The Washington times., 1923-02-16
WAREHOUSE: Fire
Loss IS OVER
100000
Cigarette Stump Likely Cause
Of Peoples Drug Blaze,
Says Fire Marshal.

Fire Marshal Seib, after q pre-
liminary investigation into the fire
which last night Quilted the ware.
house OF the Peoples Drug Com.
oany at 1922 First street northeast
and for a time threatened to de-
stroy a row Of thirty small houses
adjoining the building on Decatur
street, today declared that damage
would run between 100000 and
$500, 900.
The fire, which Marshal Seth de-
clares originated In the cellar and
probably from q cigar or cigarette
eft In the Mushroom, was one Of
he most, stubborn the department
1as been called upon to fight IN
many months.
Three Men I'm Hospital.
Three firemen are in the hos
,ital, two as the result Of injuries
It the fire. Private I. G. Keppler,
Il No. II engine In BroolSland; ID
n Casualty Hospital. He feil OFF q
adder last night and injured his
side. Doctors believe one OF his
ribs may be broken. Private q. G..
MoxIey, Of No. engine company,
near Seventeenth and u streets. IL
1t Casualty suffering with q
bruised knee. A ladder fell on him
asst night. Doctors plan to X-ray
The knee today.
Fireman 3. L. Mothershead, thirty
five years old. Of No. II company.
was removed this morning to
Emergency Hospital. He was sud-
denly taken i'll while In the dormi-
tory of the engine house, and his
condition became so serious that
the hospital ambulance was sum-
moned. His condition 10 not thought
20 be serious.
Cold Hampers Fight.
The heavy winds and bitter cold
made the fire fighting difficult
last night. The warehouse, @ two.
story brick structure, today IL q
mass Of ruins.
The contents drugs, oils, chem
icals, toilet articles-Were destroyed.
It was not until late hour this
morning that the last engine COM
pany returned to it's quarters. The
cellar Of the warehouse today Il
flooded with water.
Two sections of hose broke last
night. One section 10 said to have
been run over by o street car. The
hose broke while firemen were pour
ing streams of water into the build
Ing, handicapping the firefighters.
Water Pressure Low.
Acting Chief Andrew J. Sullivan
declared today that the low water
pressure made the fire fighting
the hose could hardly send water
to the second story Of the ware
house.
Four alarms were turned In last
night, but as engine companies re-
sponded to each alarm and utilised
the water service the force Of the
water through the hose became less
powerful. In some instances only
the first floor could be reached with
some Of the hose.
Discovered BY Nightwatch.
The fire was discovered last night
shortly before z o'clock by Irving
r. HaslSins. Mt. Rainier, Nd, the
night Waterman. Haskins reported
for duty to relieve D. w. Martin.
Of 414 N street northwest. Martin
left the building and HaslSins went
to q clothes closet to hang up his
hat and coat.
Hasl<in declares that as soon as
he opened the closet door he saw
smoke coming up from the cellar.
He rushed to a lunch room next
door and called Martin. Martin
and Haskin returned to the ware
house and Martin sought entrance
to the office to telephone an alarm.
Dense smoke, however, prevented
him from getting into the office.
In the meantime, William Hup-
pert, an employee Of a lunch room
in an adjoining building, and who
lives at 318 New York avenue
northwest, rushed to a fire box
and sounded an alarm.
When the first fire apparatus ar
rived the entire building was filled
with smoke and the blaze was
gradually spreading upward. Sec
ond and third alarms were sounded
Immediately after the arrival of the
first apparatus.
Acting Chief Andrew J. Sullivan,
who responded when the second
alarm was recorded. directed the
fire fighting. He reached the build
ing a few minutes afr o'clock
and Immediately ordered a fourth
alarm struck.
BY 7:15 the fire had spread over
the entire building. The roof was
engulfed in flames and the blaze
could be seen for many miles.
Apparatus crowded the street car
trucks, holding up car service for
more than two hours.
Low water pressure Handicapped
the department. In several instances
1t was necessary to have some lines
cut off in order to get sufficient
pressure on those kept in use.
An adjoining warehouse building,
owned by Peoples Drug Company.
in the rear was threatened for q
time. This building adjoins thirty
houses. Firemen fought valiantly
to prevent the blaze from spreading,
q heavy wind making their job a
difficult one. They, however, man.
aged to confine the fire to the build.
ing in which it originated.
1t was not until after 9 o'clock
that Chief Sullivan ordered the
companies who responded on the
fourth alarm to return to their sta
tons.
The greater part of the roof caved
in after the fire had been blazing
about two hours. The heavy, thick
walls, however, stood up. Failing