The Washington times., 1920-09-05
Retired Fire Department Head
Had Many Thrills in Al
Years Service.
~ VINCENT CALLAHAN.

seven years Oius VINO Recently iSSie
ed as fre chief. told me one day In
his office not many months ago. Ana
IL was only a few minutes later that
"the chief" demonstrated he was
good fireman"
The clane OF the hre bell disturbed
our conversation. An orderly ran into
the room To report a third-alarm nre
at Vermont avenue and Treet
northwest. Chief Wagner hurried
from his Office and l followed.
In front OF the District building the
chiefs big red automobile was wait
ing and we jumped in. In a few sec
onds we were scooting out Fourteenth
street. Automobiles and cars on
either side stopped. Men. women and
children ran from out OF the streets.
All gazed on the fre chief In awe.
APARTMENT IN FLAMES.
1t took about three minutes to
reach the scene OF the hre. An apart
ment house was burning and flames
could be seen shooting from windows.
1t was apparent that the hremen did
not have the blaze under control The
chief Jumped from the automobile and
ran across the street with remark
able speed for q man or more than
three score and ten, and Immediately
took charge.
lis everybody out?" was wagner's
first query to his battalion chiefs.
I'VE think so" came the reply.
Make sure. and do il quick or
dered the Chief
IL was only few seconds later
that ladders were raised on all sides
of the building and rremen climbed
and peered into the windows. Sew
cral men, women and children were
h.n,,uht down the ladders.
Meanwhile the chief had entered
the building. Smoke nearly blinded
him. but that did not stop him
Every few seconds he gave an order
Soon he was on the second floor and
had entered one OF the rooms. Inc
next time ! saw him his head was
out OF a window. and he was direct
ing the streams Of water.
TREATED JOB LIGHTLY.
left them to phone The Times
Five minutes later. ] returned. the
fire was out when ] met the chiei
| complimented him on his qulch
work His reply was:
.Oh, IL was single, ! discoVcrrd
where the. arc had starred. ana u
didn't take long to reach IL"
This is Just one instance OF the
chiefs efficiency in fghting hres
He has attended every big fire In
Washington in forty years.
Il feel like a fve-year-old ooy
when / hear the fire bells. SAID 'ne
chief today: ''it puts pep into me-
In MAY. 1897. when Chief Wagner
was stationed at No. engine house.
he was called to q fire at 1252 Eightn
street northwest. The entire second
floor was ablaze. a sick man was
trapped in his room on the third
floor.
SAVES SICK MAN.
smoke and flame had nearly over
come the man, Peter LOrnte. whe"
chief wagner fought his wny up tn
steps to tire mans room. inc eh'f'
gathered up the man In his arms
.nd I'm n few minutes had brought
MIN To the street. Both men were
exhausted.
This ia one OF many instances
where Wagner has rescued men anu
women. from burning homes. on'y
few Of his rescues are recordeo. ne
considers them Just one or the Biori-
Gus parts Of my work
Chief. Wagners ability to fight hres
was never better illustrated than III
1903 when the manufacturing plant OF
the Chaplin Sacks Company, FIRST ana
NJ streets. northeast. caught hre.
The chief was at No. IA engine
house when the second alarm came
in In q few seconds he was on ms
way to the fire.
The third alarm was turned IN oy
the chief less than minute aiter ne
first saw. the blaze, and not many
minutes later n crew of stalwart hre-
men we're ON hand with sufficient ap-
Washington. ........
SAVED MANY THOUSANDS.
Had. Chief Wagner arrived two
minutes later than he did: had he
hesitated before calling out seven
additional engines and three trucks
tho loss TO the plant would nave
reached several hundred thousands OF
dollars instead of 100000.
Arthur Chaplin, president OF the
company. who arrived on the scene
simultaneously with the engine com
panies responding to third alarm
cried:
81 don't think you can save the
plant
.M.ybe we can't. but were coins
70 make the best try possible" replied
the chief.
IT was less than an hour later
when Mr.. Chaplin sought this silent
heImeted man. who had been issuing
orders in quiet. calm voice, ano
patted him on the back.
CuAPIN COMPLIMENTS CHIEF.
"You beat 1t, chief" he said ex'
citedly. You beat 1t. You beat it tc
a standstill.'
The chief smiled and turned to on
| of his chiefs.
Tell those No. 6 men to play tha
hose a little higher he ordered.
Then Mr.. Chaplin gave a few orders
He sent negro ice packers, wagoi
drivers, and mixers running in ever,
| direction, and when they came bacl
they. brought gallons and gallons o
ice cream. A few minutes later bis
touring car with hundreds of sand
wiches arrived at the fire and wcr,
distributed among the fire fighters.
About five years ago, the chief wa
called to a fire at the wharves. Sew
eral building were ablaze. Arriving
at the fire, the chief inquired wheth
er every one was out. The reply wal
that someone was thought TO be trap
ped.
GOES IN HIMSELF.
ais. d.uycrous Ia order N ma Int,