Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-07-16
straight line, running parallel with Twelfth ST.,
i T. Il. ~

fire from the front, and to contest asably as pos
Sibe its onward march toward the better built
portion of the city. The front line OF the hre
was nobly battled with by the fire boys, VINO
were doing their best and bravest, when the
gale. to which was due most OF the mlscnlei
carried destruction over their heads aud lncios-
ed them on either side with a wall OF hre. lney
pulled up stakes and went to the front asain,
where the unequal battle was renewed, ou'
their ctfnrts were power!css to save the acres
of dry pine roofs 10 the wlndward, and the nre
swept wherever it pleased, hardly turned from
its course an inch by the efforts of the depart
ment, until it reached State street, which the
flames now attacked Having reached State
street the fire was in its glory Two.story
frames were the rule, and substantial struc'
ture the exccptloe.
The flames Icaped from building to building
now and then skipping structure or two TO
facilitate its progress, but never neglectlng 70
bring up the rear and make clean work OF It,
The firemen fought vaantIy among these shan,
ties to prevent its spreading southwark, anu
this was accomplished. A steamer was sta
toned at Harmon court, which forms nearly
the southern limit on State street, anu the DoyS
connected Herewith did valiant service. lhey
fought the fire iuto its very teeth, and to ena.
bic them to do so they made barrlcaoe out oil
theatrical sign board which was held IN trout
of the pipcmcn, and thus the fire wasapproach-
ed so closely that the sign board took fire.
The wind, Increasing in fury, broke through
an alley dividing State street from aOasll
avenue Now, for the first time. about 3
0 clock the fire began to feed upon the arsto,
cracy. Thousands of dollars were consumed
every minute; the Danger Of utter destruction
became more imminent every moalent. More
liz. tfiln n II
were sped over the wires to Milwaukee. Racine,
Joliet, and other places. They read Send
in your fire department.. In the course OF the
night response came in The shape of stalwart
men, with apparatus. aud they did valiant ser
vice in fighting the flames to smaller and
smaller limit
The fire having reached Wabash avenue
with the wind blowing from the southwest,
Michigan avenue seemed dooEcd to destruc.
ton. In fact the thought OF saving any por-
ton of it from Eldridge court to point at
least as far north as Harrison street was aban
doncd, and yet contrary to all cxpectatlors'
every house 10 that limit stands intact. Every
house on Wabash avenue parallel to this was
destroyed but narrow alley between the two
avenues stood as barrier, as II 1t had been an
intervening mountain. Every house Oh Mchl.
gan avenue was vacated. The street was lined
with trucks backed up against the windows, but
about nine O clock most Of the people moved
back again. The ordeal was safely passed, and
our handsome lake front was preserved.
The fire having reached It's eastern limit the
fumes found their way rapidly northward three
blocks abreast. There was little use trying to
fight the flames in the face OF the wind, which
increased iii volume every momcnt. In the
vicinity OF the contlagratl0u regular gale was
blowing The heat was so intense that the
tircmen could not stand within one hundred
feet of the fire in the direction 1t was speeding,
hence it had to be fought on the flank. There
being but little hope OF saving Michigan avtn'
ue, the policy seemed to be to fight 1t into the
lake by closing on It's sides. This plan was
aIopted, though efforts we're not abated to save
Michigan avenue.
At six clock all danger was over that 1t
would make its way further southward, and
the force there was soon dispatched to more
threatening points, though 1t was not safe to
leave the whole liue exposed
At eight o'clock the fire was checked at
Clark street, and then there was no danger that
it would pass westward After that two en-
gines covered the entire field from Polk street
south on Clark street, around by Twelfth street
to Wabash avcruc where the engagement was
growing hotter and hotter every moment.
When the southern and western ends Of the
fire had been made secure, the uorthcrn and
eastern lines Of attack were reinforced, and the
enemy coutincd iuto narrower and narrower
quarters on Harrison street. The hcDd was
forced to give up Fourth avenue and Third
avenue at Van Bnrcn street. The monster was
driven out ut State street, the ST. James being
the last building to succumb.
When the fire reached that point the inter-
est 10 It's prog rcss became intense. Ii was
moving along both sides Of State street, be
tween Harrison and Van Buren, streets. On
the west side stood a massive row Of four story
marble fronts, and on the east side was the 81.
James Beyond the st. James, northward,
was au open space several hundred feet square.
There was good hope that ii stand vas made
at this hotel the flames would be prevented
from crossing the open space.
On the west side there was no such barrier,
and it was certain that the whole row would
90, aud then, crossing Van Buren, street, make
its way to the Palmer House.
Opposite the St. James stood four-story
marble front, covering about four numbers.
This was divided from the building south by
single lot twenty-five feet wide. a mere baga-
telle, said everybody, and nobody anticipated
that that little space would check the flames;
but it did.
Fortunately splendid 6reproof wall had
been reared to the south. Mady the flames
beat against it, and went clear over the build
Ing. setting fire to the ST. James, but this wall
stood the test grandiy, and though there was
fire to the south and fire to the east, and not
a pint of water thrown on it, the building
stands there at this writing savior Of untold
millions 1t was the citadel of the contiagra-
ton. It's surrender would have given the whole
city over to the raving enemy lnstinctlvely
every one in sight Of the scene appreciated the
importance of the position, and when the build
ing to the south tumbled together with a thur
dering crash, and was thereafter harmless, a
shout from fifty thousand threats rose high
above the ctnhagratiou.
While this building stood the brunt and on
slaught of what might be called Overwhelming
odds, four story brick house, apparently out
of all danger, on the corner Of Wabash avenue
aud Van Buren, street, took fire from the St.
James Hotel An uppcr window had been