[Chief Hugh Franklin Magee Scrapbook, Volume 2] Page: 2
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FIREMAN COFFMAN INJURED.
While Responding with Chief Magee
to an Alarm a Car Strikes
the Buggy.
A telephone alarm was turned in at the
fire department last night at 7:15, which
caused little loss by fire, but a very serious
accident to Arthur Coffman, a fireman,
who was driving the chief's buggy to the
scene of the alarm.
While Chief Magee was crossing Com-
merce street, near Lloyd street, in his
buggy, a Rapid Transit car collided with
the vehicle, breaking it into splinters,
bruising up the chief somewhat and very
seriously injuring Mr. Coffman, who was
driving. lie was given medical attention at
once, and the doctor pronounced the case a
serious one, though exactly how serious he
could not say without further examination.
Mr. Coffman was hurt about the hips and
in the back. The horse fell under the front
of the car, but suffered little damage.
The chief started across Commerce street,
near Lloyd street. When partly across, he
saw two other buggies coming across from
the opposite direction. The street being
torn up, the buggy was turned to go back
over the regular crossing. Then a belt car
coming downtown struck the buggy, center.
The fire was on Armstrong avenue. It
was caused by a lamp. The loss was in-
significant.
Condition of Firemen.
Arthur Coffman, the fireman who was
hurt in a runaway accident several
days ago while driving the fire chief's
buggy, is much improved and his phy-
sician looks for a speedy recovery.
Captain Walter Erwin of engine com-
pany No. 4, is still troubled with his
ear, which was hurt by the Elm street
explosion, but his physician gives him
hope of recovering his hearing.VYINFREY MADE
Cl
HIEF
FORMER DEPUTY SHERIFF PLACED
AT THE HEAD OF POLICE DE-
PARTMENT BY COMMISSION.
MAGEE AGAIN REAPPOINTED
Present Incumbent to Have Charge o:
Firemen for Two More Years.
Changes Prophesied.
At a special meeting of the Board of Po*
lice and Fire Commissioners held yester-
day afternoon R. L. Winfrey was elected
chief of the police force of Dallas in place
of Sterling Price, and H. F. Magee was re-
elected chief of the fire department.
The selection of assistants for these two
gentlemen will not be made until June 1.
There is the best authority for asserting
that when that tihme comes there will be
material changes made. It is understood
that Assistant Fire Chief J. W. Ryan is
slated to go. The name of his successor
is not divulged. If the statements heard
yesterday are true there will be many new
faces in the force of policemen after the
date named.
Mr. Winfrey was placed in nomination by
Police Commissioner D. F. Sullivan. His
election was unanimous. Mr. Winfrey is
well known in Dallas. Ile served under
Mr. Cabell when the latter was Sheriff as
a Deputy Sheriff, and was County Commis-
sioner for a considerable time. In his be-
half his friends say that he is well qualified
to hold the offlee to which he has been
elected. He will assume the duties of Chief
of Police just as soon as he makes bond
for $10,000, which is the sum required under
the city charter.
in discussing the matter Police Commis-
sioner Sullivan said that lie desired it to be
understood that his action was not due to
iseling or prejudice, but solely in the inter-
est of what he conceived to be for the good
of the department. He said many kind
things abotit Mr. Price.
Supporting the selection of Mr. Winfrey
the Commission had presented to it a peti-
tion signed by L. M. Dabney, C. L. Wake-
field, Sydney Smith, C. C. Slaughter, J. B.
Wilson, J. T. Trezevant, E. M. Kahn, John
'P. Penn, G. G. Wright, A. S. Jackson, Lee
H. Hughes, John W. Baird, S. Heidings-
felder, S. Y. Trice, W. H. Gaston, J. J.
Eckford, J. B. Cranfihl, Alex. Sanger, i.
R. Parks, John H. Gaston, W. J. J. Smith
and Kenneth Foree.
IH. F. Magee, -who was re-elected chief
of the fire department, is now entering on
his third term in that office. Prior to that
he was a mounted policeman for a number
of years.
THE INJURED.
Chief of Fire Department Hugh F.
Magee, overppme by heat and smoke;
now confined at his home.
Will Sporer, hoseman No. 3 engine
house, nose broken by a falling brick;
taken in an unconscious condition to
St. Paul's sanitarium; will recover.
John Edwards, of No. 1 hose compa-
ny, overcome by heat and smoke; con-
fined at his home.
J. M. Roe, driver chemical engine No.
2, overcome by heat and smoke; condi-
-serious.
Roberson, driver No. 4 reel,
-v heat and smoke; conditionFIRE ON ELM STREET
FIERCE FIGHT AGAINST FLAMES IN
DANIEL MILLINERY COMPANY'S
PLACE LASTS ONE IIOUR.
ESTIMATED LOSS IS $50,OOO
Half of This Is Due to Water-ilsur-
suane Is Given at Thirty Tho-
sand Dollars.
At noon yesterday fire broke out in the
wholesale millinery store of the Daniel Mil-
linery Company at 176-178 Elm street. The
loss is estimated at $50,000; the Insurance is
stated as $20,000. About half the loss is
said by Mr. Daniel to be due to the damage
by water.
Sanger Bros., whose wholesale shoe store
adjoins 178 Elm strict, suffered some slight
loss from water, which came in through the
apertures in the wall made for the support-
ing timers of the second floor.
The three-story building at 178 Elm is the
property of L. O. Daniel and O. P. Good-
win. It was damaged about $3,500. The loss
is fully covered by insurance. The-build-
ing is valued at $15,000. The building ad-
joining at 176 Elm was not greatly dam-
aged. It Is owned by the Dr. L. Ashto
estate, and is said to be covered by Insur-
ance.
The fire originated in the workroom on
the second ftior of 178 Elm, supposedly
from a defective flue. It burned for about
an hour. By 1 o'clock the firemen had it
entirely under control. The fire never got
outside of the second story of 178 Elm, al-
thouh there was a big doorway between it
Iand 1,6 over which there was no protectipg
door.
When I got there," said Fire Chief Ma-
gee.Wthe flames were licking into the two-
story building through that doorway, a
great big arched affair.It's a miracle that
the two-story didn't burn."
The fire squads over the city had just
begun their noon drill when the alarm
came. The chief and the firemen from the
central station hurried to the scene of ac-
lion at once. Seeing the magnitude of the
fire, the chief turned in a general alarm
at once. Soon every piece of fire machin-
ery owned by the department was scattered
around the Sanger block pouring floods of
water Into the burning buildings at
temptingtto suppress the flames that d ere
coming faster and faster into the two-tory
building at 176 and filling both buildisS
with such a dense mass of smoke as to
make work inside almost impossible.sFourj
engines were pumping water as fast as
they could suck it from the water plugs.
The firemen found it impossible to go In-
side the building. They put ladders up to
tle windows at tke front and the rear of
17tadwored two streams in atthfrn
end and two at the rear. A hose had also
been carried up the stairway, and it was
also pouring a flood on the flames. Fire-
men find it an absolute impossibility to
withstand dense smoke. nIt issaid to be
mutch worse than heat in a big building.
The smoke in 178 had no outlet hardly, and
was growing denser and denser inside,
making the chances for getting in for ef-
fective work more and more out of the
question, the roof, however, gave way, a
great hole was broken therein and the
smoke had found an outlet. The firemen
began to work toward each other from
the front and rear.
Meanwhile Chief Magee had gone on an
investigating tour into 176 Elm, the ad-
joining two-story building. Upstairs he
found the big arched doorway cut through
the watt separating 176 ant 178. This had
no covering door whatever. The flames
were licking through the doorway. Two
more tiess were brought at once into the
two-story building. The flames were fought
back from the opening anl kept almost en-
tirely out of 176. Streams of water play-
ing or the fire from three directions left it
no alternative but to give in. Before 1
o'clock the three parties of firemen had
met in the center of the second floor of the
burning building.
'rle fire was out. It had been held en-
tirely within the second story of 178 Elm.
Smoke had come from the windows of the
third story of 178 and from 176, but no tire
had been allowed to get in there.
An enormous amount of water was pump-
ed into the burning store, and the stock of
millinery being of a nature especially lia-
ble to damage from water, suffered a
greater proportionate loss than would al-
most any o ther kind of stock.
L. O. Daniel said last night that the mil-
linery company would at once re-open in
other quarters, and that business would
continue without interruption.
Donation to Firemen.
The following letter is self-explana-
tory:
"H. F. Magee, Chief Dallas Fire De-t
apartment: Dear Sir-Enclosed wt
beg to hand our check for twenty-five
dollars for the boys in token of the
deep appreciation for prompt and efl-
Clent devices rendered during our re-
cent ie. With best wishes, etc.
Your truly,
"DANIEL MILLINERY CO.,
"Per L. O. DANIEL, President."
The boys of the department highly
appreciate this munificent donation of
the Daniel Millinery company and
chief Magee said this morning that
the entire force were in favor of ap
plying the check to the Clark monu-meant fund, and the twenty-five dol-
lars will be added to the amount al-
ready accumulated.
-('I beE 1agiec, < 1 allas, 'ex., has re
ceived a cheque for twenty-five dollars front
the Daniel Millinery Company in apprecia
tion of the good work of the departmen
at their recent fire.SWEEP
BY FIRE
SWEPT BY A GALE, FLAMES EAT A
A WIDE PATH IN OAK
CLIFF.
TVWO PERSONS INJURED
MRS. C. C. JORDAN RUSHES BACK TO
SAVE HER SON AND BOTH
ARE SUFFERERS.TEN COTTAGES ARE IN ASES
Loss May Reach $12,000 or $15,000.
The Insurance Is Small-Fami-
lies Left Homeless.
In a fire which swept a portion of South-
eastern Oak Cliff late last night these per-
sons were burned:
Paul Jordan, aged 8 years, on the body,
face and hands; severe.
Mrs. C. C. Jordan, on the face and hands;
not fatal.
Ten cottages, covering an area of about
a block and a half, were destroyed, to-
gether with all that they contained. The
loss will probably reach $12,000 or $15,000.
The fire started about 11:15 o'clock in
the residence of C. C. Jordan on Pecan
street from a cause not known. The Jor-
dan home is just one door south of Elev-
enth street.
The flames spread from this to the home
of -- Morehouse, adjoining on Eleventh
street, and then, fanned by the terrific gale
prevailing, destroyed ten cottages with ap-
palling rapidity. The work of devastation
was checked only when there were no more
structures in the way.
When the blaze was discovered Mrs. Jor-
dan barely succeeded in escaping from her
house. On reaching a place of safety she
heard the cries of her little boy and brave-
ly rushed back into the place and dragged
him forth. The little fellow may not live,
although the physicians are inclined to take
a hopeful view of his condition, and the
mother received burns which will cause
scars that will remain the balance of her
life.
Starting with the Jordan home, the fami-
lies of which the following are the heads
were left homeless: - Morehouse, J. P.
Nelson, - Schubert, Henry Hamilton, 3.
C. West, Jack Cecil, Hugh Blunt and Joe
Nelson.
In addition to the foregoing an unoc-
cupied cottage on Eleventh street, belong-
ing to W. J. Betterton was burned.
Mr. Betterton is the heaviest loser. Three
of the cottages destroyed were owned by
him, and he lost also a barn and a ser-
,ant's house. He estimates his loss at
$6,000, and said last night that he believed
he had $3.000 insurance.
The fire not only destroyed the houses,
but the fences and telephone poles. Even
the grass was licked up. All communica-
tion with that section of Oak Cliff by tele-
phone was rendered out of the question.
The telephone company sustained consider-
able loss.
When the fire was at its height an ap-
peal was sent to Dallas for aid, and Fire
Chief Magee and the South Dallas company
proceeded to the scene as fast as possible.
"The water pressure was very light," said
Chief Magee. "It wouldn't throw a stream
to the roof of a one-story house. Several
sections of hose were burned, and we found
it impossible to do anything to check the
fire. It just burned itself out. I doubt very
much if the loss will fall below $2,000."
SAW A BIG FIRE
It Was Far Beond the City Limits.
Department Called Out.
At 12:30 o'clock this morning the watch-
man on duty at the Central Fire Station
saw the glare of a great fire that ap-
parently was in East Dallas. He gave the
alarm and the department proceeded ot
Swiss avenue nearly to the limits before
11 it was found that the fire was far beyond.
Chief Magee said that it seemed to be a
l- very big fire.
Upon returning to the station a sum-
it mons was received from atrestaaurant on
Main street, near the corner of Akard.
The flooring underneath the oven in the
kitchen was ablaze, but was quickly put
out.SEVEN HORSES
WERE BURNED
Livery Stable Was destroyed by
Fire Last Night.
PROPERTY DAMAGED
Adjoining Houses Were Protected
the Firemen, Who Were Compli-
mentel on Their Work.
T1'h broke out in the livery St
oe ned by Charles P. Taylor, No
North Akard street, at about 10:30 i
night and before it was subdued prop-
erty valued at several thousand dollars
was destroyed and seven head of horses
were turned to death.
The fire was discovered by a man
rass:ng the stable. who telephoned the
alarm to the Central fire st ition. The
fl omen at that station were oat an
swering a false alarm and there was
same delay iii getting to the scene o
the fire. When the department ar-
rived the interior of the building was
a mass of flames.
The building was owned by Charles
Ti. Taylor ard was valued at $2000
::,d was insned for $1500. The con-
1 'ts were valued at $3000 and were
insurel ior $1500. Their' were about
I wa-ty-five horses in the stable when
I0 'e le broke out an-1 all. with the ex-
Pt-its of even, were driven from the
ha ning building.
A I ge quantity of hay, corn and
o:)her taestuffs teas lost, besides all
1:"e harness and more than twenty v-
lilen. The horses which were rescued
fi' mii the bun ran off and had not
b: en re-ca ptur d 'p to 12 oclk to-
".ad it(-couldnt be learnedlJust
hoe horses were lost, but it was
s ated that they were all owned by
-' ijr event pesons.
' he larne two-story frame house at
3o. 241 Loes avenue, owned an0l oc-
p d by II. Y. LI scomb. was badly
',::,ued. The srvant's rooms ii the
r of tinshous. was a'so partially
'eti oyC (, 'hebe houtb wa- valued at
?a;G a.nd w'as insui ed for $2a00. The
O at. tnis were valued at $1800 with in-
e c amountirg to $00.
I he it-e new house at No .246 Ross
IF tc aux wa3 :aiso slightly scot chd in
1 e rear. This house was owned by
L. 1)D-aint n d was valued at
:t;CO, and was insured for $2000. It
The taller shop at No. 229 North
Alaid tret was slightly damged by
t t-er. This shop was owned by W.
t'. Oliver.
Many favorable expressions werP
-I'-a.5i re;:;rd to the wor k of the tie-
I"rtrent at this tire and as the stable
m:is full of inflanm4hle matei1:l and
ri:tly a" the surrounding houses were
ef frame construction. it looked for a
Cute as though the - hole block was
dot;recd to turn.
1O5 5 avenue, on account of the re-
l-uilming of the car trcks, was torn up
from Akai d to Laim -a street and this
c used some delay in laying a string of
Tore along on this street so that the
.: omen could got in the tear of the
ho.-ses facing that thoroughfare.
A Main Street Feed Store Was
Destroyed.
Fire was discovered about 3:30 "thiq
morning in J. E. Lawther & Son's feed
store, 353-355 Main street. The store
was half full of baled hay, piled neariy
to the ceiling, ald the fire probably
smouldered for some time before it was
discovered. The fire department wassoon on the scene and kept the fire un-
der control in a way that was truly
wonderful, considering that a fire in
almost any kind of baled material is
exceedingly hard to quench. Not much
damage was done to the building. A
force of firemen have been at work all
day hauling out half burned bales of
hay, and the north side of Main street
between Akard and Stone is piled with
the water-soaked forage.
Chief Magee has been as yet unable
to learn the value of the contents or the
insurance thereon.
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Magee, Hugh Franklin. [Chief Hugh Franklin Magee Scrapbook, Volume 2], book, 1900~; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth532734/m1/4/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dallas Firefighters Museum.