El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-02-12
FEARFUL HEAT
ATTENDS FIRE
Buildings Across the Street
Catch From the Heat
and Flying Sparks.

Z cessible to anyone. The firemen were
compelled TO lay the hose fiat on the
surface OF the floor and control It bv
pressure from their knees. so heavy
was the smoke.
Lights All Cut OFF.
Great danger was experienced by
companies 1 and Of the central sta
tiOn by live" wires which had fallen
. TO the street when the telephone poles
of company No. /. sent Z Linsay. a
former member OF the department. to a
telephone in an effort 10 get the cleo
tric company to shut off the power
which was done in few minutes, and
the firemen were able TO make better
Roadway into the building.
Worlkmen of the Il PasO Electric
Railway company erected new poles 20
replace those that were burned on
Dctavia street while the fire was still
aging Sunday morning Half dozen
poles were burned TO the ground on
Octavfa street. while others were bad
Is charred by the fire.
City in Darkness.
The break in the wires caused by
the fall of these poles cut off light and
power from small section of the city
for several hours before daylight New
poles had been erected by noon Sun
day. with the fire still burning a few
feet away. Wires were strung again
Sunday morning and afternoon
The main warehouse OF the Sash
and Door company at 1000 Texas street
was partially built in 1902 and was
finished in 1904, according to manager
George Evans It is owned by the
FL Paso Sash and Door company.
which consists OF Maury {. Edwards.
president: W. l. Foxworth. vice presi-
dent, and George Evans. secretary and
general manager. The building IN
which the planning mill was located
belonged to the E P & s W railway
r L Webster, receiving secretary
of the Sash and Door company who
was asleep on the second floor OF the
building, did not discover the IRE IN
looked out of the third window OF the
second story" said Mr.. Webster and
saw the planning mill mass OF flames
It seemed that within Is minutes the
entire plant and the lumber yard were
blazing and the fire companies were
surrounding II from every side Some
explosions that were heard were sew
eral boxes of cartridges in nv room
Discovered by Switchman-
The fire was discovered by G. L
Mccain. sxftchman for the G. H & :.
A. railroad. With switch foreman = .
II. Roberts. he ran to his engine ana
informed engineer L / King. who
sounded the engine whistle, which /
proved the first alarm
The fire was very small when l
first saw it, said Mr.. Mccain IL !
was about the size of an ordinary win
dow Then there came a small eXplo- Z
sion and then another and another.
Within a few minutes the entire mill !
of the Fl PasO sash and Door company /
was one mass of flames L vas but
a few minutes until the fire I'D spread I
70 both lumber yards. and more than /
one city block was going up IN SMOKE
The fire started in the northwest cor /
ner Of the sash company mill
Fire Spreads Fast.
two lumber yards seemed 10 burst into =
flames in one instant" said J. Hew-
M. who lives at 1880 Texas street
across the street from the Galbraith-
zTorworth Yards The whistling
aroused me. and 1 ran TO the window
lust as 1 reached ii the whole block
seemed TO break out into fire I thought
he entire CITY was burning
Coffee Served 10 Firemen-
To hearten the firemen combating
he flames. hot coffee was served dur
ng the fire. after o'clock SUNDAY
Chief OF detectives Joe
stowe carried about 8 large can OF hot
,offes with several cups. going from
me set OF pipemen TO another BY
o'clock the firemen were working III
-everal inches of water. By noon sun
law the water was hip deep in places.
Assistant fire chief J T. Sullivan as
umed charge Of fighting the fire az
o'clock Sunday morning, when chieI
Trav left for a short time to eat and
banra his charred clothing. The day
hift Of the different companies took
he place Of the night men early In
he morning, and were relieved in turn
" the night men Sunday evening
Rathbun-Mix Have Close Call.
That the newly erected building OF I
he Rathbun-AIiN company, at Texas
nd Ange streets. was not consumed !
n the fire. is deemed almost miracle
y spectators The new building was
urrounded on three sides by burning
uildinRs yet remained comparatively
nscathed. except for windows broken I
v heat. W Z. Mix. of the Rathbun- I
liz company, appeared at ) o'clock
l1ndav morning. and aided in directing
pera lions TO save the buildings OF
is company. \ box car. whose side
-as but three feet from the rear of !
ne building of this company, was en-
rely consumed. One corner OF the
oof Of this building was all that was ,
INJURED by the fire
Firemen Were Prepared
The fire department has fought
he Texas street fire many. many tunes
\ the last few years" said engineer
r. Youart, Of hose company No. >,
ather of Earl YOuart. who was IN
1red at the commencement of the
onflagration ave were prepared for
! inst as we are prepared for a fire !
+ any large building in the city. Each {
ompany knew just where TO go. ana
verv man knew just which fire plug
.ch hose was to be attached to- Many
lenbers OF the fire department had :
one through the yards and buildings
he main building of the FL Paso SASH :
nd Door company was an old one, ana !
as not we'll built We knew the walls {
-ould fall early in case of fire. Tor =
ian on the roof of the building. by !
L Har HnuNI Z