Evening star., 1915-01-01
FIRES OF THE YEAR.


to considerably more than 100000. the
heaviest losses being recorded for the
month of April, when the Western
High School was destroyed. the aggre-
gate losses that month amounting to
$164.341. Alarms sounded during the
year, including bell and still alarms,
aggregated something more than one
thousand, and about seventy Of them
proved false.
Many members of the department
sustained minor burns and injuries,
but not single death occurred in
the ranks as a result of such injuries.
Persons who lost their lives as a result
Of fires were Eleanor Turner, Joseph
Finamaro, Miss Annie T. Murphy, Miss
Ida A. Cannon, Miss Katie Toler and
Frank Lawson. Harry Russell, Alex
ander Craige. Benjamin Archer and
William Stark were scalded to death
as a result Of an accident to boiler
Members of the department who died
during the year were Capt. T. T. War
rem and Private w. J. Nelson. Fire
Marshal Nicholson's records show that
four arrests for arson were made and
that a number of supposed incendiary
University suggested to the fire mar
shall that an incendiary was at work
there 4
Motor Companies Installed.
Four motor companies were installed
during the year and motor vehicles
were provided for s. R. Henry, second
battalion chief; Charles B. Proctor,
third battalion chief. and P. W. Mich
olson, fire marshal. No. 1 chemical
company, at Benning, was converted
into a steam fire engine company. Sew
eral times during the year the depart
ment responded to calls from places in
Maryland and Virginia and saved a
considerable amount of property. The
Alexandra and assisted in extinguish-
ing a disastrous fire on the river front.
Charles W. Gill. president of the Fire
mems Association. and w. A. Smith,
secretary of the organization, have en-
gagged In active work In the matter of
getting a restoration of street car
ment, and also labored hard to induce
Congress to provide substantial PEN
sion law for them.
They received substantial aid from
the religious department of the Y. NJ.
C. A., former Commissioner H. B. F.
the claims of the firemen to
the public. George NJ. Kirk, director !
of the Y. NJ. C. A. religious work. de-
liyered several illustrated lectures to !!
onstrate that the life of fireman is
not an easy one. |
An adequate pension system, street
car privileges and more time at home
with their families are the three things !
for which the fight is being waged.
70 hn for ~ 1Ny
before the public members of the as
sociation have addressed many citizens
The destruction Of the Western High
school. a5th and Reservoir streets
was the most disastrous fire in this
city during the year 1914. 1t happened
so early in the morning that the fire.
men were not Handicapped by the
presence Of children, and no casualties |
occurred Fire Marshal Nicholson es-
timated the damage at $150,000.
One of the early fires of the year was |
that which involved the destruction of
Block and Tile Company. South Capitol
md r streets. 1t happened about l |
o'clock Sunday morning, January 4,
and the stormy weather made the run
a dif1icult one for the firemen. The
loss amounted to $55,000.
Three days later fire visited the flour
and feed establishment of w. NJ. Gait
& Co., Indiana avenue and 1st street |
northwest, and did $4,000 damage. and /,
six days later Bedelfs mattress factory
1T 638-4O D street northwest was gut
ted, the cold weather leaving coating
of ice over the building.
The next fire Of Importance occurred
1t the plant Of the Home Ice and Ice
Cream Company the afternoon of Feb
ruary 26. and the large volume of
smoke that poured from the structure
attracted hundreds OF spectators from
Ill parts Of the city. About $4,000
resulted.
March ~ at S o'clock in the morning
ire was discovered In the lumber yard
Of Galliher & Huguely. 1st and n
streets southwest, and about $1,000
o'clock in the morning, Are did $4,000
to buildings 616-1S F street
northwest and several persons narrow
y escaped death.
Nine two-story frame dwellings were
destroyed by fire and two others were
sregated $10.500. The houses were on
senning road long distance from the
luarters of any of the fire companies,
ind It was because of the delay in
the fire that SO many families
we're made homeless.
Fire at Kings Palace.
Kings Palace was visited by fire May
o. The fire started shortly after 1
o'clock in the morning and did damage
estimated at $37.700, and the following
ay the Kimono Shop, 1916 F street
northwest, was damaged to the amount
Il s5.4Oo.
At 1870 o'clock the morning of May rs {
he destruction OF four houses on Ken {
lworth avenue. Kenilworth, involved