Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-07-17
Destructive Fire in Washington.

About eight o'clock last night fire broke
out in the Post building, at the corner Of
Tenth and D streets and soon the upper
stories were wrapped in flames. The build
ing was occupied by the Washington Post
National Republican, the Washington Critic,
the SUNDAY Gazette, the United States Elec-
trio Light Company, the District Gas In
spector, Lees restaurant, Shorter's barber
shop and Nealy's lithographing establish
ment. The editorial, composing and press
rooms are ompletely ruined and the business
offices flooded with water. The building,
which ia owned by Stilson Hutchius, was
valued nj $50 900, and is said 10 be covered
by insurance. The Post and Republican
used the same press, valued at 1000, and
on which insurance policies TO the extent Of
$4,000 were taken out yesterday. The
Critic press was valued at $4,000, and is
supposed to have been insured. In the
basement Of The Republican Office was a
press owned by ex Secretary Chandler, and
valued at $4,000. Mr.. Nealy's loss is esti
mated at $4,000.
The Gaaette is owned BY Thomas S. Nor
row, whose loss is not heavy Shorter's
loss is but $500. Mr.. Michael w. Conway,
of the Chicago fire department, who arrived
that morning en- route to New York, went
to the fire, and during its progress intro
duced himself to Chief CroDin, of the Wash
n2ton fire department, when the latter i'm
lnedialely placed him in charge or n portion
| of the firemen, and he did excellent service
in fighting the flames.
The editors of the Ercning Star at once
rendered the use Of their oilire 10 both the
| Post and Republican, and those papers were
issued as usual this morning. While the
building was in flames the editors and
printers of the Post and Republican were
hard at work st the Star office preparing
for 10 days issue.
The fire is believed to have broken cut in
the engine room of the electric light COM
pany The plant Of this company was in
the Post building, and soon after the fire
broke out every electric light in the city
was suddenly exlinguished.
Mr.. Walter Hutchins, of the Post, gives
the following estimates of losses The Post,
including the loss on its building, $4,000;
the Republican, $50 900; the Critic, 100000;
the electric light company, $4,000; other
losses, $4,000; total, 100000 This LOGS is
almost entirely covered by insurance.
The most serious loss to the Post is the
burning Of its mailing list Of the weekly
l
the publication of any of the journals.
The fire originated in the workshop of the
United States Electric Lighting Company,
in the northeast end of the Post building
Three workmen were in the room when the
fire occurred The main shaft of the engine
rested on heavy wooden beams, Immediately
under the second floor. The shaft carried
a pully making l20 revolutions per minute,
and connecting by a greasy leather belt
with the dynamo machine. The bearing of
this shaft, it is said, became heated for want
of oil, which originated the ire. The beams
OH which the shaft rested, and which were
saturated with oil, blazed up Immediately !;
the fire like flash extended 10 the timbers
Of the floor above and the betting, and al
most in an instant the room was enveloped
in flame and filled with smoke. The men
were helpless TO extinguish the fire or pre-
vent its spreading. They cleared out Of the
building, leaving their clothes behind them.
One of them, however, had the presence Of
mind and the courage to exhaust the steam
in the,boilers before he left them.