Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1915-02-24
FIRE Destroying
ELKS THEATRE
CAUSES Loss ESTI-
MATED $l3l,SOO
CONTINUED from Page y

twc-story brick building at the
corner Of Second avenue and Chest
nut streets, Here again it was
thought some of the fireboys had
been trapped, and because the roof
fell in upon the second floor as a
result of the explosion, the position
of the fireboys. if they had been
caught, would have been critical.
Two streams of water, hurriedly
shifted, were directed into this part
of the fire, while a ladder was hasti-
ly shifted and several firemen enter
ed the fiery furnace, to search for
their comrades. It developed, how
ever, that the men had left the place
when they found it filled with the
dangerous "smoke gas"
Fire Most Spectacular
Rapidly the fire moved, until it
file dthe theatre building complete
1y, not merely flames, but masses OF
embers and burning timbers. The
stock in the crushed Baer grocery
also was ignited, adding it's heat and
smoke and other danger. Then the
heat and sparks made their presence
felt on the roof of the building at the
corner and despite the energetic eff
forts of the firemen, this soon burst
into small blazes at many spots. c
ing downward into the building.
To prevent draft, windows were
kept closed, while lines of hose were
directed against these blazes from
within and without. But this work
was unavailing, as the "air exDlos-
s1l1 oil h
roof to fall in and in a moment al.
most the entire building was another
furnace.
The fire j., this building was con
fined to the front half of the roof and
second floor. however While one
batch of firemen were holding it bacs
here. another group was fightins
against the terrific heat and long
reaching blazes from the theatr'
building, and finally the front wal
| of the theatre building collapsed in
to tho street, this giving the firemc.
4 an advantage of which they took full
benefit
Danger from the theatre building
being thus removed, the fight Wa
centred on the corner structure, ant
soon the fire was under control, thu
fire damage to this corner building
ond floor, although the lower floo
and it's contents were ruined o.
damaged by the huge volumes o
water poured into the building.
Was FOur-HOur Fight.
1t was | 20 O'Clock this mornlni
when the alarm was turned in, ant
not until o'clock was the fire unde
control A strong west wind adde;
TO the dangers and threatened t.
| send the flames sweeping eastwar,
! across Chestnut street to the franz
home of Mrs. Norris. but fortunatel.
the fire was controlled before it, ha,
reached this point.
Every member of the fire denS:t
ment, every piece Of apparatus. wa
engaged in the fight. Many citizen
helped also, to handle the hose ar
mount Or remove ladders. Severa
times the amount of hose ordnaril,
carried on the wagons was used. in
wagons making several trips to tn
central station for additional nos
and noZzles.
Because of the danger through liv
wires, E1rC (Nlef BIelECT HUu III
power shutdown at the power hous
about o'clock. and this service wa
not resumed until ) o'clock, ate
linemen of the company had made
cut out and corresponding cut-ir
in several places. Manager FoWle
and Assistant Manager Woodwar;
were both on the scene, working il
accordance with the fire department
The police department also aided
Night Chief Fiveasn and several mel
being on duty at the scene.
Fire Horses Run Away.
The noise OF the falling Of tn
front wall of the theatre building
frighteneV the team of horses at
tached to the hook and ladder truck
which was standing near Pine stree
in Second. The horses ran to stat
street. turn d rCrth ran to Bas'raqu
street and then turned west, bein:
finally stopped in West Barraau
streets. about fifteen blocks out, by
citizen. They were not harmed all
i; is understood the apparatus wa
not damaged to any appreciate ex
tent.
The water pressure at all times
during the fire is said to have beer
gool the pumping plant getting IN