The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-19
MYSTERIOUS BLAZE.
 BATTLES F|REMEN.
 OF NEW YORK CITY.
Four Million Gallons of Water Fail to QuenCh Warehouse Fire in Bohemian
 District
By Associated Press

New York, July 1S.-A stubborn and puzzling warehouse fire in the Greenwich Village section of the city broke out at o'clock this morning, burned through the day, and was still blazing tonight after nearly 100000 gallons of water had been played on the flames by 40 hose lines.
 "The toughest fire I've ever en- countered." said Acting Fire Chief Smokey Joe" Martin, after having been blown out of doorway by one of a series of explosions, which rock ed the lower West Side.
 With the flames checked, but not conquered, investigation showed that two firemen had been killed three more were missing, 1S had been taken to hospitals seriously tn- jured, and more than +To persons had received first aid treatment at Red Cross emergency stations at addition, about 800 families were driven from their homes in the Bo. hemian quarters and tonight were barred by the police from returning. lest the warehouse walls collapse The outstanding feature of the fire was the mysterious black smoke that rolled out of the building soon after the first of the blasts. It came in never ending clouds, settling down about the base e the store house and blindlng the fire fighters. Though a mid summer sun blazed down until late in the afternoon, when thun- der squall broke. the firemen found 1t black as midnight and rigged great searchlights In their efforts b pierce the enfolding darkness. Baffled as to the cause of the fire, experts in the employe of the city sought all day to solve the mystery.
 No Permit Granted
 Fire Commissioner Drennan de- clared that no permit had been is- sued to store explosives or chemicals in the six story warehouse. which is operated by the Manufactures Tran sit company Although the property damage could not be accurately. esti- mated. without check of the con tents, said to include newsprint. rub Der. rice and epson salts, it was evident that It would run into the hundreds of thousands. Dr Anthony Paone, dintist. who lives just op- posit the warehouse, turned In the first alarm. He told members of the police bomb squad that Just before the first explosion, he had seen three men with push cart stop in front If the building, carry In several boxes and then emerge. He advanced the theory that incendiaries had started the blaze.
 Another puzzling story was told the police by Mrs Joe Aeh and four of her neighbors who live in an apartment house on the same block as the warehouse. which is bounded by Greenwich avenue, Twelfth street, Eighth avenue and Jana street. These five homless ones maintained that throughout th,. night they heary mysterious. n,uf- fled explosions,
 District Attorney to Act
 Commissioner brennan declared there was something to be called to the attention Of the district at torney."
 The known dead arei
 First Lfeutuenant J. J. schop-
 pemeyer. killed by falling debris.
 Fireman James Carroll, killed
 when his engine struck a curb
 while responding to mn alarm.
 The names of firmen and policemen most frequently on the Ilst of injured. About a score were struck by building material blasted from tn. warehouse by the explosion or by falling bricks or timbers. but most of those treated at the emergency sta- tions had been overcome by smoka Many returned to their duties after
 (Contfnued on Page Two)