The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-24
ROW FIRE
Loss IS $4,000
FIREMENRECOpER
Two Hurt Fighting Blaze OF
Uncertain Origin Starting in
Basement Of Building at 20
South Front Street.

Latest estimates TUESDAY placed the
total damage nens by fire at $4,000 70
tenants and owner Of the building al
20 South Front street, where . stub
born blaze broke out early Monday
night, and burned for two hours before
tirsmen got it under control
Losses, fully covered by insurance,
ware apportionsd as follows:
Ropsr-PoltZ Produce company. s2S,'
r. 3. Buchanan, seed store, $4,000.
W g. knight & Co, cotton factors,
Norflsst estate, building owners. $685..
Two tlrsmen were overcome BY smoke
snd removed; semieonscious, % hos:
rltals. One had so far recovered at
the General hospital that it was an,
pouneed he would be removed to his
home Tuesday. Tbs other showed great
improvement at ST, Joseph's hospital
and was pronounced out Of danger.
They we're, respectively, Bob Wright,
IS, plpeman, Engine company No. 2,
and Walter Crabtree, II, ptpeman, En-.
stne company No. /.
the windows Of the building, and at
traoted firemen from central headouar-
ters, a hundred yards away. They
gave the alarm to the Gamewell opera
tor, Runnery, who spread It. Seven
uptown companies, chemical and the
water tower responded to the first
alarm. A second call brought five
morris took personal charge Of the
fight.
It was an odd. stubborn fire to fight.
II started in the Easement, and the
sucking draught of the elevator shaft
carried the flames upward. But from
the exterior slight sign Of flame could
be seen. Only the heavy, dense vol
unes of smoke pouring from the win
dows told a tale of the fire ragins
within. .....
So dense and sutfocating was the
smoke that firenep for an hour had tc
fight the fire from outside. Perched
on a s0-toot ladder, tirerlen poured
streams Of water into the building from,
the front, while in the rear a STEADY
When the untiring work Of the fire.
fighters had somewhat subdued the
flames, they got at the, base Of tbs
fire in the basement and soon had i
under control.
While the fight was its hottest EN-
rloyes from F. NJ, Crump g. Co., cot
ton factors, crossed an, iron hridSt
way into the Knight office, a grea
portion Of the sample cotton therein
was saved before flames drove the res
cuers back.
There were asualties--tatalities Sew
eral coops Of ducks and chickens o.
the first floor of the produce stor
were roasted au naturel
When the flames were eTtinguishe
Chief Fitzmorris ordered siphon pump
put to work to take the water out Q
the basement.
Damage to R. 3. Buchanan's see
store was by water. A new shipmen
Of seeds valued at $4,000 PRACTICAL
was ruined. ...
Mrs. ". C. knight said Tuesda
morning that she could not estirnat
damage to her office, but that it woul
be confined largely to office turnitur
and equipment, She did not think
would exceed $4,000 although the frs
estimate Of the fire department. wa
$4,000. q.
The origin OF the blaze IS unknow
to firemen Chief Fitzmorris said q
noon Tuesday that bscauss-the cents
section Of the first floor had fallen
it was impossible 10 get into the base
ment Tuesday to ascertain whether (
" not defectiye wiring was to blame Z