Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-12-31
The stexvar, Mansion Burned.

The stewart Mansion Burned.
ME DESTRUCTIVE AT THE WEST END LAST NIGHT.
The alarm at s45 O'Clock last night, from box
%ss r IRE the spes y
ex-senator Stewart, OF Nevada, famfliarly
known as castle Stewart which fronts the
Connecticut Avenue Circle. This building be-
ing such prominent one, it was soon genef-
ally Known that 1t was On fire, and an immense
C ovid OF spectators gathered. The mansard
roof being mainly OF wood, the flames soon
found way under all parts OF 1t and were seen
from every upper window, and the top OF the
tower which presented, at distance, the ap-
peaTance OF lighthouse.
THE FIREMEN
responded promptly TO the alarms, and the sew
eral companies seemed to vie with each other in
quick and effective service. No better work was
companies were run up to the windows on all
sides, and were lively with firemen running up
With hose pipes in their hands, penetrating into
from the windows. All of the engines were at
work continuously for two or three hours, large
volumes OF water Being poured on the roof and
into the npPr, bs from
covery OF the fire were a little daughter Of Mrs.
Stewart; the French teacher, Mr.. Mcdaniel: the
housekeeper and eolored boy. The little
daughter and music teacher were invited to the
residence of the British minister.
THE FIRE WAS FIRST DISCOVERED
by Mrs. Mechanics in one of the upper rooms in
the rear part of the house. 1t had then been
time, and the heat had cracked the walls. Mrs
McDanields tried to send message to the GEN.
tral OFFICE through the telephone, but found that
1t would not work. She then dispatched the
colored boy to the No. engine house. About
this time officer Shilling. who was near by, OBJ
serving smoke issuing from the house, turned
in the alarm from box 217, at the corner Of 18th
and streets. Prompt eXertions were made by
number of the neighbors to save the furni-
ture and personal effects, and soon the open
space about the building was covered with fur
q 70 Tvxyfr lrr
floor.
THE SCARCITY OF WATER
from lack Of pressure on the mains in this
section of the city at first prevented the fremen
on the highest parts OF the house-but this was
remedied to considerable extent by District
Commissioner Morgan, who gave orders to
have all the water cocks in that vicinity turned
Off, so as to add to the pressure. The capacities
of the engines were fully tested during the near
iy three hours constant service. Ffremen were
seen on every floor and outside projection Of the
building, struggling with all their might to
subdue the flames, and the scene was an ex-
ceedingly animated one, and as spectacle was
terrible but beautiful.
UPON THE ARRIVAL OF THE POLICE,
who were detailed from every precinct, ropes
were stretched about the entire building, a
considerable distance from it, and every one but
the firemen, policemen and such persons as
were well known were excluded from approach,
thus giving ample room for those who were en-
gagged in eXtfnguishing the fire and saving pro-
perty. The falling timbers of the roof and the
glass occasioned several bruises and cuts to the
hremen and others, and Williams, cOlored
member OF truck B. had his hand severely cut by
glass;
BEACON LIGHT.
A bright blaze fingered on the conical top of
the tower during the fire and long after the
flames elsewhere had been eXtinguiShed. This
was probably from the character of the ma
terial-it being North Carolina pine, and very
pitchy. The f1remen finally succeeded in reach
inf an6
OF water turned on put out the last lingering
spark of the fire at 'iCastle Stewart" Fortu.
nately, the night was almost perfectly calm,
hardly any breeze being perceptable; had there
been saved, as the site is an elevated one and
the building, isolated as it is, the
UPPER PORTION OF THE STRUCTURE is COMPLETE
WRECK,
md all the rooms below are saturated with
water, doing great damage to the building as
Heh as the furniture and other personal effects.
The firemen deserve great credit for stopping
he fire from going below the upper floor.
guard was promptly placed arOundall the goods
removed, TO prevent depredations, and nothing
Was disturbed that was saved from the building.
The FAMILY TAKE REFUGE WITH THE BRITISH
MINISTER.
Mrs. Stewart and Miss Page left the house
about quarter of an hour before the discovery
If the fire to spend the evening at Judge Bry-
ms residence fronting on Memorial circle She
'oon, however. learned Of the fire. and hastily
'ir Edward Thornton and members OF the Brit |
sh legation were soon on the ground, and took |
lively interest in the welfare Of the members
}, the household and the preservation Of the
lanes for some time, was escorted by Sir Ed
ward Thornton, with Miss Page, to the residence |
Il the British minister, who afterwards returned
% The scene and ordered wagons to he brought |
o the burning building to remove the more val
able goods Guiding some valuable records |
md books-to his own dwelling.
iN6f rrorr ,fccf<Nr TTs,ra1 n
Who examined the building this morning, say
hat
THE FIRE ORIGINATED
rom the furnace and steam heater. They had |
lot been used for four years and were started |
yesterday morning, evidently without any water |
n the boiler; as the iron work seems to have
,een at white heat. the communications being |
melted and every indication Of extreme heat.
rhe brick walls about the furnace room were |
till very hot to-day. A Iumor was current |
lmong the firemen and police last night that |
,efore Mrs. Stewart left the residence on her |
,vening call, she spoke Of smelling the odor OF |
,overed no source for it, and nothing more was
bought of it until the alarm was given. 1t is |
lot unlikely that this smoke proceeded from the |
Wondering fire between the partitions which |
probably was burning for some time before the !!
lanes broke out. |
THE LOSS. |
1t is impossible to arrive at conclusions as to
he loss until an inventory is taken OF what was |
'aved of the personal effects, and an examine |
ion OF the condition of the building, which APP |
bears to be badly damaged throughout. 1t will |
axe perhaps S15, 600 to repair it. This building
was completed in 1878. AT that time the owner |
Vas a Senator from the state of Nevada. Its |
lost, as well as the cost OF furnishing it, has |
been stated at various amounts. Mr.. CluSs was |
he architect OF the building, which cost about |
so, 600, and the furnishing OF it did not cost |
much less. Much of the furniture was made to |
order in Europe, and the carpets and lace hang |
ngs were also imported, and were very costly. |
Many fine paintings and works of art were |
lost by this fire and cannot easily be replaced. |
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