Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1924-07-15
$500 DAMAGE
Done BY FIRE
MONDAY NIGHT
Flames Kept From Spreading
To Other Residences by
Excellent Work OF Fire De-
pariment OF City

More than sl 900 worth OK clothing
furniture and ether personal belongings
and perhaps some priceless family heir
looms were destroyed last night wv "
spectacular blaze which rutted the sec-
und story of TAX two-stors frame build
inr at sos Jefferson street. with the
total damage estimated at $3b00. Part
nf the roof was burned orr also No In
sIrance was carried. according w the
owner. w. FariaH, locsl merchant
whose four sisters, the MISSES Laura
Maria. Refuaia and Guadalupe Farius
lived at The house. The house IA about
eight ytars Oid. Mr.. Farias said and will
prrbahiy IVY restored. The lower floor
WAS not damaged except NV water which
poured in from the upper story where
all four bedrooms and the hallway were
totally demolished strong box con
tainng valuable documents was saved.
Caused III Gasoline
The fire broke out i'm mn upper bed
room about $3.50 o'clock when Hiss Ma
rim opened bottle VI gasoline in or
rcl wv refill y pressing iron. The fumes
from thc gasoline hottie rose to
nearby candle and were ignited The
explosion shot flames in every direction.
slightly burned Miss Muria's right hand,
and sct fire to solu bedrlothes. Miss
Maria attempted WY cxtinraish the blaze
with water. ana by smothefina the ris-
ing fiamas with n carpet but the fire
not beyond her reach with leaps which
soon spread to the vanished walls. Miss
Farias rushed down stairs screaming.
Her sisters had hy that time begun 70
remove the contents of The rooms and In
/ few moments. neiahhors who heard the
creaminE rushed i'm to assist. The alarm
was turned in frcr the residence vi y.
O. Tarsell. 9o7 jefferson street. bringing
out all the Brownsville fire trucks and
tAc Fort Brown equipment
Burns Nearly An Hour
Thousands of gallons VI water pump
WI fur nearly an hour from about 1910
feet w pipe. stretched in five lines. fail
ed to save the upper story, but confin-
ei thu flames so that not even n spark
spread to The cluster 0l six frame hous-
cs which surrounded the Farias resi-
lpuce Firemcn were delayed IN placing
she first line through detecting curb
ing that prevented the attaching Of the
pipe KIP tre fire plug until the cement
u
,mokt rolled from the elusive flames
that continued to break cut in scattered
parts of Thereof and upper story. After
forty AXE minute steady stream from
The pipes the fire was dead. except in
tho center MI the roof. This shoulder
ing was cxtinguished aboue five minutes
later.
Great Excitement
Residents of the houses dangerously
clustered about the Farias residence
franticaliv began to NOV. their belong
ings into wards. vacant lots ana w the
sidewalks after thc Flames HAD struck
the roof and had risen il an immense
fire cloud When the fire was about 2o
minutes old. the sidewalks were lit-
tered with btds mattresses. chairs and
\ scores of shcctgd bundles wv personal
belongings Books were strewn about
nearby yards and one man in the house
adjoining the burning one had his piano
rollci out.
\ 1hc whole ncirhhorh0od was in state
of high excite vent which was augment
Y rd IVY the shrieking and yelling of sew
rral score volunteers who assisted the
fiie Ten in lifting and strengthening the
\ heavy firchose. The Fnrias house IN see.
ord from the Ninth street corner 0ppo-
site the grammar school. One woman
with two suitcaSes and 4 large bundle
rushed rom \ nciehboring house IN her
/ niEhtclothes " covered only hy a short
K jacket. Several children ran out in un-
\ derwcar A boy at VI house four doors
Y from the Farias home turned the garden
house wv the walls WY his residence ana
thoroughly soaked them. About ZOO per-
sons thronGad the grammar school
grounds Police kept the crowds well
hack of the fire lines The Fort Brown
equip ent arrived shortly after Chief
Weller and The Brownsville firefighters
had attached the first line.