The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-12-25
F|REMEN ESCAPE
DEATH As THREE
FLOORS COLLAPSE
Blaze Breaks Out in GIidden
Paint Store, Which Is Gut
ted-Three Firefighters In
jured.

b
An estimate Of $500 900 was placed
by the fire department and others
Saturday as the loss which resulted
from fire in that portion Of the old
CAarenddp hotel building. occupied by
the GlidWen company. paint Dealers
and adjoining buildings occupied by,
THE w. G. Johnson Greenhouse and
the J. H. Mednikow coinpay, jewell
ers. The fire started at clock Fri
day afteroon and ragged fer three
hours before it was under control
Three firemen were injured, but all
We're reported out Of danger Satur-
day ~
All loss Is covered by insurance as
welltas could be tascertained Satur-
day morning. Many officials of conf
panies In the buildings and private
individuals who had Offices here were
absent from the city for the holidays.
The concerns damaged by the
flames Were:
The Glidden company, 157 Madison,
paints, oils and varnishes. A heavy
stock was on hand, 1t was said.
A. K Barrow 4 Co, cotton, 157
Madison
A. G, Nestervelt, cottonseed prod
ucts, f57 Madison.
J. II. Mednikow & Co, jewelers., 155
Madison.
Model Cleaning and Pressing com
pany, 155 Madison.
Madison Avenue Pool Parlor, 155
Madison.
office of Percy Scholars, theatrical
censor and publicity agent, 155
Madison
Johnson's Greenhouse, I59 Madison,
nEa5 SnlA
Various studios In the building at
So Madison
Floors Cave In.
The collapse Of the top floor and
roof of the G!idden company near
~ cost the lives of two. companies OF
firemen. They had been rdered out
of the building only moment be-
fore by Fire Chief Mike Fitzmorris.
Several firemen were in various parts
of the upper stories when the crash
came, but none was hurt, The front
endsof three upper floors OF the build
ing crashed through to the first floor
SFhe fire was discovered at about
Alb hy T.s7H. Liebenrood, custodian
of Goodwyn institute. He saw flames
I bell Glass and Paint coHapa ny store
room, Every piece of downtown APP
! naratus in Memphis was on the
scene within few minutes.
Fire Chief Mike Fitzmorris direct
ed the opening fight at the rear Of
! the structure. The fire quickly ran
the length of the building from Mad
ison avenue to the alley and soon it
, became apparent that fight was
ON to save adjoining properties. thar
there was no hope of saving more
than the shell of the burning build
ing,
Pressure Low.
Thousands of persons gathered to
watch the fight to save the millions
" dollars worth of property sur
rounding the doomed structure.
Within a few minutes after the fire
had started Is barrels of turpentine,
stored in the basement of the Gid
den company, were ahlaze. Water
pressure was low and this prevented
proper fighting of the fire for some
time.
The fire ate greediIy through the
second and third floors of the Glid-
dgn building, cut its way above the
false roof above the Mednikow store
and burst through the retaining wall
into the greenhouse structure.
Water seemed only to increase the
flames for time. For more than
l5 minues after the first alarm was
turned in smoke rolled from every
crevice Of the top. story, forcing it's
way over the entire upper section Of
what formerly was the old Clarendon
hotel.
Use Water Tower. \ +
The water tower which has not
been in use for three years was
placed directly in front OF the blaz-
to ing. structure on Madison and poured
q stream into the windows. The
tower was under command Of Capt.
William Moloughney
After 80 minutes of battling. por-
tion OF the Glidden building roof COL
lapsed, carrying with ii section OF
the fourth floor Many barrels OF
paints and oils scattered through
with the flaming mass.
Chief FftEmorris had just ordered
two Companies out Of the lower
floors Wien the collapse came. No
fireman was injured in the crash.
The fighting continued for more
than three hours before any of the
apparatus was ordered back to sta -
tions. At o'clock the flames had
about died out, but several lines OF
hose were kept playing on embers
and smouidering parts all night One
streasI was playing on the building
Saturday morning.
Excellent work was done by the
salvage corps under Chief Jim Fitz-
morris. The big insurance truck