Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (April 19, 1915)
14 NOXIOUS SMOKE PUTS FIREMEN IN HOSPITAL IN CONSTANT STREAM Thirty-nine Overcome While . Fighting Blake, McFall Co. Blaze, INSURANCE COVERS LOSS Plames at Pourtli and Burnsld Streets Beq.nlred Attention of Plreflgnters for Mors Than 13 Honrs. Estimated Pir SofMi. Owners or agents of the flr victims estimated their losses this morning: as follows:. The Blake, McFall company, "stock and building contents, valued at $150,000, loss covered by insurance; building owned by Hughes estate, less than $40,000; George P. Ide & Co., $30,000; Hicks-Chatten Engrav ing company. $2060; Portland Stationery and Woodenware company, $ 10,000 ;i Montague O'Reilly Contracting company, $900; W. H. Wahl Incandescent Lamp company, $25,000; West ern Dry Goods company, $2000; Marshall Field & Co., $W0; O. K. Fletcher Sales agency, $300; Kelley-Clarke company, $600; F. T. Crowe & Co., $1600; Santa Cruz Portland Cement com pany and Standard Portland Cement company, $1500. The Blake, McFall company stock insurance is carried in 13 companies, the total amount be ing $170,000, and this. President C. Smun of the company this morning said, would fully cover the loss. The W. H. Wahl Incandescent Lamp company occupied 8000 square feet on the fourth floor of the building, with a stock valued at $40,000. The loss, Mr. Wahl says, Is fully covered by insurance. The other losses are said to be fully covered. . Thirty-nine firemen were Injured or overcame by smoke and heat, some seriously, and damage, roughly esti mated at $250,000, was done by the flro of unknown origin, starting at 7 o'clock last- night, that practically wiped out. the downtown offices and storerooms of the Blake, McFall com pany, wholesale paper dealers, at Fourth and Ankeny streets. The building is a six story structure, and the flames swept through the sec ond, third and fourth stories with greatest violence. The fire reached the fifth, crept up the partitions In the sixth, but the damage on these two floors, the firemen say, was caused only by smoke, and the deluge of water In which the paper conflagration was finally drowned. . Seldom have Portland firemen had a more vicious fire to combat. Thirty nine members of the department were carried to the city emergency hospital, five in such a serious condition that their lives were only saved with-the use of the pulm'otors of the Portland Railway, Light & Power company and the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph "company. Patrolmen Discover nam. The fire was discovered by Patrol men Toung and Kllngensmlth, who saw the flames flashing past an Ankeny street window, and noticed the smoke seeping through cracks. Fire Chief Dowell arrived on the sec ond alarm, and seeing at once the seri ousness of the fire, gave orders that brought every company from the west side business district and the central east side. The spectacular fight was made from' the Ankeny street side. The street Is less than 30 feet wide, and .the firemen swarmed up a fire es cape on the building Just north, and hanging on like spiders directed 12 streams Into all the windows on the north side of the burning building, from the fifth to the second stories. Another body of firemen attacked the blaze from the south side and were successful in preventing its passage over a light court that divided- the building into two parts. Still others went to the roof and poured water Into the building. Hardly an hour after the fire started men overcome by smoke had to be brought out of the building. Down the east side fire escape about 9 o'clock the unconscious forms were handed In a constant stream. The burning paper, impregnated with ar senic to bleach it, the firemen say, caused fumes that quickly drove them to fresh air. Plremen Taken to Hotel. For a couple of hours there was a lull in casualties, and then from II o'clock, until 12:30 the limit of human endurance was reached and the real rush began. Twenty-seven men, after 11. o'clock, were either assisted to the city emergency hospital or carried there unconscious in ambulances. - A strange scene was presented at the Multnomah hotel last evening. The usual concert was being given in the main lobby, and a large crowd occupied the chairs about the musicians. The firemen were brought unconscious through the crowd and into the Blue room. Throughout the evening, the smoke victims not taken to the hospital were walked up and down in the Blue room. whi)e the crowd of concert-goes grazed through the glass doors separating the room from the lobby. At one time six firemen, supported by volunteers, were Rich as Butter- IBratter-Nelt 1 At Your SCENES FROM LAST NIGHT'S STUBBORN FIRE i- ' 'II! -. -I - - ...r.in i i, , mi- !. i- II i . ii P - -i. ' -ii ill. . fc.m ' ' ,..mw - 'th 'L&Z ' milium Zr4 t-t M (immf4 ?r . r- fl U' Gib. ll lt t-t y S til , . ; . i" : made ' to vigorously pace the floor. After 9 o clock Fire Chief Dowell directed that ambulances be kept on hand constantly, and when the smoke victims were most numerous the vehi cles were kept constantly on the run. F. E. Close, hoseman of engine 2, was the most seriously affected. He was one of the first victims, and was unconscious for hours. The pulmotor saved his life, City Physician Fred Ziegler stated. Captain Johnson of Engine 4 was also unconscious for a long time, and heroic methods with the pulmotor were necessary. Members of Crew Trapped. The Engine 2 company, led by Cap tain Hawkins, went far back into tlie third story, behind the flames, fighting to keep them from going across trie light quadrangle. There a back draft caught them, and for a while the members of this crew were trapped. Captain Hawkins was not badly af fected, but F. E. Close. James Mulhol land, W. L. Harkleroad, T. H. Cooper, J. Bannon, hoeemen. and H. B. Hatch er, driver, had to be taken to the emergency hospital. At one time early this morning only one man of Engine 2 was on duty. Three physicians, pulmotor crews, Cap$ain of Police Circle, a squad of officers and other city officials who volunteered work unceasingly until 6 o'clock this morning. Captain of Police Inskeep was on the scene until mid night. The following firemen, in addition to those from engine 2, received treat ment there: Engine 4 Captain Johnson, R. L. Chambers, Arthur Schmidt and F. Ii. McCormick. Truck 2 Captain E. L. Thompson, F. E. Piatt, Lieutenant Frank Tandle. Engine 13 Captain T. French, Fred Hoffman. J. P. Bird, Ralph Barks, W. J. Miller. Lieutenant Otto Wifel of this! company was in a serious condition)- from the smoke, but refused to go to the hospital, and received treat ment at the Multnomah hotel. Truck 3 Captain Guy Parmentei, L. E. Dudrey, E. J. Dunn. Dudrey was one! of the five men who nearly died at the emergency hospital. Engine 7 Lieutenant Day, Fred Rittnour, D. F. Bradford. Truck 4 Truckman Jack Mattes. Engine 8 Captain F. P. May fell on some glass In the darkness on the third floor and cut his hand so seriously that he will be off for two weeks. A num ber! of stitches had to be taken. He and tJ. D. Reid, Cecil Sater and Ben Gabriel were taken to the hospital. Crews Blinded by Smoke. From the crew of Engine 22, Captain A. M. Crewse was totally blinded by the smoke, and had not recovered his sight this morning. He and W. E. An derson and A. F. Reeves, hosemen, went to the emergency hospital. AH the firemen were taken from the hos pital to their headquarters or homes in police automobiles this morning. Chief Dowell, seeing that the fire was surrounded and was being slowly drowned out by the score of streams of water being poured on it, ordered all men out of the building at about 11 o'clock, and those who were sent to the hospital after that time were men who became, ill on , reaching the fresh air. O. W. Mielke, manager of the Blake- McFall company, completed arrange ments early this morning for tem porary quarters at 11 Fourth street, tnree doors nortn or the old building. The new Helntz building, on the north side of Ankeny street, between East Second and Third streets, is being con structed for the Blake-McFall company and will be occupied next fall. The Blake-McFall building was con structed in 1910 and is of heavv mill construction. It was purchased last ran Dy tne Kins g. Hughes estate, of which w. C. Alvord is the Portland agent. The Blake-McFall comoanv miff an $80,000 loss in its plant at Spokane last August, ana a. loss of $24,000 in offices and warehouse at Tacoma In December, 1913. i 18 fortunate that a woman can talk and sew at the same time. It Woulil n hud -frti EAWln. V. - lectedT w "C5" Sweet as a Nut Grocer' 3j y& 5TH9T 9 0 4-TH ST. 3 " f p 12 1 y, miCTNOMAH tc k H HOTEL I 1 lii 3 W D- T. Blake, McFall Company building, which, so far as exterior ap pearance Indicates, withstood at tack of fire without much dam age Insert shows interior view and charred stock shelves. Map at bottom shows location of fire. SIDELIGHTS ON THE FIRE Mayor II. R. Albee was there with his family and his private secretary. William H. Warren. As he had on his Sunday clothes, it was suggested that he put on a fireman's coat and helmet. Battalion Chief Stevens got the coat and helmet, and the mayor became a real fireman. In addition to providing room where the firemen overcome with smoke could be cared for, the Multnomaa hotel management served steaming coffee to the firemen. Major Brown of the Vancouver Army post was present, and gave ma terial aid to the firemen overcome with smoke. He assisted' the physi cians both at the scene of the fire and at the emergency hospital., The fire was the first Sunday blaze Chief Dowell had been to in some time. Sunday is his regular day off, but when he learned of the fire last night, it took him only a few seconds to get to the ttfene., He did not havo on firemen's clothes, however, until his suit got wet and he changed it and secured his white rubber coat and helmet. After that he was a busy man. Once a fireman, always a fireman, proved true last night. J. L. Ambrose, former member of the fire burea'i. who was recently discharged, could r't -sist the temptation to get into the fire. He borrowed a hat and coat a. .a luughi with his former compan ions on the Ankeny street side where the blaze was hottest. Finally he be came overcome with smoke, and had to be carried to the street. When re vived he went back to work again. . at In addition to the men from the Ore gon National Guard, a squad of men from the, cruiser Boston gave material assistance to the firemen. The sol diers were pressed into service to keep the crowds back. A patrolman in ci vilian clothes tried to get through the fire lines and . upon refusing to show his authority was promptly halted by a militiaman. The patrolman then ar Read Music at Ia.si! S0M Suureme I Achievement - I YOUR CHOICE of Any Style C D I? J? Sent to Your Home Absolutely V " For several days' trial. No obligations to buy. Mr. Edison wants everyone !to hear his won derful invention. Graves Music ; Go. Factory Distributers Established 1896 151 4th St., Between Morrison and Alder Sts. ON FOURTH STREET rested the soldier and took him to the police station. Captain Inskeep heard about the mistake and hurriedly got the soldier out of the police station, and then reprimanded the officer. When it was seen that the fire was to be stubborn. Chief Dowell gave or ders to bring in a line from the fire boat. Ankeny street from Fourth to the river was cleared, and the men started laying in the hose. Hardly had the water been turned on when a streetcar going down Second street ran over the hose and put It out of commission. The water had to be shut off and a new length of hose in serted. The accident caused a delay of several minutes in getting water on the fire from the fireboat. Man people do not realize what It means to be the wife of a fireman, but those who were at the scene last night can explain it now. As soon as word reached the wiyes of some of the men that the fire was serious, they hurried to the scene. Patrolmen, sol diers, civilians and doctors were be sieged with inquiries from women whose husbands were fighting the blaze. The women filled the. lobby of the Multnomah hotel and the corri dors of the emergency hospital await ing word concerning their husbands. The clanging of the ambulance bell told them that some fireman was on the way to the hospital. Many of the women were In tears most of the time. The drivers of the Ambulance Serv ice company were kept busy taking the men from the scene of the fire to die hospital. As the smoke became heavier the firemen; stumbled to the street and collapsed at the rate of one every five minutes. ; It was necessary to keep an ambulance ready all the time. Dr. H. B. Marcellus, health officer, was at the fire and assisted the over come firemen before they were taken to the hospital. City Physician Zieg ler cared for the men. at the hospital. Assistant Health Officer Beeman was there early In the evening. Doctors and patrolmen had greatest difficulty In getting the men to go td the hospital. Despite the fact that most of them were in a serious condi tion they persisted in staggering to their feet and starting back into the burning building. Many of them had to be forcibly held and placed in the ambulances. Chief Dowell had the assistance of all of his battalion chiefs. In addi tion to Assistant Chief Laudenklos. Battalion Chiefs Stevens, Holden and Young were on the. Job. The Draeger smoke helmets were much in evidence last night. They were used by firemen to get into the very center of the smoke-lad ened building and assist firemen, without helmets, who had been overcome with smoke, out .of the building. Tn jitneys and 1 streetcars did a rushing ' business carrying people to the fire.; A number, of the enterpris ing Jitney drivers put signs on their cars which read Direct to the fire.' E. G. Gustaf son, an electrician of the fire bureau, got Into the basement where the fire was raging and shut off the gas. r iNo Trouble v EFFORT TO I MPROVE GRAMMAR OF PUPILS 1 TO BE UNDERTAKEN English Teachers at Wash- 1 ington High to Hold Per-i I sonal Conferences. VERBAL METHOD IS BEST Opinion Held That Errors Pointed Out By "Word of Month Prove More Effective. A new plan is to be tried at the Washington high school to determine if the students can be taught to use proper English. An effort is to be made to answer the questions often heard: Why do so many high school students use poor grammar? Is- It the fault of the schools? : These questions have been asked by many a business man who has been surprised at the way the young grad uate, as he sets out to conquer the business .world, twists and jumbles his verbs and prepositions and phrases. Or, when he beholds the amazing sen tences he finds In his letters, the busi ness man is at a loss to understand how his new stenographer. Just out of school, spent her time during the pre ceding 12 years. The plan for improving the teach ing methods at the Washington high school is to adopt the conference sys tem. The school board voted last week to employ an additional teacher so as to give the system a trial dur ing the remainder of this term. If It proves Its worth three or four more teachers will be added to the English department next year. Individual attention to the students needing special help is the Idea to be followed. Personal War Best. "The personal conference is the only way to reach the . pupil in dividually," says Superintendent Ald erman, In an outline of the plan. "The pupils most In need of help do not appropriate to themselves and later apply the general criticism given by the teacher before the class. Henry, too often thinks that the error ap plies to 'the other fellow.' "No amount of red-inking can sub stitute for the teacher's verbal ex planation of the errors on the pupil's own theme and the direction looking toward the elimination of the errors. "More important than all else, the personal conference on the basis of the theme gives the teacher the much coveted opportunity to learn the pupil's environment, temperatment, likes and dislikes, peculiar limitations mental, moral and physical. Pupils Desire It. "By experience with this plan on a small scale, the value of It has been demonstrated to me by both the results and the testimony of the pupils who have been recommended for conference 'BEMIMBIK Four New Models Tomorrow in " Wirthmor" Waists $1 A family patent flour, milled Waists in both long and short sleeve models. Fifth floor. Sixth-St. Sldg. " " i as r-r - We cannot begin to quote prices the stock is too large, too varied and too beautiful. We simply ask that you come here tomorrow and this week Pick Out Anything You See on Display in Our Stock of Pictures. Note the Price and Cut One Half Off It! This applies to every framed or unframed Picture in stock, except those which we have already Marked at Less Than 'Half Price and on which Pictures both the regular and sale-price tickets stilly remain. Framed Pictures! Sheet Pictures! Carbons, Prints, Imported and American Hanolored Photogravures, Arto Types, Imported Color Prints, Pastels, French Prints, Platinum and hand Colored Photographs. Picture Frames! French Mirrors! MetaLFrames, Ivory, Celluloid, Gilt, Gold, Silver, Nickel Finish, Round, Oval and Square Shapes, French WILL HONOR HEAD OFFICERS - f , C J f l p i t r :i r-w k'K T I (2) 1 i (3) Left to right Dr. J. A. Rutledge, medical director, M. W. A. San atorium, Colorado Springs; F. C. Van-Galder, e,dltor of the Mod ern Woodman "Mteaslae ; S. S. Tanner, member 'head camp board of directors, M. W. A. On Saturday evening, April 24, the Modern Woodmen of America-will hold a mass meeting in honor of three of their head officers at the old Baker theatre, Eleventh and Morrison. Dr. J. A. Rutledge, "supreme medical director, will be the principal speaker and guest of honor. He is in charge of the Sanatorium at Colorado Springs, and is an authority on tuberculosis. He will supplement his lecture with a motion picture showing the famous sanatorium. S. S. Tanner, one of the by the teachers, of the department. During the past term and a half, I have personally held conferences with as many pupils as time would permit. Obviously, it has been fuite Impossible for me to see all who need it, of the total 1300 enrolled. I find the pupils eager. for the private help; indeed, they come seeking it." The plan is that each full-fledged English teacher shall take vhe time of two' out of six periods each day for personal conferences with the pupils needing them. Portland's Deaf Form Association X,ocal Branch of national Association Will Establish Imployment and Wage Plgnt on Zmposters. Tbe National Association of the Deaf established a strong local branch at a meeting in The Journal building yesterday, electing Ernest Swangren president and C. O. Linde secretary. Plans are afoot to shortly establish an employment agency for their class in and around Portland. . Among other things, the organiza tion took steps to urge greater activity on the part of the police against men dicants who prey on the sympathies of the public by pretending to be deaf and dumb. "The deaf never beg." Is the motto of the Impostor Bureau of the Association, and the actions of supposed afflicted give the deaf, as a whole, a bad reputation, thus miti gating against their chance of secur ing employment. Regular meetings will be held, the first being in the nature of a social THE T. M. O. A. JABTJM fc BTJTOTJH CTJtOTTB APBn, A3 ABP 84 IT'S TBS PUMWXEST ETEBi; 1857 The- Quality" Store or Portland riflK- Sixtrv"McrrrlsoTV Alder Stsk. - " - - Announcement Extraordinary! Beginning Tomorrow We Shall Close Out Entire Present Stock Thus Offering to You at HalfFrice Large, Small ana Meamm atze frames Mirrors, mahogany and antique frames, in different sizes and with bowknot finished tops. j. , j,: ", : Also a Special Line of Serving Trays Immense Assortment of Shapes and Sizes - Eighth Ploor - Temporary Annex T. M. O. A. JABTJM board' of directors of the MoJern Wood men of America, -will "deliver a fra ternal address, v F. C. Van Galder, editor of the Mod ern Woodman Magazine for the past IS years, will tell something about the management of a magazine with a mil lion circulation. An excursion up the Columbia on Sunday, April 25. a. huge banquet on Monday night, April 26, at the Port land hotel, and automobile trips about the city, have j been arranged for by the different local committees. event, next Saturday, when the "Nads" from Vancouver, Wash., come over for a match game: of 600 with, the locaU deaf colony. 1 Thompson's Body Is r Found in Willamette Floating in the: Willamette river, the body of Ole Tnompson. 40 years old, of -Holbrook. i was found near the Portland . Lumber company mills yes terday. Thompson had lived for a number of years with Harry Harris of Holbrook, who Identified the body. Thompson had three brothers and three sisters in eastern states, and au effort is being made by the coroner to get into communication with them. In the clothes of the dead man were found receipts for taxes, a safe de- posit slip on a Portland bank, 110.50 ' In cash and ai bunch of keys. Thompson disappeared about 10 days ago, when he started for the train to go east to attend his father's funeral. It Is thought he fell from a raft Into the river, as there is no evidence of foul play. ; - Contest at Oakland; Oakland, Or., April 19. The final oratorical contest in the county for the gold medal given by the W. C. T. U., was held last evening before a large and appreciative audience in the as sembly hall of the Oakland high school. There were six contestants for the honor, thre.e j young ladles and three young men, and each displayed unu sual ability In their renditions. The Judges awarded the medal to Mr. Jewett. - 9 I a m - - - rOTTIC C1BCP8 AHtlL 83 A BP 84 TTg TO PTTBWTXgT EYEBl! Bequest Discovered In Nick of Time D. M. Simpson of St. X.ouls Applies for Aunt's Estate While Escheat Proceedings Are in Progress. David Marcus Simpson, who was be queated $1000 by the will of Mrs. Sarah J. Simpson and who discovered the bequest while proceedings wore in progress 'to eschent the bequest.' has trade formal application for the money in ah affidavit received by Ijistrlct At torney Evans from him at St. Louts, Mp. Simpson was a nephew of Mrs. Simpson's husband, but his adJroK.i was unknown and he had not b-en heard from for many years. He Jjtrned of the bequest through ibs-cojfnV He is 45 years old, a saletimun and resides at 4216 Arco avenue, St., Louis. He had been described as over 70 years Old and a wanderer. Ilia ,li win i, investigated before the bttquebt Is pulu. Y. M. C. A. Boys to Hold Annual Show XTumbers of Thrilling, Daredevil Acts Are on Program, as Well as Be markable Trained Elephants. Ed Werleln. it was announced today, will be rmgmaster and chief an nouncer at the Jarum & Blngum cir cus, the annual show of the boys of the Y. M. C. A., to be staffed In the uBauciaiion gymnasium x naay ana Saturday nights. .Numbers f thrilling acts are to be staged in the circus. One of the most daredevil acts is that of Don ald Bennett, 13, who performs unheard-of gyrations In midair when he Is thrown by Philip Wilder from one trapeze to Rex Tiiornton on another. Numbers of other risk-defying per formances are on the program-, and all of the thrills of childhood days are to be recalled by trained ele phants,' remarkably human ponies and dancing animals of all kinds. Story of Kose Told In Beautiful Film How the red rose came to bo In the theme of "The Story of the Blood-lied P.ose,"' poetically told o.n the screen at the National yesterday. Whether the tale is based on an old legend or whether it comes full-fledged from the fancy of some inspired scenario writer, it Is none the less beautiful. "The Love Whip." depicting the trouble that Jealousy can make for married folks, "Ham at the-Harem," "A Night in the Jungle" and Joe Rob erts, banjo player, completed the bill. The program today Includes "Supply and Demand," something comparative ly new in the films, being a George Ade fable. The headHner. however, is "The White Mask, a three-act Lubln drama, which -will" be shown again to morrow. With thetse is "The Oreat Experiment," the' lUarnt-Sell weekly and Joe Roberts. "Quicksands of So ciety runs Wednesday and Thursday. Seattle Albert Bordeck and his wife - .i.m.in. nnlannlnl after a led l ruin piuuiniuv gating canned soup. 1 For Tomorrow "Gold Nugget" t Flour at $1.49 Sack A patent family flour, milled from a choice eastern ' Oregon wheat. BMmBtBlxtj1.Bt. Bids. .