Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1921-04-03

Elk Home Burned.
The grocery store which IA on the
south eide ~ the theatre vas 70 com.
ple,tly wrapped IN fiames that its
doom was Inevitable almost from the
first !, In n complete loss of approx,
mately $4,000. From the Cash Grocery
the fire leaped to the magnificent Elks
Home. upon which. up 10 midnight. the
entire energies and facilities Of the fire
department and the volunteer assistants
were concentrated.
.... o.. .. Protector Jumps. .. e. -.
An heroic effort was made by ]. M.
Forbes. protector In charge. 20 prevent
the spread OF the flames. when hls
reel took fire lie quickly cast his
clothing on the flaring film. but the
blaze was 10 intense that the garments
were crumblcd. and In another instant
the whole space was filled with the
death h'deallng heat, In his desperation
the operator hurled himself through an
upper window. narrowly escaping death.
with his hands and face .blistering.
Realizing that he was fighting a los.
ing battle. the operator shrieked warn.
Ing as he dashed his body from the
building. and this together with the
appearance of the vicious flames. spread
terror over the house like an ail.inciu.
sivc naanket
Heroic Leadership.
A. u by magic the fire vents to tho
building flew open. and Il was then that
the men In charge of the situation dis.
played a generaishir and self-endanger-
ing bravery worthy OF all commenda.
ton. The people were admonished. and
sonc of them forced 10 leave the build.
Ing In a sane nnd orderly manner. The
prcsoncc of mind. the systematic man.
rcr Ut speech and action of those In
charge. took hold upon tho auditors. and
without being conscious of the change.
he auditors seemingly los sight OF
their danger and filed ont In almost or.
icrly lines. to points Of safety.
Almost before the hou~ was empty
the furniture and fixtures were yield
ing themselves 10 the flames and top.
rling to the floor. The flames. az u
angry hy reason ~ being cheated of
human life. hunRrily licked the interior
clean on short notice.
Tons ~ water were hurled into the
structure with no seeming effect than
~ Property admix the contbestible
! materials lending themselves 10 the
cnnflagration.
Gasoline Station.
When u became apparent that the
theatre was doomed. which was within
the first few hurried. breathless
minutes after the structure was emp.
tied. attention was turned To the gaso
line and oil filling station just north.
Fortunately the wind was light. and
the workers with reasonable degree
of security bent themselves 10 the task
of emptying and removing the liquids
IN storage.
Excited as were the throngs. they
readily received and acted on instruc.
lions from those who assumed leader.
shin IN the work. The people In q
measure al least. realized that should
the flames attack the storage tanks.
,Nplusions must necessarily follow and
that these IN turn. must make way Tor
conflasrstlnn of such stupendous pro-
portions that the most valiant work a
the fighters would he futile. ~
Driven by an urgc stimulated by q
lccing relai u to that entertained hy
the yovagers IN ieaky boat. the ci't
zens hastily drew out the oils and css
nud transported them to remote dis
tancrs from the fire. aud thus made tho
situation more secure.
Fire under Conirul.
Thanks 10 combination Of ri9In-
views immcaEurwhlc water supI@v.
CONTINUED on PAGE TWO