El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-08-02
FIRE DAMAGES
STORE $4,000
Star Drug Co. Swept by
Flames; Basement Still
Shut Off bY Fumes.

Starting in the basement under the
sidewalk. fire swept the star Drug
/ compauy's store. at los East san An
tonic street. at midnight Thursday.
causing a loss totalng about $4,000,
according TO approximate estimates
No clue TO the origin OF the fire had
been found up 10 noon Friday, owing
TO the fumes and smoke which still
pervaded the basement. making thor
ougl Investigate Impossible Two
IRE captains. overcome by the fumes
Of ammonia and ether during the fire,
are recovering, though one is confined
TO his bed.
The alarm was turned in at about
1850 o'clock Thursday night and the
central station companies made a fast
run 70 the store The ground floor OF
the drug store was untouched BY fire
when the Gremeu arrived. but was
full of smoke. The location OF the
fire i'm the basement made the flames
hard 20 fight. A line Of hose was
taken to the basement stairs fin the
rear and a hole cut in the floor OF
the store and a stream directed on
the flames from above Good progress
was made in controlling the flames
through these means. but in attempt
ing 10 salvage goods and get nearer
the seat Of the fire. Capt c. S Con
-AA anu N'aaa man. anu an
l.. Van Dyke, W. Weaver and C. o. D.
Mckinney were overcome by fumes Of
ether and ammonia from containers
broken by the heat. and had TO be
carried out
Capt. Corners In Bed.
The five stricken men were taken
to the emergency hospital at police
headquarters and were given first aid
by police surgeon Dr. John Hardy.
They were revived and taken home
and on Friday were showing no in
effects from their experience. save
aching heads and smartiug ewes Capt
Corners was confined 10 his bed Fri
day morning.
In an hour and a half the fire de-
partment had the blaze out. and left
il with only a Waterman. No ramage
was done 10 the ground floor Of the
store by the fire. but smoke did slight
damage 10 the drug stock and to the
photograph and cigar stocks.
Reserve stock Damaged.
The fun extent Of the damage to
the stock i'm the basement. which was
composed entirely Of the reserve drug
stock OF the star Drug company. was
not known. owing TO rne difficulty OF
Investigation
r. w. knoblauch IS owner Of the
drug store and i expected TO arrive
in Fl Paso Friday evening from Ros-
well " a., where he was at the time
the fire occurred. During his alb (
sence the store was under the man {
aEement OF " J. Wolf, Mr. Knob Z
LAUGHS former partner.
small stocks Smoked.
j. F. Gandara. who owns a photo 3
graph studio located in the drug store. /
sustained a slight loss from smoke /
Mrs r A. otto. proprietor Of the cigar I
s tand IN the front o. The store. suf- .
fered considerable loss through the
overheating Of portions Of her stock +
IL was said that the loss in all in +
stances Is covered by insurance.
Cats Nay Have Started IL.
Flremen exploring the basement i
cautiously after the fire found TWO
cats near the place where the fire
started. one OF them dead and the
other In such a condition that ir died
when taken out into the open air. 1t
is thought that the fire might have
been caused by the upsetting Of chem /
Gals by these animals or by sponta-
leous action on the part Of some Of
The drugs
Little Green. But Fighters.
The men who fought the Star Drug
store fire are greatly TO be commended
on the cool efficient and WOrlzmanlfke
" az IN which they handled the az
fair said chief John ". Wray. "Our
departments personnel has been
greatly depleted By the draft and vol
untary enlistment in the army. and
the majority Of our present force are
green men, with only a few old heads
But they went into the fire like vet
Grams and did absolutely no damage
Tith their water. or other fire fight
uE apparatus