Evening star., 1927-12-02

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proposed to go before the Commission
ers this afternoon and advocate that
the regulation be changed so as to
gtipulate transformers instead of dry
batteries.
No Estimate Of Loss.
Neither w. B. Coffman. manager
of the apartment house, which was
purchased a week ago by John II.
Harwood. or Fire Marshal l.. B. Seib
could estimate the total damage this
morning.
His apartment escaped damage,
although it adjoins an apartment oc'
cupied by DR.. James Taylor McClena-
han, which was practically ruined
when the roof fell in the living room.
An apartment across the hall, Occu'
pied by NJ. A. Robinson, was badly
damaged and Mrs. Robinson had a
narrow escape when blazing section
Of the roof caved in over the kitchen
just as she left the room. the debris
missing her by few feet. Except
for the apartments leased by DR.. Nc.
Clenahan and Mr. Robinson, other
apartments were not damaged badly.
although water trickled into many of
them.
Responding to the first alarm, Bat.
TALON Chief A. &. Buscher sent in two
additional alarms, fairly choking the
streets with fire apparatus and block
ing traffic on the Mount Pleasant line
Of the Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Co. Firemen were handicapped
in their work by lines Of automobiles
parked on both sides of the Quarry
road, on the side of the burning build
ing nearest the fire. Fire Chief
George S. Watson responded on the
third alarm and took active charge of
the work.
Homes Shelter Refugees.
The Calvert Apartment, 1873 Co.
lumbia road. became a refugee sta
ton as thinly clad refugees sought
shelter i'm its lobby. Others were wei.
coined into neighboring houses. For
hours after the fire had been eXtin-
guished the corridors of the b1ilding
shoveling debris from the apartments
damaged by the two sections of the
roof which caved in.
Motor Cycle Officer w. II. Buchanan
Of No. 10 precinct saw the smoke
just as the elevator operator was tele.
phoning in the alarm. He ran into
the building and assisted several per-
sons to safety. So dense was the
smoke that he was forced to wet
towel and wrap it around his face to
escape suffocation.
Mr.. and Mrs. Herbert Gutman. &C.
cupants Of apartment 35. ran from
the building through the smoke, each
carrying cage containing a canary.
Mr.. Gutman said that they were
reused just in time to escape "being
suffocated." He was glad to tell of
the early morning scene when the fire
was discovered. but warned reporters
don't you ridicule my canaries"
Children Serve Coffee.
The birds appeared bit groggy
from the smoke, but revived after
they had been carried to safety in he
Calvert. Children of the neighbor-
hood acted as volunteer messengers.
taking hot coffee to some of the fire.
men and policemen who were drench.
ed and cold
When the accident occurred at
Sixteenth and L streets the fire ap-
paratus was proceeding south on Six
teenth street with it's siren screaming.
AS 1t reached u street the traffic
lights were yellow. The driver at
tempted to cross. Robinson driving
the other car east on U street also
thought he could get across before
the lights changed.
Both machines swung around and
their sides crashed together. The en-.
gine skidded all the way across Six.
teenth street and up on the corner Of
the sidewalk on the southeast corner
Of the intersection and went sideways
between two trees. One Of the trees
sheered off the back end of the ladder,
and as the engine came to rest it's
radiator was jammed into the other,
making it a difficult task to remove
it without cutting down one of the
trees.
Robinson's car was left in the mid
die of Sixteenth street, just south Of
the intersection.
Lieut.. McNerhany and Keane were
thrown to the ground when the en-
gine slid against the trees. keane hit
one Of the trees, the impact breaking