Evening star., 1945-01-12
boy,4,Is Dead,
Damage Heavy
In Area Fires
Soldiers Rescue Effort
Foils at SuitIond;
Families Homeless

Families Homeless
-Four fires in the Metropolitan
Area in less than "a hours resulted
IN the death of 4-year-old boy. left
several families homeless and caused
extensive property damage,
The child was burned to death
late yesterday when a $4,000 fire
swept a four-unit apartment build
Ing in the Governments Garry
Houses development at Suitland,
Md. Three families were left with
out homes by the blaze, which was
started by small children playing
with matches.
In another fire this morning, nine
women and children were driven to
the street and a quantity of cloth
ing was burned when a building at
4zO H street NE, housing branch
once OF the Howard, Cleaners and
Launderers, was destroyed.
Ten Escape Injury.
A family of 10 escaped injury at
Silver Hill, Md, this morning when
the combination frame storehouse
and dwelling in which they lived on
the property of the District Sand &
Gravel Co. was leveled by flames.
An overheated furnace in an
Office building at 90l G street NV.
last night caused a fire in the
JeWelry store owned by Moses
Wurtzburger. Smoke swept through
the rest OF the building, but the
flames were confined to the store.
The boy killed in the Suitland
nre was Milton Adison "Teedie''
Barham, Jr., son of Seaman (first
class and Mrs. Milton A. Barham.
1926 Spring street. The child and
a sister, Sandra, 2, had been left in
care OF neighbor, Pvt. Lawrence E.
Glorius, 43l6 Spring street, while
MRS. Barham accompanied Mrs.
Glorius to the Camp Springs (Md.) }
Army Air Base Hospital.
Pvt. Glorius, home on a seven
oay 1urlough, suffered a shoulder
burn and cuts in a vain attempt
10 rescue the child. He said his own
cnlloren, Walter, S, and Lawrence
$, and the Barham boy had gone to
the Barham apartment to play. Both
Glorius boys said the children had
been playing with matches and that
a living room chair had ignited.
Heard Neighbor Scream.
When he heard a neighbor scream
Fire" Pvt. Glorius rushed ont of
his own home and saw the adioin-
ing building in flames. He found
the front door locked. He tried
TO enter, but was driven back
by the smoke and heat. He cut
his shoulder when he broke a he'd.
room window in an attempt tc
enter the house.
The Glorius children had run safe
~ out OF the blazing building. The
Dooy OF the Barham boy was found
later In the bathroom. The Prince
Georges. County Chapter of the Red
Gross today sent a message to the
father Of the child, who is some
Wnere In Re Pacific. -a /.
3 More than. dozen FIRE engine
companies fought the blaze, and 25o
enlisted men Of the Nays HYDRO
graphic Oflce nearby were sent to
the scene to assist In saving life in
case the FIRE spread to other build
ings in the deyelopment.
Left hs6nslsss by the fire were
Mrs. Barham and her three other
children. Barbara, 10, and Harry. g.
who were at school. when the fire
broke out, and Sandra, and Mrs
Barhams sister, Doris Erwin. IA
VINO was at the Surrattsville High
School in Clinton.
Also Mr.. and Mrs. John G. Gates
1928 Spring street, and their four
children, Robert, 16; James. 6; Iris
4, and William, 2. Visiting the Gates
was Mrs. Evelyn Bryan, Buis Greek
N. G. Mr.. and Mrs. Samuel Gan
nett, 1924 Spring street, and their
three children, Albert, 6; Diane. 4
and Paul, 2. The fourth unit in the
apartment was vacant.
No one was injured in the two.
alarm fire at 420 H street NE, but
the three-story building was vir.
tually destroyed.
Mrs. Daisy Cooke occupied the
rear part of the first floor with her
three children, Ronald, 10: Joyce
Jean, 8, and Thurlie Dan, ir., 1s
months. Her sister-in-law, Mrs,
Dorothy Cooke, n, also lived with
the family.
Driven Into Street.
Four women in the building next
door, at 418 H street NE. were
driven to the street by smoke. They
were Miss Betty Hams, 25; Mrs.
Dorothy Jarvis. %; Mrs. Blanche
Thompson, "a, and Mrs. Helen
Helms.
Mrs. Julia Lind, %, of 1924 1 street
NE, manager of the cleaning es-
adjustment, said four or five racks
OF finished clothes and several bum
dies OF clothes that had not vet
been cleaned were destroyed.
In the Silver Hill fire, John South
ara, an employe of the sand and
gravel company, his wife and eight
chlldren lost their home in the blaze.
Other employees of the company
heiped the Southards save their
children.
Company officials estimated dam
age at $4,000. Five volunteer fire de-
partments were summoned to fight
the fire.
D. c. Employees to Work