The Daily Alaska empire., 1946-07-08
SHIP AGENTS FAMILY FLEE5 VIA WINDOWS
Gueker and Adams Lose Homes in Two Alarm
 Blaze Offices Damaged

Alaska Steamship Company American Railway Express and Alaska Dock and Storage Company offices here were severely damaged yesterday forenoon when explosion and fire turned the north end of the Alaska Dock building into a ! blackened shambles. Almost completely destroyed were the apartments of broker J. w. ,, Gucker and Alaska Line Agent Horace o. Adams, located above the offices. Gucker, who with his two sons, Jack, Jr., and Jerry. was at his Point Louisa cabin when the fire struck, saved only the old clothes he was wearing and several firearms which were in a closet and escaped the direct wrath of the flames, Several of the guns were charred, and all were wetted, how ever.
 Destroyed by the fire were Gucker's extensive collections of na- tive ivory carving and basketware. He estimates his loss of personal goods at several thousand dol- lars-about half-covered in insur- ance.
 Oil Furnace Explosion Originating in an oil furnace ex- plosion, the fire spread rapidly. MT. and Mrs. Adams and their daughter Louise. asleep in their apartment, found their way to the only stairway already flame blocked immediately after MT. Adams had been awakened by smoke After phoning in the alarm. the Adams family saved some clothing. throw ing it out findows through which they made their escape.
 Horace Adams. Jr., also residing with the family, had risen early to go to work and was not present when the fire came. The Adams family is now staying temporarily at the home of MT. and Mrs. N. J. Bavard
 Second Alarm
 Called out at 9:45 o'clock with a second 2-5 alarm sounded a few minutes later, the Juneau Volunteer Fire Department, assisted by a fire crew from the Support under Will jam Niederhauser, carried on an exceptionally effective battle and shortly past II o'clock had the fire under control, with only mopping up of isolated flame pockets re- maining.
 Searfng Flames The main, clerestory warehouse section of the dock structure was in most part saved by the able fire fighing crew, although first flash sent soaring flames the full length of the building and left roof timbers and the tops of sup porting posts in charred condition. A bit more than 50 feet of the southern end of the warehouse was hardly more than scorched. as the flames were soon confined to the closed-in north end.
 Whart. Little Damaged
 The fact that the flames were prevented from getting below the heavy deck planking is credited with saving the entire dock from destruction. A survey today show ed little damage to the wharf it. self; the superstructure only bear ing the brunt of the flames. Add ing much to the effectiveness of the fire fight was the assistance given by four boats which turned to and promptly brought heavy streams of water from their pumps to bear on the flames Three of the boats were U. s. Army craft from the Support The IT 390, ST l66 and the ST 382. The fourth of the assisting vessels was the Alaska Juneau mine tug Trojan.
 Water Damage
 Fortunate was the fact that little express or freight was in the term inal and that the major portion of it was saved with little more than water damage. The total is esti- mated at about 50 measurement tons. Unfortunate was the fact that all of the freight and boxed express had been booked for ship ment on the Alaska Line freighter Victoria, and that vessel had sailed at 10 o'clock the evening before after being prevented from loading by the longshore strike here. Other wise the dock would have been cleared of goods.
 Express Agent Roy Mulvihill ex- poets that boxed express will have suffered little, as it was in metal