El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-02-12

company was sold about two months
ago to Sam Dreben.
Our loss will be between SI75. 600
and 5000 00o" said M- Evans 1T was
well covered by insurance About sso,-
600 worth Of machinery was destroyed
in the fire. The buildings were val
ued At SIS, 600. while the rest was ma
terial and other equipment
Ready to Resume at Once.
We have already made arrange
ments for the rental Of a warehouse
at Texas and Florence streets. where
we will remove our things Monday
morning and we have made temporary
ARRANGEMENTS with a milling company
to do the mill work which we have on
our hands orders for a complete new
stock OF equipment and materials have
already been telegraphed to eastern
companies and some have been ac-
copied"
Fire chief John " Wray stated that
the fire was undoubtedly the largest
that has occurred during his two years
in Fl PasO. I'VE were handicapped
by the wind which shifted on US" said
chief Wray. ..The heat was so ire
mendous and the flames spread so rap
idly that we were unable to check the
fire at one point before il would break
out again Please thank the FL PasO-
ans who treated my men so nice with
coffee and sandwiches after their hard
work. as II was certainly appreciated.
Ny men fought like they never fought
before and We saved what we could"
Nearby Residences Damaged.
tanned by stiff wind from the
north, the flames. which were discov-
cred in the planning mill of the COM
psny, the former Fl Paso & North
eastern depot-spread rapidly. and the
entire plant was in flames within :
minutes after the first alarm had been
turned in. The sudden shifting of the
wind caused sparks TO fly on the roofs
OF the homes of u. r Welsh. 1928
Texas street: Mrs d r. Gregory. 1925 |
Texas street, and 7 T. LANCER. 1914 .
Texas. and in a short time they were
abIaze Chief wray ordered a hose f.
line from truck company No. ! TO keep /!
the roofs of the houses wet until the !
flames could be brought under con-
troll The roof was burned off the I
house at 1925 Texas. however. and the I!
front Of the building at 1928 was /
burned out
Homes Abandoned.
: score Of homes in the vicinity Of J
The fire were deserted by their occu- |
pants shortly after the spread of the |
blaze. For 30 minutes after the blaze I
was discovered it appeared as II Il :
would jump Texas street and spread J
iouthward before the steady wind that
blew at first Persons as far south s
Iagoffin avenue. two blocks away.
iresSed and prepared 70 take their be
ongings from their homes. IL the fire
pread
Practically every house on the south
tide Of Texas street. on both sides of
Ange street, was stripped bare BY the I
occupants From one house the resi-
ents took baby's crib, two trunks 4
aged parrot and several bundles Of
clothing and bedding, dragging and 1
cushing the heavier articles nearly 2
lock
Owners Fight 10 Save Homes
Home owners south OF Texas street !
limbed TO the roofs OF their homes.
nd for more than an hour PLAYED
treams from garden hoses on their
oofs to prevent sparks from spreading
he blaze bucket brigade was
ormed by one family. The building
[ 102S-39 Texas street in which IS {
ocated the J. J. Hewitt carpenter shop
nd the Wright rooming house. caught
ire three successive times from the
eat Of the confiagration 100 feet away.
.ach time the blaze was extinguished
Y firemen.
The fence and the roof OF the home
{ 1925 Texas street caught fire IN .
oof of this building was virtually de-
troyed by the flames Every house
n the south side of Texas street
bowed evidences OF the fire at some
as caused by the heat, and not from !
parks.
Hose Is Burned. {
Three lines Of hose were stretched
-om the Seagrave engine from the
entral station and the firemen began &
ghting the blaze at the rear end % {
he plant against the wind. which I
1ddenly shifted. however, throwing [
he flames in their faces. Company c
o. also entered the south side Of
re planning mill, while companies -
and Z came in from the eastern end 1
the lumber company to fight the a
ames. Seven sections of hose from
1mpanies l and were burned by Y
lie intense heat of the fire. and II was 7
ecessary TO stretch new lines before i
le MOBILES could be brought into play (
gain ,
Heat Was Terrific.
Heat from the fire was terrific. The d
aint on frame buildings several hun t
red feet away from the blaze was e
listered from its intensity. Every h
lephone and light pole within 100
ct of the fire is charred on the side
cling the flames. Many of them burst q
to flames from the heat time after "a
me. The insulation on the wires was Z
lrnt away in many places I
For 20 hours the interior OF the main a
Hiding of the Sash and Door COM Il
my at Texas and Ange streets was b
veritable furnace. When the south [
all OF this building crashed to the Il
round at 4:15 O'Clock. the bricks Of q
e wall were glowing hot. and melted a
'les beneath them in the Texas str Il c
tVement- Later, as they cooled. the pi