Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-01-02
FIRE DESTROYS
ENTIRE ST OCK
.VULCANIzINC co.
Harry's Vulcanizing Shop and
Hays & Sons Plumbing and
Electrical Shop Quilted by
Flames Today

All the stock in Harry'S vulranizinE
Shop and IN the shop uf HAYS A Sons.
electricians and plumbers. was destroyed
this morning ~ fire which started at
I:30 o'clock and cleaned out the inside
Of the building before il was extin-
guished.
The Brownsville fire department was
on hand promptly after the alarm had
been turned In A. the flames increased
with burning gasoline. the firemen rushed
20 the main on the corner Of Eleventh
and l.evrr and Ia few minutes had
four lines of water on the flames. A
steady stream of water continued to be
thrown ON the flames through the fcur
lines until they were brought under con
troll. when two lines had 10 be turned
off on account Of insufficient water
ia the mains.
The fire was started by pipe to
the vulcanizcr breaking When The pipe
broke IL started throwing stream .f
flame which grew until the fire became
general and the tires and gas caught
fire. Luckily there was little gasoline in
the shop although there II shs station
in the front part of the building. the
Walton Service Station. All accessories
were removed from this part of the
building. although IL was not damaged
The fire force under Fire Chief Weller
and Captain Walker. did efficient work
In cTtinsuishing the flames with mini
mum damage 10 the building. as the
fire was brought nndrr control before ID
damaged all parts ~ the building
Hays 4 Sons lost his personal be-
Ionging< in his room above the shop.
The only thing III this shop covered ~
insurance was Slnall sfcf.k Of lamps.
Total property loss including rhe stock
and building il estimated al 5000. The
| tiro and accessory stock in Harry's
Nulranixins Store WAS valued nr &y.JuO-
Mr.. IIo!loweIl. owner of the stock. said
this mcrins that he had mo- insurance ON
the tires and other material and will
suffer a loss Of this amount. Hays'
4 Sons lost property valued M $1,000
on which there was me- insurance. and
the estimated damage 10 the building
- 500 whirh was not covered nv in
s,irance. The builflinK' belongs 10 Dr.
W. +. Spivey and II. L. KownISki.
An automobile belonging to Sergeant
Hcsldcman of Fort Ero~n which hnd
been left In the vulcanizinx shop for
repairs. was also destroyed
Telephone Cable Burned.
Two OF the inain Telephone cables.
one carrying 2nO lines and the other
~ lines. were burned III two Nv the
flames. and 80 phones we're put out of
commission When The cable was burned
practically every fuse IA the local switch
board was blown out. putting, all telc-
phones In the city out Of commission for
few minutes. A big supply or fuses
was ON hand. and the blown fuses were
soon replaced.
q. H. TAFT. manager ~ the local ex-
change. announced that cable and cable
repair men. -.ho were working INV Harl-
ingen. started to work Immediately splic-
ing the cable and making other repairs.
The work will hc rushed with nIl puSS-
ible speed and the telephone servire
will be restored by $50 Wedncrday
night. Many ~ the business houses. NV
well as many residences south Of Eliza
beth street bad their phone service cut
of. bur other parts ~ the city are NOT
affected.
May Put up New Building.
The building In which the fire occurred
sustained damages amounting 10 about
500. according 40 estimates. IN IN one
Of the oldest buildings In the city. hay-
ing been erected in the 'tils. and DIR.
Spivey. one ~ the owners. stated rli.
morning that he cruId not state defin-
itcly whether the hnildinE would be rr-
paired Or new building rrr,ted It IN
located on one cf the best corners IA
the city. aud Dr. Spivey expresSedf the
opinion that modern business bniIknE
on the site would prove a good invesr
ment.