The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-01-19
new FIRE ENGINE
SAVES Home ON
The NORMAL HILL
r. B. Oliver Jr., Says Ma
chine Prevented the des-
truetion of His Home.
THREW WATER $40 FIT.
AND PUT BLAZE OUT
Apparatus Stood in Snow Bank
and Quenched Fire Spec
tatOrS Praise Work.

Three residences We're saved from
destruction through the efficiency OF
the new fire engine early Monday
morning, when the residence of Prof.
J. NJ. Site ut IA North Pacific street
caught fire. \ brisk north wind whip
ped the flames over onto the adjoin-
ing residence Of r. B. Oliver Jr., and
would have also caused the home OF
DR.. W. f. Yount. which is two doors
from the Site residence, to be de-
stroyed, had it not been for the eff
fective work Of the new engine.
Prof. Site, his wife and two daugh-
ters had narrow escape from being
burned to death. They escaped with
only a few pieces of clothing which
they could find in their haste to flee
from the building. The house. with all
its contents. was destroyed.
This fire plainly demonstrated the
efficiency of the new fire engine. Prof.
Site and all who witnessed the fight
Of the fromen against the blaze agreed
that it was due 20 the splendid work
Of the firemen and the efficiency Of the
engine that the two adjacent build
ings were saved from total destruc-
ton.
The nearest fire plug was at the cor
ner Of Pacific street and Normal ave-
nue., nearly 1000 feet distant from the
burning residence. The fremen had
to run a line of hose nearly 1000 feet
long up a steep incline. the second
highest point in tire Cape. The engine
worked with a pressure Of 1T5 pounds
in addition to the pressure of the
water which is approximately &C
pounds in that vicinTy. 1t was ger
orally agreed that it would have been
physical impossioi!ity TO combat tho
fire with the old equipment, because
the natural city water pressure was
not strong enough 20 carry mp tho
hill.
The fire was discovered by Prof.
Site about 12:45 Monday morning. He
was awakened by the caving in Of the
roof, which had already been consum-
ed by the flames. He aroused his wife
and two daughters, who were sleeping
on the second floor directly beneath the
place where the roof mad caved. They
had barely time to find a few wraps
and hurry out. They sought shelter at
the home of DIR. w. Z. Yount, who lives
two doors south Of the Site home.
The youngest child, Mary Elizabeth,
is two years old. She had 10 be car
ried out by Mrs. Site. Helen the eld-
cr, daughter, who is nine years old,
was taken out of the burning build
ing by her father and assisted to the
YOunt residence.
When Prof. Site awOke, the house
was. so denseiy filled with smoke that
he and his family were nearly suffo-
Gated The electric wiring had not yet
been severed by the fire, and this made
the use of the lights still possible. The
occupants clothed themselves as quick
ly as possible and hurried out in the
street. They had hardly reached safe
ty when part of the ceiling of the sec
ond floor fell. Only few chairs were
carried out.
When the fire department arrived
the home of r. B. Oliver Jr., had also
caught fire around the roof on the
north side Of the building. The fire
men turned their attention to the
Oliver residence and saved it from
further destruction. Residents, who
had been aroused by the shouts of the
firemen, began to carry out the furni-
ture from the Oliver.
Prof. Sites residence was a two
story frame building, as are the adj
joining houses which were threatened
for while. The force of the wind
was so strong that the stream played
upon the Oliver home at first had little
effect. and the pressure of the engine
had to be almost doubled.