The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1881-11-10
WORK OF THE FLAMES,
The Most Destructive Fire that
Washington Has Had For Years.

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The fire demon, which has done M little
injury to Washington In late years. visited
the city last night with vengeance, so to
speak, and played sad havoc with several
leading business firms. About 1870 o'clock
this morning smoke was seen issuing from
X. o. Polkinhorn's printing establishment
on ID street, near the corner of Seventh
Officers Hcinlinc and Milstoad were
the first TO discover the fire, the
latter Immediately turning In an alarm
from box II. Tho former broke in
the door Of the building and assembled to
the third floor where he found the fire
raging to such an extent rs TO render it I'M
safe for him to remain there long. 1t was
only the work of minute for the Franklin
Engine Company to get TO the scene, to be
followed soon by the other companies.
Chief Cronin at once stationed his noble
army of
Eire-Eighters
in their places, and then began the work of
supprcssing the flames. Tho fierce fire
lcaped from story IN story, and soon the
three upper floors were one grand sheet of
flames. The second and part of the third
floors were occupied by Mr.. Polliinhorn,
and the first, fourth and fifth by Mr.. Wash
b. Williams,
Stream after stream was turned on the
fire, but il gained most wonderful Roadway
despite the almost superhuman efforts of
the best drilled, best disciplined fire depart
ment in the United States. The work
done by these noble fellows was highly
commended by the thousands of orr citi-
zcns who were present.
So rapidly did the fire spread that il
looked at one time rs if Wash. Il. Williams
furniture establishment would also be
burned, but the flremen succeeded in play
ing two good streams upon IL from the top,
and this saved it. Within short time the
upper floors of the Polkinhorn building were
smouldering ruin and the fire was
making some Roadway down to the
third floor, but the iircmen. with
great difficulty succeeded in checking it.
That floor, on which is stored valuable
printing material, paper, &c, rs well rs the
presses, is very seriously damaged by water;
also the first floor, occupied, as stated above,
by Mr.. Williams. Tho fire was completely
under control within an hour and soon
after the. engines, except the Franklin,
left the scene of the conilagration. The
latter remained until 10 o'clock this morn
Ing.
Mr.. julius Lansburgh, the carpet dealer,
at No. 3l5 Seventh street. and w. Ii. Har-
rover, hardware, No. 313, both lose consid-
cradle by the water, which came in from
the rear of their buildings.
The Losses.
At an early hour this morning the work
of ascertain;ng the loss of the various
sufferers began. The Polkinhorn building,
in which the fire originated, is owned by
Mr.. Henry Polkinhorn.
Henry P0ilxinhorn's Loss.
The loss to the building alone will
amount to $4,000. Mr.. Polkinhorn is in
sured in two companies, and hiss loss will
nearly be covered by the insurance. This
building was erected by Mr.. Polkinhorn
in 1856, and was the FIRST fine story building
ever erected In Washington. Mr.. Polkin-
horn retired from business seven or eight
years ago, and was succeeded by r. o. Pol
kinhorn, the present proprietor the print
ing office.
Il. q. POIIsinbOrn'. Loss.
Mr.. II. o. Polkinhcrn's splendid printing
house is q total wreck. His presses are on
the third floor, and are very much dam
aged by the water. 1t cannot be ascer-
tanned at this writing just how much he
will lose but many practical printers think
it will amount to from 100000 to $4,000.
Unless his presses can be got sut of the
building without injury to them, it is
Thought his loss will be about as stated
above. Mr.. Polkinhorn only few days
ago got in q large supply of paper, cards
and type nearly all Of which Is entirely de-
stroyed. lie was inst,red for only $500.
Benjamin Chambers, n stamp-maker for
the Post office Department, who occupied q
portion of the rear of the third floor, will
not be loser to very large extent.
Wash. Is. Williams Loss.
The loss sustained by Mr.. Williams will
amount to about $1,000. The first floor is
damaged about $1,000, which is fully COW
cred by insurance. The goods on the fourth
and fifth floors, which were entirely de-
stroycd, were not insured.
Julius Lansburgh's Loss.
The water came through the skylight In
the rear of Mr. Lansburgh store In torrents;
damaging many valuable carpets on The
store floor, and running down through to
the basement below, greatly damaging car
pets and mating which were stored there.
The loss Is not exactly known, but Mr..
LansDurgh being insured in about ten COM
panies will not suffer financially.
w. II. IInrrOver's Loss.
Mr.. Harrover's store, next to I.ansburgh's.
was damaged less than 81 900, lie is f(iliy
insured.
John Beck's Loss.
The roof Of Bccll's saloon next to the
Polkinhorn building was slightly damaged.
Two hundred dollars probably will cover
his loss.
The origin of the fire is not definitely
known, and may never be. The frcmen
say that when they arrived at the scene,
the mass of the fire was in the rear of the
fourth story, occupied by Mr.. Williams as n
workshop. II may be, however, that it
originated in the third story, rs that was Il
blazing mass of fire when the engines ar
rived on the ground,
Real Estate Transfers.