Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-16
CROWD SEES FIRE
IN AVENUE STORES
Blaze Thought to Have Start
ed in Photographic Studio
Darkroom.
WATER RUINS STOCK
ON THE FIRST FLOOR
Damage Is Estimated by Fire Mar
shall Nicholson at From
$4,000 to $19. 900.

Fire. which appears to have started
in the darkroom of Photographic
studio operated by j. r. Brooks at 900
Pennsylvania avenue northwest shortly
after q O'Clock last night. burned out
the second and third floors of the
building. The Emerson shoe store, OPP
Grated by the W. y. Dorsett Shoe Com
pany on the ground floor OF the build
ing was wrecked by the water
pumped into the building by engine
companies that responded when two
alarms were sounded A portion of the
stock of the ID. \. Walford sporting
goods and cutlery establishment at s"'
Pennsylvania avenue sustained consid-
era bic damage from water.
The fire occurred at an hour when
many were on the street ana an eh"I
nous crowd OF spectators was attract
ed to the scene. The first alarm was
sent in from box located at 9Th ana
II streets when smoke was seen issuinS
from the roof of one of the buildings
in the center of the block. When the
iiremen arrived no one knew IN when
building the fire was located, as no
flames We're visible. There was
strong varying wind blowing ana the
smoke was driven first one way ana
then another and no one was able TO
ascertain its source
Hunted for the Blaze.
The firemen first made search in a
small blind alley which extends a
portion of the way into the center OF
the block from street. Then they
shifted to A narrow alleyway between
81. and 3l4 9th street. Ladders Were
run up as high as possible and yet the
tiremen could not ascertain the loea-
ton of the fire 90
The hunt had been under way for
several minutes when :. fireman dlscoN-
cred smoke issuing from beneath the
caves of the roof OF 9o' fehhs!iVa"'A
avenue.
II was not until several minutes after
the fire was discovered in the buiIdinS
that flames became visible from tht
outside. Without warning theE snot ~
from the roof in the rear OF the bulla-
ing This resulted in the sounding oil
second alarm, bringing additional en-
CINE companies to the scene.
Before long a number OF streams OF
water were playing on the names Doth
from the front and rear of the building.
and in few minutes the fre was
checked. The great quantities OF water
pumped into the building flooded the
shoe store on the first floor. At the foot
of the stairway leading to the second
floor of the building the water was
more than two feet deep, having
damned up against ciose-htting door
Origin of the Fire.
After an investigation Fire Marshal
Nicholson was of the opinion that the
fire had started in the rear portion OF
the second floor of the building. either
in the darkroom or a room adjoining IT,
Everything on this floor and on the moor
a bove, which was devoted to a studio.
was burned. Mr. Nicholson was una Bile
to ascertain the origin of the fire.
b. NJ Wade. clerk in the Brooks stu
do had left the building few minutes
before the fire was discovered, and had
gone to a restaurant on 9Th street for
his dinner. Mr.. Broons. proprietor OF
the Photographic esta Dlishment, had
left for his home few minutes in ad-
vance of his clerk. Mr.. Wade said
there were no explosive chemicals in
the darkroom. and that no lights had
been left burning when he started
away from the place:
Fire Marshal Nicholson estimated
the damage 10 the building at $4,000
The stock and apparatus of the Brooks
studio was valued at more than $1,000
Just how much damage from water re
suited in the shoe store, w. \. Dorset,
president of the company. was unable
TO say. The stock carried was valued
between $4,000 and $4,000, he said. E.
{. Walford was unable 10 give any
idea or the damage done in his estab-
lishment. All of the damage done is
covered by insurance. ii is stated.
Store of Ammunition Removed.
Ia a room on the second floor of The
Walford esta Adjustment a large guam
tity of rifle and shotgun ammunition
was stored. a force of men was put
to work moving il to place of safety
for fear the fire would make its WAY
through the dividing wall between the
Two buildings and cause il TO explode.
The property at 307 Pennsylvania
avenue is owned by -the 3larkriter es-
tate, while that on either side of il is
a part of the John w. Marin estate.
Or. \. ID. Butt, 42S sth street south
east was so anxious to get a glimpse
of the fire that he drove his auto
mobile over the hose near 9Th street
befo.e he fully realized that he was
inside the restricted area. Crossing
Policeman Cheney called his atten-
ton to the alleged violation of the reg
ulations. escorted him to the first pre-
cinct station and preferred charges
against him. The physician left SIS
collateral for his appearance.
Smoke seen coming from the house
of Horace q. Smithy. 4127 18th street
northwest, yesterday afternoon caused
a fire scare and No. "a engine company
responded to still alarm. Firemeu
quickly discovered their services were
not needed and returned to their
quarters.