The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-04-23

District Engines Help Fight
Forest Fires-Lo Is Esti-
mated at $3.50. 900.

City fire fighters have brought
under control the series of forest
fires that threatened several
dwellings in Maryland last night
and that would have endangered
the lives of many and destroyed
property worth thousands of dol
lars.
Because Of the lack Of water
the firemen had to black fire"
the outbreak to check its course.
At times the flames, when they
came into contact with dry foliage
on the trees, shot over 100 feet
in the air. g
Defeats 20 Mile Gale.
When Capt. H. w. .Lusby, Of
Engine Company No. is, arrived
with his men at Berwyn Heights
he found the home Of Thomas j.
Murphy, who conducted q chicken
farm at the place, in flames. Be
cause of the long distance the city
fire fighters had 10 travel the blaze
had made good Roadway and the
house was practically destroyed
when the company arrived.
Seeing that In was impossible TO
save Murphy's home, Captain LUIS
by gave orders to save the other
buildings that were threatened.
Summoning several residents to aid
his men, the captain ordered that q
section Of the forest be burned and
then beaten out. When the flames
were carried on forty mile gale to
the barren section the fire ceased.
About 1880 acres were involved
in the fire and damage to the timber
will run into thousands Of dollars.
Murphy's home was valued at $4,000.
The city men were aided by the
volunteer companies from Mount
Rainier, Hyattsville, Riverdale and
Cottage City.
Children Prove Heroic.
Shortly after No.. Is Engine Com
pany was summoned, No. "a Engine
Company was requested to aid fight
fire that started in the woods at
Landover. The fire was caused by
the onrush Of the blaze from Ber-
wyn Heights. For time the flames
swept along the Edmonston road in
Prince Georges county.
When it was found that Murphy's
house was doomed, two children
moved furniture and valuable pa
pers. Their parents were absent
from the house when the blaze
started.
Homes endangered belonged to
Capt. Charles T. Peck, Of the Sec
ond precinct, w. H. Schrom and
James T. Murphy.
Although the flames swept about
sixteen square miles, no one was
injured.
Suffer in Big Blaze.
Early Sunday morning fire swept
the w. A. Pierce Lumber Com
pany's plant at Sixth and Rhode
Island avenue northeast, destroying
3 zoo, 900 feet of lumber. Thirty
four horses also persisted. The DAM
age was estimated at $35O.000.
Suffering from exhaustion, over
come by smoke and bruises and
SCARED by falling timbers, the fol-
lowing firemen from the Pierce
blaze were treated at Emergency
Hospital: Walter Imboden, Fort
Myer, Va; Harvey Smith, 1895 Pros
pect avenue northwest; John Josin-
onsky, 631 G street northeast; AL
phonzo Upperman, 314 K street
northeast; Leroy Rollins, 1859 X
street southeast; Capt. Harry D.
Burch, GIG Twenty-second street
northwest.
After treatment they returned
home. Mansford Daggert, iii
Sixth street northwest; Noah Brad
ford, Brentwood, Md. Morris Muir
ply, 81 Seaton street northwest; Os-
car Anderson, 38 Newton street, Mt.
Rainier, Md, and Ernest Ruffner,
631 G street northeast, were forced
to remain at the hospital.
Fire Marshal Seib today is con-
Quoting an investigation to deter
mine the cause of the blaze.