in the chinaware estab-
lishment of Z. B. Adams Company, 614
and SIG Pennsylvania avenue, shortly
after noon today and caused between
| s50.00o and S60.000 damage.
| The fire, occurring just at the lunch
| hour, attracted huge crowd, and the
| immense volumes of dense black and
gray smoke furnished an unusual spec
tacle. In the light wind the smoke
clouds went almost straight up in the
air. looking like leaning towers OF
great height.
The flames originated on the top floor
of the building, which was used as a
storeroom The fire apparently had
been burning for some time, for when
it was discovered by a pedestrian on
the north side of Pennsylvania avenue
flames shot out of front windows with
large puff of smoke. An alarm was
Immediately sounded from box 16, at
9Th and B streets northwest. With the
arrival of the first fire apparatus Chief
Wagner and Battalion Chief Proctor
also responded.
Chief Wagner took up a position on
the Pennsylvania avenue front of the
building, while Battalion Chief Proctor
went to the B street side, the building
extending through to the other street.
AS soon as Chief Wagner took a hasty
survey of the fire he Immediately
ordered a second alarm sounded. With
in five minutes a third alarm was
turned in. By that time eleven engine
companies, four truck companies and
the water tower were drawn up near
the place.
Seven streams of water were thrown
into the front of the building, while in
the rear, on B street, Chief Proctor
placed f1remen on adjoining buildings,
from where they directed streams of
water through side windows in an ef-
fort to keep the fire from spreading to
adjoining buildings; In this the fire.
building. but near the Pennsylvania
front the flames reached adjoining
property, and for time it looked as
II the fire bad gotten beyond control
of the fire fighters.
Water Tower Is Used.
Chief Wagner saw the flames were
not being checked with the water from
the engine hose after some time, and
he ordered the water tower brought up.
It was placed in front of the building
and. with three engines pumping water,
soon had a stream into the upper floor
of the building. The force of the stream
was such that the water went entirely
through. the place to B street. Among
spectators there was considerable criti-
cism regarding the delay in putting
the water tower into operation.
Employees of the place were busily
engaged in their tasks when E. B.
Adams, who was in the Office, on the
first floor, was notified that the building
was on fire.
He gathered his force of clerks to-
gether and they placed some books Of
the company in the safe and took
others to places Of safety.
Considerable water was thrown into
the building and much damage was
done to adjoining property by water.
The building on the west adjoining the
Adams place is occupied by the Man.
haitian Coffee Mills. Smoke poured
into the building, while the fire is said
to have burned through into the upper
floor. On the east side Of the burning
building is the National Casket Com
pany. which also suffered damage from
water and fire on the upper floor.
The fire presented spectacular
scene and the smoke pouring from the
building could be seen for some dis
tance. With the arrival of the first
of the fire apparatus a score of per-
sons gathered and within short time
thousands Of others had gathered on
Pennsylvania avenue and street.
from where they watched the work of
the f1remen. In a number of instances
work by alleged newspaper men or
others wearing fire badges getting in
their way. The police reserves from
the first, sixth, fifth and seventh pre-
cincts roped off Pennsylvania avenue
on the north side and succeeded in get
ting the spectators back, while on B
street Capt. Flather, in command of
the sixth precinct, also had the place
clean Of spectators.
Ambulances Not Needed.
The ambulances Of Emergency and
Casualty hospitals arrived on the Sec
ond alarm. but were not needed. The
doctors in charge, however, groped
their way about In the smoke and en-
deavored to find out If any one needed
medical attention. Commissioner Sid
dons arrived at the fire shortly after
the third alarm was sounded. He
watched the work Of the firemen with
interest
Mr.. Adams, head of the firm, said he
could not tell what damage had been
done to his place. He said the stock
was valued at about $4,000, and that
it is fully covered by insurance. The
building occupied by the Adams COM
pany is owned by the Barber estate.
Fearing that the fire might get be-
yond control. business firms along the
south side Of Pennsylvania avenue and
in the same block, together with those
on B street adjoining the burning build
ing. gathered their books together, and
other valuable property, and removed
them to places of safety
The fire In the Adams building to-
day recalls a fire In an adjoining build
ing several years ago, now occupied by
the Manhattan Coffee Mills, then occu-
pied by the American Tobacco Com
pany, when several firemen lost their
lives by being caught beneath falling
walls. The fire at that time occurred
| early in the morning and caused con-
siderable loss.
Fire and water did about $4,000 dam
lage in the National Casket Company,
according to an estimate There was
also much damage by smoke in the
Manhattan Coffee Mills. Inc. However.
the omcers OF this firm could not give
ough examination of the stock