The Republican journal., 1915-12-16
Fire on Phoenix Row.

!
Eaton Block Badly Damaged. Colonial
Theater Endangered. Good Work by
Firemen.
Chief Shute and assistant |, T. Clough were
entering the fire department headuu arters on
High street Sunday afternoon when their at
tention was called to blaze on the roof of the
Eaton block opposite ana an alarm was sound
ed at $40 from box "a. Many of the tiremen
were near at hand and no time was lost in get
ting to work The fire is thought to have
started from the smoke pipe of the furnace
where 1t entered the chimney in the base
ment and had worked up through the parti-
tlons to the roof. The building, with the ex-
ception of q brick front, is of wood. with cor
rugated iron outside and steel walls and cell
lngs, making it difficult to fight the fire in the
partitions. The new hook and ladder truck.
used for the first time, paid for itself, as with
the old apparatus it would have been impossi-
Bile to have reached the fire, which had to be
fought from the front of the building through
the upper stories. The Colonial Theater was
endangered. as there was no parting WALL the
Eaton block butting directly on the wall of the
| Colonial, and the iremen cut holes in tn g
roof and dropped fire curtain between the
two blocks Forum ately there was no wind.
and the tiremen had daylight to work in. "All
OUT was sounded at 5 p. m. but the fremen
worked until after midnight.
The annex IN the rear completely des-
troyed and the interior of the main building
practically ruined by fire, smoke and water,
The basement was occupied as poal and bill
lard room by Louis de Lemos, and his tables,
ETC., were not removed but were insured. The
first floor was occupied as picture theater
and was under lease to Henry Fl, Maodocks.
The picture machine and films were removed
as well as the piano. which belonged to E. S.
Pitcher, and his piano in the Red Mems hall
was also saved On the second floor were the
lodge rooms, etc, of Tarratine Tribe of Red
man aud Daughters of aPocahontas, and the
United Order of the Golden Cross also held
their meetings there The rooms, furniture
and paraphernalia were badly damaged The
Red Mems loss will be about $500 and the D.
of P. $100. partially insured. The U. O. G. C.
loss is about $50, not insured. The third floor
was not occupied
The block was built in 1914 by Francis E.
Wood, who sold it to Charles B. Eaton Mr.,
Eaton valued the building and contents at
about 1000, and the damage is estimated at
$1,000. The building was insured with Field
& Quimby, but there was no insurance on the
furnishings OF the theater. Mr. Eaton was
at of ho tim of fho bol
been down town for several days.
| Several of the fremen were injured in
fighting the fire. Ralph Darby had the second
finger of his right hand caught in a shut-off
nozzle and was taken to the Tapley hospital,
where it was found necessary to amputate the
| finger below the first joint. Assistant !. T.
Clough and William Gray received bad cuts
from broken glass and both required the SER
vices of physician. Arthur Stevens slipped
on an icy ladder and barely escaped falling to
the ground by catching on projecting roof.
| Charles H. Field, insurance agent and ad-
i juster, who was present at the fire, compli-
mented Chief Shute on 'the splendid work OF
the department." saying that he did not see
how they could have done better, and Chief
onute 6alu tuaL ne WAS pEOuu ol tuo ueparC.
ment for their able, efficient and willing wor k,
and he certainly voiced the sentiments of all
who witnessed the work of the depar tment on
Sunday last.
The Colonial Theater fortunately escaped
damage, save the wetting down of toilet
room; but the picture machine and films anG
the office furniture, ETC.. of DR.. A. w. LothroE
and Horace Chenery were removed while the
fire was in progress.
About 6 p. m. while the department were
at work on the Eaton Block. there was a still
alarm for a chimney fire in the Frank Hal
house on Northport avenue and few mel
went down by auto. With liberal use Of
water the fire was soon extinguished without
damage.
While the insurance has not yet been ad
justed, it is the intention of the owner of the
block to rebuild and of the tenants to reoccupy
the building, and as soon as an adjustment
has been made repairs on the building will be.
gin.
The inquest on the fire was held Tuesday
evening and the cause of the fire was found tt
have been an overheated smoke pipe in the
basement. The estimated value of the build
ing was $4,000; damage. $4,000; insurance
$1,000; value of contents. $500, damage. $50
no insurance. Louis De Lemos property wal
valued at $1,8OO, damage $1,000, insurance
$500. H. H. Maddocks' property, $l00; tota
loss, and no insurance.