El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-07-05
$4,000 FIRE
Loss IN JJAREZ
e Paso Firemen Prevent
Flames Spreading by
Several Hours Work.

Fire orieinating at $50 o'clock
Wednesday night in picture play
house IT, Juarez at No Concrete
street. destroyed three buildings and
their contents within about two hours,
causing a loss estimated AT SS5,ooo,
and would have sp- ad to the rest
OF the city, had it not been for the
active efforts Of the FL Paso fire de-
partment. which lent its assistance in
Juarez for the first time In three
wears. il was said Official Euaran-
tees that the department would have
ample military protection over lLe
river Were given and accepted by FL
paso's officials. Within 20 minutes
after pumper company No passed
over the international bridge on
santa Fe street. il had two streams
Of water playing on the burning
buildings from a nearby oi,ch-
Flames Spread Quickly.
The fire started when motor on q /
moving picture machine in the thealer
owned hv Jesus CuarOu and others, /
and operated by ~ Alouzo, burned
out. setting fire 10 the iilm ana tAt
building The flames quickly spread F.
and In half an hour half Of the block I
The crowd in the theater was
seized with panic and many were
slightly injured IN the rush that FOL t
lowed for the doors At 1880 mayor F
NelChor Herrera telephoned TO nre
chief John ". Wray asking II ne
could come over the river 10 heIp
save the city Chief Nray told Nun
ne would be glad 20 go II he could +.
receive permission Of acting mayor
j. T.. O'ConnOr. This was obtained
and at 1880 pumper company No
passed the bridge Soldiers snoMed
chief Wray where the nearest water
could be found and the big pumper
the flames
store Loses S60,ooo.
The Union Mercantile company,
next door to the picture show, sus-
tanned the greatest loss, IL Beng
estimated at about $4,000. The loss
in the picture show was estimated at
S50Or and the pool hall next TO the
store was also totally destroyed, It's
lass being about $1,000
The store is owned by J. A. Murphy.
who was IN FL PasO at the time the
fire started. The three buildings
pool hall equipment was owned by
Guillermo Prieto.
Soldier Reported Killed.
one Mexican soldier was reported
killed when the wall Of the Union
store fell into the street, and several
Wray had a narrow escape Later
il was said by firemeu that the man
was rescued, but this could not be
verified Thursday. The soldiers helped
TO keep the crowd away from the nre
and AT about II o'clock all civilians
were driven from the streets and sent
% their homes A saloon next door
TO the picture house was not burned
but was looted later in the night.
Soldiers Guard Chiefs Car Well
Chief Wray said Thursday morning
that his motor car and the biz pumper
were greater centers OF attraction
than the fire. at times it being almost
.mposSiu BILE 10 get 20 either ms ma
chine or the pumDer- Two soldiers
were detailed by an officer 60 guard
he chiefs car, and the chief himself
had a hard time explaining 10 the
.0ldie-s that II was his car and that
he wanted TO get another 1lashlignt|
tut OF one Of the pockets
The firefighters returned 10 FL
'aso about o'clock Thursday morn
ne after the Juarez authorities had
expressed their thanks TO them
Thanks IL PasO Firemen-
The officials and citizens Of Juarez
greatly appreciate the assistance given
hem by chief WraE and the fire ds-
lartment during the cOnfrag grafton in
luarez last night said Roberto v
7esQuiera, federal agent for the Car
-anZa government at FL PaSO- IF IL
had not been for the assistance Of the
FL PasO fire department il is likely
hat the entire business section Of the
city would have been destroyed.
Their prompt and efficient action
practically saved JuareZ from
greater disaster"