Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-02-24

BukrKD-Loss About ~ 900.
About twenty minutes pAst n O'Clock TO-DAY
an alarm OF nre vss sounded from DO, ~ lcor~
neI OF sth aud streets) Tor Q IRE discovered
IN ne UPPER story Of one OF roe Of fourteen
eriek houses on the east side OF 10th street be-
Neen and streets northwest. Policemen
Csruthers, Robinson and Chase turned In
s sas.ms nom S,nerent eoxss. and 20 maks a.
ealioped ID the second precinct staten. and
the alarm vas also sent IN by police telerrsnh.
a,S h,s osps1.ment, Noe !. z, :, and ths Rcok
The police yith Detectives McDevitt And lIilst
were quickly on hand, and ropes were throvn
thereby enabling the frsmen 10 work 10 sdxsn'
hee. ~ vas soon apparent that the whole rov
was in danger OF destruction, and Caief Fnsi-
brought out Nos and ens,nes. snd m. -hes.
force went promptly and efectiyelx 20 vcrt
and after one hours hard and uncessins lshe,
succeeded In extinsuishine the names
The IRE originated in the house occup,ed n,
Mrs p. p. Campbell, No. i6s and originated
from Lstroee stove lately put In the building.
and there being no hre- walls between the build.
ings the flames spread rapidly through the
roof frames Of the entire row. The furniture
was re msyed ron the entire ros, and In the
Detective McDevitt, In going into one OF tue
houses found $50 m bank notes, which he re-
stored 20 the owner. Other vslusbles we're
saved by the police and citizens and restored 30
the frightened losers. The whole row was oc-
cupied and generally were owned by the Occu-
pauts-MIs. Brown, Dr. Winter. Messrs. Ding
man, widows (of the chimssl, Wheatley.
Bartlett, Mrs. Campbell, Redman, CoIlamore,
Jesup, and Henry Proctor--are among the
losers, and they are mostly insured. Much Of
the loss Was oceasioned by water, and there are
but few Of the housss which will not need re-
plsstering. IL IL estimated that II will take
about ~ coo 60 make good the loss.
IL was remarked that, considering the close
proximity OF the fire 60 q thickly settled neigh
borboOd and the immense crowd which gath
cred, the very beet order Was observed. The
hremen were highly commended by the specta-
tors for the manner In which they worked, and
II was matter of surprise that the entire rOw
was not destroyed.
An alarm was turned in from box No. AZ at
house on New York avenue, near i4th street
Smokes and flames were issuing freely from the
roof, but the fire was extinguished by the ire
men before much damage was done.
Washington's birthday ON the River.
THE POTOMAC rRUTT-eRowERs AND THEIR
FRIENDe-THE NEW STEAMBOAT BoRN AND
BAPTIZED TIE MARY WASHINGTON"
pleasant excursion took place YESTERDAY
down the river, which from its novel Character
and connection with q most important Wash
ington enterprise, deserves notice. Our Poto-
mac truit- growers and their friends who are in
terested In solving the problem OF cheap trans
portation for Us, invited q party OF ladies and
gentlemen 20 join them in appropriate ceremO-
t me- upon the Occasion OF laying the heel Of
National was kindly placed at their disposal by
Capt; Gregg, and q company of about one hun
are1 ,saes snd gentlemen embarked early yes-
and beautiful ss May. Among the party were
several members Of Congress and their wives
Prominent among them we observed Hons. j.
Allen Barber, McDIl end HazletOn, Of Wis
consin, Dobbins, of New Jersey, Cannon, of
Illinois, and Wilbur, Of New York.
The party were Ia the best spirits, and en-
Joyed the ride, the scenery along the banks and
the contents OF various lunch baskets with
hearty Zest. short stop was made at Colline-
wood, twelve miles below the city, where Inc
Cooperative Homestead Association are laying
out a pleasant rural village. The boat passed
on by the forts, Mount Vernon, the White
House, once the site OF BellvoiT Castle, occupied
by the elder Fairfax, and again rounded 20 I'm
the beautiful bsy which receives the waters OF
Pobick and Accotink creeks. Here rose the
magnificent bluffs and woOd-crowned heights
OF Ounston, the once renowned estate of George
Mason, of revolutionary fame. The Old man
sion, restored from partial ruin and dilapida-
ton, lie now owned by Col Daniels, of the Rich
moDd State journal and IL one OF the most noted
of the old homes Of Virginia. Col J. NJ Levi
late OF Wisconsin, has just erected a splendid
house, with all modern improvements on a bold
headlsnd, which commands one OF tue finest
views on the river. His place Is called Rem
Venue This beautiful bsy, protected on three
sides by lofty hills, surmounted by noble forests
Is to be the terminus of the new steamboat
route. The boat is to be here every night, az
forcing 10 the weary denizens of the CITY a tenn
porary escape from the tolls Of the day during
the summer On al sides of Il there
every advantage that can tempt a man
20 rural enjOyments. Up the creek,
few minutes run, the party reached Accotink,
bsrked and were entertained by q brief bat
very fine address from william Sno yden, esq
OF CollinRwood, and an ode by ID. p. Smtn
eseer s th song was sung and three
then repaired, upon invitation Of Hilima1
TrOth, ESQ, president Of the steamboat com
wife, charming and noble natron. dispensed
generous hospitality which supplied ali wants
of the hungry and made everybody feel a. m
club and live in q country blessed with sach
good neighbors.
After dinner the company gathered In the
ample psrlors and upon the porch. and listened
20 speeches from Mr.. Hazelton, Judge Barber
OF Wisconsin, Dobbins of New Jersey, and Can
non OF Illinois. Col. Chase, Of Washington,
Mrs. Daniels, and company Of fine singers,
entertained the company between the speeches.
All were surprised aud delighted with the peo-
pie and the country. The wonderful success OF
the colony OF northern families here located
ture for the fine but neglected region Of the up.
per Potomac.
There was no formal vote taken, but the SEN
ument met with general applause that the new
boat should be called the Mary Washington, a.
an appropriate tribute 10 that honored matrOn
who will live forever In the nations memory.
Late IN me AFTERNOON the party returned, re-
luctantly leaving their wsrm-hesrted country
friends with many good wishes and lingering
recollections Of fragrant coffee and fresh couu-
try milk, as well as healthy, happy faces that
dispensed them 20 generously.
~
CoSTBeTKD WILL CASE DAY, in the
Circuit Court, Judge Cartier, the case OF Grim
der et al, agt. Grinder, was called, Mr. J. T..
Norris for plaintiff, and Judges Moore and
Paschal for defendant. This case comes no on
issues from the Probate Court, on the will of
the late Adam Grinder, who cied q few months
ago, as TO whether the testator was at the time
OF executing the will capable OF making a valid
deed or contract. It viii be recoliected that
declared was q brickmaker I'm the southern
part OF the city, and left considerable property
IN that section, and after his death several pa
pers, purporting TO be his last will were pro-
pounded In the Orphans Court, dated respec-
lively March Sd, 1865, February Sd, $50. and
December 18th, 1871. One Of these alleged wills
leaves his estate, personal and real, TO the
widow absolutely; the second bequezthes 70 her
the personal property and n lie estate In the
real estate, and the third bequeathes the estate
TO the widow, two brothers, and q nephew. The
object Of this suit lie 20 set aside the last WILL
the ground that he was at the time incspsci-
tated from making valid win by reason OF in
temperance. large number OF witnesses