Evening star., 1924-01-27
High Wind and Frigid Tenn
perature Make Flames on
Midland Difficult to Control.
Water Front Threatened.
suPERsTRUcTURE OF SHIP
COMPLETELY DESTROYED
Gas Explosion Wrecks Corner of
Building-Macales:::2: lowed to
Safety in River-U. S. Owns
Structure, But Is Protected by
Insurance.

Threatening Washington's water
front, fire last night swept the Nor
folk and Washington steamer Mid
land, totally destroying her super
structure, wrecked the company Of
hces and burned dock and warehouse
to the waters edge.
Before ice-sheathed firemen had
checked the ravages of the flames
100000 damage had been caused, it
was unofficially estimated.
Man battled against natures ele-
ments-wind and fre-and came out
badly SCARED victor, because the
wind happened to lull at fortunate
moment when eyes were turning in
every direction to see whether the
billows of sparks had yet ignited
surrounding property.
Firemen Risk Lives.
Firemen risked their lives in the
building, as thousands of persons
viewed the battle. Before the fight
was won FIVE alarms had been rung,
bringing out fifteen engines with &C
companying truck and fuel COM
panies. -
The fire started on the dock about
z o'clock. William Jack, watchman,
discovered 1t. after 1t had gained
much headway. He turned In the
first alarm. With three others he
unmoored the Midland from the dock
and the little Firefighter, the river
craft of the fire department, sought
to tow the Midland into the stream.
This was where nature interposed
the first obstacle. The tide was so
low, the ship grounded and couldn't
be moved
Flames Leap to Ship.
Meanwhile fire had jumped from
the dock to the steamer, and before
the engines could get hose into play.
it was licking the port side just
abaft of midship and sending its
tongues into the inner portions of the
boat, William Jack and Jack Hart
were aboard attempting to stop the
fire when they were trapped by the
flames. A sixty-five-foot ladder was
rtgged up at the bow and they were
taken. off, the former suffering Sc
verely from the smoke.
Water came in feeble streams and
. looked like toy sprinklers playing on
2 mountainous bonfire. 'Yank" Sui
livan. deputy chief. and James Keli-
her, First battalion chief, went to
the rear and organized the fight from
that angle. George Watson. chief.
directed operations from the front.
Before half an hour had elapsed
fifteen engine companies had been
hooked up and thirty streams of
water were playing On the flames.
Wind Was Bad Factor.
= Meanwhile, the wind was sweeping
along at a furious rate, from the
northwest-the worst possible direc-
tion. 1t took the fire and threw It
from the dock to the steamer and on
tho steamer to, its most inaccessible
portions. It picked up sparks and
sent them swirlins across the sky to-
ward the steamer Charles Manchester.
The sparks carried blocks. They
lit on q house on 9Th street and called
an engine company away to put out
an incipient blaze. The police tug
finally towed the Manchester we'll out
into the channel. and a private yacht,
The Courier, with a few awnings
ablaze, was also taken out Of the
danger zone.
r A Gordon of firemen with lines were
placed between the Norfolk boat and
the adjoining; eastern property, to
stop any spread by sparks.
On the Charles Macalester's wharf,
Arthur Barr. helping to cut the
steamer loose, slipped on the ice and
was pitching toward the river when
he was caught by c. Bowman. 3as M
street southwest. and Elmer Garner
of 623 NJ street southwest. Aided by
Policeman M. D. Smith OF the fourth
precinct. they dragged him back TO
safety.
Explssisn In Building.
Then the northeast corner OF the
company's building blew out in an
explosion. Luck had placed nremen
in positions out Of danger. None was
hurt. Gas escaping from fixtures
since IL was impossible to stop It at
the msin-had collected.
Still another thrill came later. A
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