Omaha daily bee., 1917-01-23
Home of Harry Doorly of the
World Herald Completely
Destroyed by Early
Morning Blaze,
LOUISE AND CONTENTS BIIT|
Occupants Flee in Night IN
Mercury Ten BelQ.s
Bourke Losea
FIREMEN ARH ELpLEss


South Thirty-ninth street early this
morning.
\ Mr.. Doorly was awakened at a.
III. by the smell of smoke, which al
most completely filled his room, he
hurriedly notified his wife, three chill
dren, Gilbert, Katherine and Mar.
garet, and Miss Anna Boprke OF
Washington, D. C., who is visiting the
Doorlys, and they all rushed i'll their
night clothes out in the cold to take
refuge in the home of William Stull.
next door.
The fire started in the basement
sometime between 5 a. m. and e a. m.
Henry Himpe, man servant employed
by Mr.. Doorly, had fixed the furnace
fire at the former hour and all was
safe and snug at that time.
No Chance for Building.
When Mr.. Doorly detected the
blaze it had made sufficient Roadway
to fill almost the entire house with
smoke and when the fire department
arrived flames were bursting forth
from all quarters. Several streams
of water were played on the fire, but
the flames had gained foothold be-
tween the walls and could not be
extinguished. After an hout Of fight.
ing the fremen gave up all hope OF
saving the building. They continued,
however, to play the water on the
burning dwelling all morning.
No effort was made to save any of
the furniture, fixtures or other con-
tents of the home. When the fire.
men arrived flames occupied the en-
tire first floor and it was impossible
to enter the building. It was not
until after two hours of fighting the
flames that the hremen could get into
the house to string their hose inside
and all the contents had been de-
stroyed by that time. Even the per-
sonal effects of the household were
lost.
The house was two-story and q
half frame dwelling and contained
twenty rooms 1t was one of the
most splendidly furnished homes in
Omaha. The woodwork was solid
cherry and mahogany and the furni-
ture and draperies were costly. 1t is
believed the loss may exceed $4,000.
The building was valued at $4,000
by Mr.. Doorly and was insured for
$4,000 The value of the contents
was first placed at ,$5,000 but the
loss may be greater as the house con-
tanned the accumulation of many
years. Mr. Doorly purchased the
home two years ago of A. I. Aus
tin. -r-
Loses Her Wardrobe.
Only few jewels and part of Miss
Annie Bourke's wardrobe, which had
not yet been unpacked, were saved
from the fire. Miss Bourke arrived
only Sunday morning from Philadel-
phia to take part with Mr.. ard Mrs
Doorly in IN amateur theatrical for
the benefit of the French war relief
fund next month. The first rehears.l
for the play, in which other prominent
Omahans will take part, was held al
the Doorly home Sunday afternoon.
Mrs. Doorly and little Katherine
are at the Daniel Baum home; Miss
Bourke at Mrs. Barton lizards, and
little Gilbert Doorly and the baby
Peggie, with a nurse, at the William
Stull home, next door, where the
family and servants took refuge from
the fire. All we're suffering from the
shock and exposure at noon.
HandcapeG by temperatures which
ranged from few points above to
several below zero. and consequent
frozen hydrants, icy streets and other
unfavorable conditions, Omaha's fire
department Sunday night experienced
on of the most strenuous nights in its
history.
Between the hours of 6 O'Clock
Sunday night and II Monday sixteer
alarms, one of which was seconc
alarm and another a special duty
alarm, were answered and fourteen
fires, the losses from which ranged
from practically nothing to as higl
as $65,000, were fought and overcome
As result several hremen suffered
frost-bitten ears, hands and feet anC
practically every fre-hghter in the
city is exhausted because of hare
work and lack of sleep and rest
None, however, was killed or injured
seriously, although several had mar.
row escapes. Work at the Office o.
the fire chief also has piled up ant
at noon official reports could not be
had OH any of the fires.
Sixty-Two Horses Killed.
Flames which broke out at 3:4l
o'clock Monday morning in a livery
stable owned by Levi & German, 272l
Leavenworth street, caused the
greatest damage, roughly estimated tc
be in the neighborhood of $65,000
Sixty-two head of horses, forty-nint
of which were owned by the stable
and thirteen of which were boarders
were cremated in the fire and three
hearses and twelve automobiles were
destroyed, while the building, which
covered a quarter OF a block, wa.
completely gutted. In addition tc
this 600 bushels of oats, sixty-fv,
tons of hay and several buggies anc
wagons we're burned. The loss, how
ever, is almost fully covered by in
Surance.
Fire department officials who in
vestigated the fire are at loss tc
know how it started unless from ar
overhested stove in the ilarnes.
| room Three uen were aslepD in th,