The Detroit times., 1916-05-19
Stock of Three Elk.
changes Wiped Out
by Flames
EMPLOYEES HAVE
NARROW ESCAPES
Blowing Out of Fuse
In Cleaning Machine
Starts Blaze

ing machine in the exchanges OF the
Universal and Blue Bird Film com
paI les at No. lJ9 JcffersOn-ave.
started a fire, shortly after O'Clock.
Thursday that completely Quilted the
fye-story stone building and destroy
ed films valued at sl5O.00O. Thirty
girls. employed in these two eX.
changes. and by the Metro Film Co,
which occupied the second floor
had narrow escape from
Geath when the eutir. IIiiding be-
came filled almost instantly with
thick. black smoke and flame. Only
one was injured, according TO L.
police.
Ten minutes after rhe first alarm
va turned in the entire 1--WE floors
had been eaten away by the flames,
and In a half.hour there was little
LEFT OF the structure 5ut the bar
walls Only by the most valiant
work OF the fremen. who were call
ell from all parts Of the city. We're
the adjoining structures saved.
According to persons who were
working in the film examining room
at the time the blaze started, girl
we're startled by a flash from tA.
machine operated by Ernest Blu
a young man who had started 10
work for the Universal Co. only
Thursday morning He was novice
al the work, several OF the girl em
ployes declared. as they were hud.
died into the LOBBY OF the Norton
hotel. across the street, after en-
ployes had been collected there anu
all accounted for. The first reports
after the building burst into a mass
of flame we're that three girls had
been trapped in the building. Sup
erintendent OF Police MaTquardt aud
Inspector Rutledge made thor
cugh inquiry hurriedly. and few
minutes later every one had beer
accounted for.
John Miller. OF No. 376 Milwau
kee-ave east, Bernard Securely. OF
No. GIL Canfeld.ave east. and elf
ford Wattam were working on the
top floor when black smoke filled
way was cut on by the flames.
Securely smashed his hand through
a window al the rear OF the shop,
and the trio made their way across
the roof 81 the Burch building
which adjoins the film exchange
on the west. m the Equity building
Schurely's hand Vas severely lac.
Grated. Millers eyebrows were
singed by the flames.
Walter Collins. shipper, working
in the basement OF the Universal ex-
change, hauled 10 safety Jerry
Steele. a fellow workman. who was
overcome by the smoke They
made their exit through a basement
window. a. the ground floor vas a
raging furnace with burning film
when they learned that The building
was on fire.
Several girls who were working IN
the rear OF the examining room leap
ed through the back windows 10 the
ground, a distance OF several feet
One tainted. and was carried TO the
Norton hotel, where she was revived
and taken 10 her home by the r.
Another suffered sprained ankle
The girls working in the examining
room, where tho FIRE started were
Alma Morrin. No. 500 Artillery
ave-; Marion Patterson. No. 22l
Goodwin-ave: Esther and Grace
Travis. Hibbard-ave.; irene Lozor
and Edna Comstock
Theophile Ongena, the father oi
one OF the girls employed In tht
all The girls had been accounted for
lie became hysterical. and police on
GERS were assigned to care for him
! No exact estimate OF the loss 4.
obtainabie because OF the absenc'
from the city OF q. w. Weeks. loca
manager OF the Universal and Blue
beard Film companies, A. 3. Ben
dell, IN charge of the once. wired
Mr., Weeks In Cipcinnati, and he vii
arrive Thursday night,
Wendell n Beers, who conduct 1
leather goods store In the building
adjoining on the vest, suffered
heavy loss from water. which drench
Cd the three floors OF their building
The records OF the Elue Bird TO
alone were saved
Mr. Bpndeil of the Hue bird Co.