Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-02-08
Fire and sersous Accident.
BURNING OF THF NINETEENTH STREE


BURNING OF THE NINETEENTH STREET
BAPTIST CHURCH.
The alarm yesterday afternoon from box
No A.. at the corner Of 18TH and III streets,
was for the discovery of fire in the 18th street
Baptist tCOlOredl church. corner of / street
fine edifice. rebuilt i'm handsome style not
many months since. While a portion of the
congregation. who had remained after the
services. were cOnverSing in the school room
on the first floor, they noticed a smell of
smoke. and Immediately afterwards flames
burst up through the crevices of the floor.
Several Of the congregation started imme-
diateIy To the FIRE alarm box. and others took
measures to prevent the spread of the flames.
hT. Edmund Handley. who lives opposite.
in an alarm from box A., and in short
time the fire department arrived, but not
before the flames had made cOnSid-
cradle Roadway. A general alarm was then
sounded and the whole force was brought
out no time was lost by the firemen in get
ting water on the flames, which seemed to
have been confined 10 the southeastern portion
Of the church. The fTeEen worked well. and
eNtinguiShed the flames within q reasonable
time considering the difficulty of getting posi-
tiOuS from which the water could reach the
fire. il being confined To the basement mainly.
Through the stOl of snow and the handling
Of lcaky hose. the clothing of the firemen
got saturated with water. and mos OF them
were covered with coating of ice, but they
did not shrink from their duty and kept
manfully at their work until the flames were
subdued. During their labOrS they We're
furnished with hot coffee from the residence
Of the Hon j. a. j. CTeSWeU. Postmaster
General, whose residence is on the corner Op-
IOsit". They have received the same
KIND and timely attention al numerous other
fires lately. 1t is estimated that the damage
10 the church i from 81 .ossl to - Gp1 which -
fully covered by Insurance The first tiO0r
ami the southeastern portion Of tho audience
room, with the furniture, were most injured.
Most Of The windows throughout the house
were broken. 1t is believed either that the
fire originated from a defective fluc. which
i"uited the ioistS, or was caused ~ iUcen-
diaTiSm. The police under Sergeant Guy. of
the 9Th precinct. did good service in Keeping
order and preventing anJ unnecessary inter
ference on the part OF outsiders.
AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT
hefell William 8. Shocks and James Clcave-
land, members Of No. 3 George town. engine
company. They were on the hose carriage
on their way to the fire, and rapidly rounding
the circle at cd street. with the wheels OfthG
vehicle i'm the car track. IL was upset, turning
completely over. The occupants, with the
exception of SuOOkS and Cleavela0d. escaped
with bat few slight scratches. Shocks IRE
Gently appointed on The force had his head
ami face badly cut, and one of his eyes was
nearly forced from the socket. He was delir-
iOuS last night. but is better to-day. Cieave-
land "a veteran fireman) was not quite so
badly injured. He struck violently On his
head and was Knocked senseleSs for the time
being. His neck and shoulders seem to have
been badly Jared. Both the injured men
were carried into DUckett's drug store, near
10y. and their wounds were dressed by DrS
moved 10 their respective places Of residence
in Georgetown. The rest OF the company
Tighted the reel and proceeded ON their way
10 the fire, reaching there in good time.
CARD Of THANKS.
The thanks Of the officers and members Of
the Fire Department are respectfully ten
dercd 10 Hon J. A. ]. CrcSweil and family
for tLclF thoughtful kindness i'm furnishing
the force with q EOUntifgi supply Of excellent
coffee yesterday while they were az work i'm
the snow storm CXtinguishing the cOnHagra-
lion al the Baptist church. It was a season
arle kindUesS. which was greatly appreci-
&ted. MARTIN tPONIS, Chief Engineer.