Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-01-02
FIRE IN EBNER'S GARAGE
CAUSES HEAVY LOSS
Two Auto Trucks DESTROYED,
House and Plant Menaced ;.
by Flames.

Fire the origin Of which is unde-
determined. broke out this morning
shortly after 10 O'Clock in the garage
st tho rear of 11bner Brothers bottllng
plant NJ Fourth and Union streets. and
before the iircmen had subduod the
fismes two automobile trucks, several
extra tires. n quantity OF accessories
and tho frame building We're destroyed.
causing "A loss Estimated by the own
cfs 20 be about $4,000. which. how
ever. they believe is fully covered by
Insurance.
The garage WAS In a frame build
ing adjoining the bottling works and
the Elmer home and that tho house
aud plant were saved from destruc-
ton was due entirely 10 the very ef-
I ficiont work of tho officers and men Of
Engine Companies Nos. s, s and Truck
ycs ?. This was the first time the
new truck was brought into actual
service since its arrival IN this city
/ last week.
/ a Negro wash woman employed by
/ the Ebners was at work IN a shed at
/ the rear OF the house when she saw
the flames shooting UP inside the
garage and ran into the house TO give
tho alarm. Engine Company No. .,
was called, but as soon as il arrived
! the iiremen realized the blaze was
moro than they could cope with single
handed so they called headquarters
and asked for help. An alarm from
box No. So at Fourth and Scott streets
was sent In from police headquarters
land Engine Coz .,any No. 5 and Truck
.l / ne fCT 20. tho
There was a strong wind blowing al
tho time and the firemen were handi-
capped by the intense cold. They found
the frame structure practically .
seeihing mass OF flames. The twC
Autocar delivery trucks were storet
In the garage and could not be reach.
ed. They were completely destroyed
The extra tires and accessories burn
cd were used FOR repairs TO the com
pany's delivery trucks.
About 20 minutes before the fire wa
discovered an empioye had gone {,
tho garage TO get one of the truck
which needed repairing and tako !
10 another garage, and as far as 4
known he was the only man who hat
been about the premises today. Their
was no sign OF fire about tho plac
then.
The firemen managed 10 coniine tn
flames TO the building where they ha'
originated. but It was only by har
work that they prevented the flame
from Spreading TO tho residence OF III
. Ebners and the bottling plant proper
. Yesterday morning about s.3
o'clock, the men OF Engine Compan
: les Nos. and s, and of Truck Com
pany No. 3, were called from thei
warm beds by an alarm from box y,
! &c., at Maryland avenue and Ceda
! streets When they arrived there the
: could find no trace OF a fire and no on
!. In the vicinity who would admit hay
ing sent in an alarm. They conclude
: IL had been a false alarm and return
: cd TO quarters.
y slight fire, caused by a defectiy
fiue was discovered early last eyenin
/, at the homo OF George Johnson, Z
: Gil Christana street. Engine Con
= pany No. 5 responded 70 local alarl
and oxtinguished the blaze before III
house was damaged to any extent.
Yesterday afternoon about o'cloc
Engine Company No. was called
the North Brandywine Park whel
1 they found fire raging in the di
leaves and underground. 1t is sur
/ posed 70 have been started by som,
) Ione carelessly throwing lights
i match into the dry grass. The I'll
IS had burned over wide area before Il
Is ifeipen were called They eatinguisl
d ID the hiszo befors the flames cou
reach any buildings.