The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-10
WORK IS bEGUNON l RAz|NG. THE WALLS
 LEFT BY BIG FIRE Investigation Shows Only Childress and Kyser Lost
 Lives In Fridays
 Tragedy | NEW BUILDING WILL BE PUT UP AT ONCE Company Opens Temporary Offices. Pevear Here From New Orleans.
 Ford Is Expected Back Today

Scaffolding hastily erected mounted the grim, gaunt walls of the ruins of the gen. eral offices of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company late yesterday afternoon and emphasized the progressive spirit of the owners of the gutted prop crty who had already planned to rebuild while the flames were at their height The present plans are to tear down the walls at once and to replace the destroyed build ing.
 In the search about the ruins throughout yesterday firemen and employees of the power company were unabel to find any bodies, and 1t is now generally conceded that all the employees and visitors in the office building made their escape with the exception of Moody Childress and Henry S. Kyser, who lost their lives by jumping to the street from the top floors
 In checking up the employees at the temporary offices of the Birmingham Rail- way. Light and Power company in the old Jefferson County Bank building at the corner of Second avenue and Twenty first street yesterday morning and afternoon it was positively stated that-all had been uttOuiliSu iOf dliNt except hyStT anu ODil- dress.
 Rapid Spread of Flames
 On the streets the main topic was how the fire had gained such rapid headway, and it was generally conceded that the flames were fed by some highly inham- mable material All the firemen, including Fire Chief A. V. Bennett maintain mat ,I<s., l.. the rapidity with which the fire swept the building It is the prevailing opinion on all sides that gas greatly helped to make the fire so disastrous.
 Other comments on the big fire were on the excellent work of the firemen in hold ing the blaze to the buildings occupied hy Johnson Bros. and the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company There were many citizens who congratu- lated Chief A. V. Bennett yesterday for his game fight against great odds.
 ,n his official statement on the fire, Chief Bennett expressed his grief that two lives were lost and stated that if the fire men had been able to see through the huge clouds of black smoke it was quite probable that Childress and Kyser would have been saved, As it was, Chief Ben-
  looked up to catch the men they could not see them on account of the smoke and flames. People on the side streets could see the men, but the fremen directly un- derneath could not and therefore Chill dress and Kyser jumped and missed the net.
 Pevear Arrives In City
 J. s. Pevear vice president of the American Cities company, the con- trolling factors of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company arrived in Birmingham yesterday morning and conducted a partial in- vestigation Into the fire yesterday He will return to New Orleans tonight but come back to Birmingham the latter part of the week. While in the city MT. Pevear stopped at the residence of General Manager John De Windt.
 According to Manager De Windt, he and MT. Pevear conducted partial in- vestigation into the fire yesterday and will finish 1t today. As to the origin of the fire these officials could not comment, stating that the cause has not yet been established. Messrs Pe- year and De Windt, however, state that all employees of the company had been accounted for and that the tenn porary offices of the company will re- main at the old Jefferson County bank bulIuihS uHtii tnc dAIiNdl Ol 1'ItSlQeHt A. H. Ford from New York city He is expected sometime this afternoon.
 Both Vice President Pevear and MT. De Windt stated last night that 1t was thought that all the important records and contracts of the company had been saved by being placed in the vault. Mir. De Windt stated that attempts would be made to reach the vault this aft ernoon or at the latest Monday morn- ing. It was also stated that although the fire had greatly embarrassed the operations of the company, everything was being done to get things in or der and in few days the business of the company would be running as smoothly as before.
 Judge Walker to Rebuild
 Yesterday morning the underwriters turned over the contract of razing the walls of the burned buildings to the Realty Construction company and scores of workmen were placed at work at once. Judge William Walk CT is owner of the building.
 'T wish to express my heartfelt re- gret that a loss of life occurred in the fire which destroyed my property. said Judge William M. Walker last night, "and the relatives of those poor