FIRE FIEND ON RAMPAGE

Twenty-Three Cottages in East Dallas Destroyed

TOTAL LOSS OF ABOUT $75,000

One Lady and Several Firemen Prostrated by Heat.

Blaze Raged for Two Hours

John Clark

June 24, 1902

The fire demon made his appearance in East Dallas this morning at 11 o’clock and left a blight upon every place he visited. Happy and smiling homes were converted into a charred and smoking waste over a block in extent; property worth, probably $75,000 went up in smoke and heat and over one hundred people are homeless. Nearly one-fourth if a hundred homes were burned and residences that were handsome enough for anybody to live in were speedily converted into ashes.

Nobody knows exactly how the blaze began but it commenced vigorously and rapidly grew in intensity. A high wind was blowing and it fanned every blaze into a white heat and converted the whole into a seething, roaring, crackling, sizzling mass that made the near approach of a human being extremely hazardous. Brave fireman worked with their hose lines in the fierce heat that beat upon them and more that one member of the department had to be carried away by his comrades.

Once or twice it looked like the fire department would have to call for help elsewhere. The wind grew stronger at intervals and the water pressure was light. All this time the flames were devouring all that stood in their way. It was an awful scene. A thick black smoke rose over all that portion of the city and very alarming reports came to the people down town. The water pressure finally began to brace up. The fireman responded to this encouragement with alacrity and an hour and a half after the call to do battle with the flames the line of fire was broken and the tired firemen were enabled to take life easier. The conflict, while it lasted was one of the worst the Dallas Fire Department has had to wage in months.

One of the fairest sections of a splendid residence district has only its heated real estate left. Homes, out-houses, fences are gone. The fire was on of the worst the city has had in many months.

THE INJURED

• B. McCullough, fireman central company, struck in left ear by stream of water with 100 pounds of pressure and overcome by heat.
• Chief Magee overcome by heat, serious.
• Tom Hurley, captain No. 1, overcome by heat.
• Chas Scoville, overcome by heat.
• Arthur Caufman, fireman overcome by heat.
• John Clark, driver central chemical engine, exhausted and thought to be seriously injured.
• -----------Ramsey, fireman, overcome by heat.
• Will Spur, fireman overcome by heat and left foot badly burned.
• Mrs. S. E. Carnaban, who was attempting to remove some household goods from her home on Simpson street, fell in her yard overcome by heat and was carried out by neighbors. She remained unconscious for an hour or more.
• Captain Frank Bennet of the East Dallas station, was also overcome, but was revived and was able to assist in fighting the flames.

The fire originated in the house belonging to G. H. Munckton, at 153 Simpson street, which was just being completed and is supposed to have been started on the roof where tinners were at work. The flames, fanned by a strong south breeze, soon leaped to the home of George Curran, which was quickly a mass of flames. Before the department could arrive, the T. Beddoe property at the southeast corner of Haskell and Simpson streets was in flames. Chief Magee’s then soon had several lines playing on the three houses, but the flames seemed to eat up the water and in spite of their hard work, the fire spread to Mrs. B. H. Nelson’s house adjoining on the south side of Simpson street. From there, it continued in its course east on the south side of the street, totally destroying the home in the following order: Mrs. L. L. Davenport, W. J. Fife, Chas S. Swindell, John Clifford, and Mrs. M. B. Goode.

The fireman who were fighting the flames on Simpson street were forced to retreat on account of the extreme heat and fight the flames from the side. It was not long before H. Hill’s house at 243 Simpson, was ablaze and Mr. Nabors’ home adjoining was soon in flames. A stream of hose was turned from the burning buildings on the house and the fire there was soon subdued.

Further down the street where the fireman were unable to work, owing the extreme heat, the flames leaped across the property owned by Mrs. Virginia Lipscomb, at 251 Simpson street, and continued down the street, burning in the following order the houses of: Mrs. John M. Bramlett, Thomas H. Watson, H. N. Bartlett, C. I. Evans, Jr., A. E. Carnahan, john M. Grant, and J. B. Schuler. At the corner of Simpson and Peak streets, the flames leaped across the street to the home of J. R. Rupard, totally destroying it. More than a half a block away, the inhabitants on Victor street were forced to organize themselves into a bucket brigade and protect their homes from the flames and much property was saved in this way. The homes of G. S. Nash and Ollie Lowery were saved by the neighbors passing buckets up to the roof where others put out the burning embers.

The property of R. E. Williams at the corner of Peak and Victor streets caught from the sparks from the Lipscomb fire and soon spread north on the west side of Peak street. Chief Magee sent a reel from the Simpson street fire to take care of the blaze, but the heavy wind soon shed the flames down the street and destroying four houses, the owners of whom are named in the order in which they were burned:

William E. Love, J. L. Lewis, the Fetzer place, and Grant C. Smith. The last embers were put out at the last mentioned place. The fire was prevented from spreading further by a wide lot between the homes of Mr. Smith and C. B. Anderson, at the corner of Peak and Murray streets.

The members of the fire department fought like fiends to subdue the flames, but in spite of their efforts and the quantity of water used, the strong south breeze carried things beyond their control and the water seemed of no avail. Time and again a fireman was dragged out, revived, and went back into the heat and smoke again. Ever department in the city was out, with the exception of No. 4 engine company, which was left to protect the down town district.

Several lengths of hose were burned on Peak street and a reel was dispatched to the central station for more hose. The fireman were greatly assisted by the people in the community who lent the mevery aid in their power.

During the height of the big flagration alarms came in from boxes 16, Ross and Lamar, and S54, Hickory and Central. The men of engine company No. 4 started to both places but were stopped without reaching either. The fires in both instances were inconsequential and put out with buckets of water that were at hand.

CITY HALL INTERESTED.

All the city officials were deeply interested in the big fire. Secretary R. R. Nelms of the water department drove out to the scene and was present to give information about the water pipes and to assist in other ways.

At one time it was feared at the city that the fire had gotten beyond the control of the department. Mayor Cabell remained in his office till the "out" taps came and was ready to summon assistance from Fort Worth in case help should be needed. He sent a message to Chief Magee telling the head of the fire department to let him know the exact situation. Chief Magee answered that the department would stop it.

"Every four inch main must be replaced with a larger one before the fireman can work satisfactorily and effectively in East Dallas or those people who live in that part of the city can’t get the water they deserve." Said Mayor Cabell. "The men who had those pipes put down may have worked energetically, but they did not work wisely. The sooner the people of Dallas learn that these small water mains must be replaced, the better it will be for all of us."

Fire Fighters monument is supposed to be in his likeness.