Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-01-05

colder weather will prevail tomorrow.
RupN1Nc or THE STEAMER ARMENIA
The excursion steamer Armenia, WIZ ~
been lying at the foot of WoIle saee - be
the past two months, was oiscu'e &C. W
;no and hefoTe the flames could be extin.
.,';shad the steamer was so much damaged
80 49, owners consider her almost r total
aooi- THE steamer this morning bore .
,,;t;f,l contrast to her former appearance,
her tunnels towering above mass OF charr,
ad wood. twisted iron stanchions, and guys,
and her hull completely submerged. Inc
Armenia was lowed to this port during last
fall for the purpose of being repainteo anu
prepared for the coming excursion Season'
and Mr. Joseph LeymaD, her assistant gu
gineer. and youth named Joseph Nash mao
been STAYING aboard of her. Inc couple
upon reaching Wolfe street dock last hign.,
in consequence of the tide having mace over
the wharf, were compelled to use small
boat to reach the steamer, and upon gaming
her deck secured the boat and proceeded 10
make themselves comfortable for the night:
A small stove had been placed in the hold
in which a fire had been kept up to prevent
tho nines freezing. aad one Of the two per-
sons named above filed the stove with coal
D-eparatory to retiring to his bunk Tor tue
night. Surprising everything 10 be righ',
the pair were soon asleep, and were not
awakened until the sutlocaling smoke from
tho fire aroused them f1tm their s.umbeis
md compelied them to fee FOR their lives.
MIR. Eeymun was the first 10 AWAKEN aud 10
realiZ. the situation, and Informing MS
COMPANION that the steamer was tuning
No, they both made their way TO the small
boat, neither stopping to dress, aud were
soon on the adjoining wharf. They pro
c.eded TO the residence of Mr.. Orlando Ford,
- short distance away, where MIR. Lcyman
nrocured clothes. The alarm was quickly
sounded, aud though the bells pealed out
vigorously they brought comparatively lew
persons into the streets, as 1t was Impossible
ID see any light until nearly hall an hour
after the first alarm was heard. Inc lire
had started amidships, and the only out
ward indication that the steamer was on
fire was the fact that smoke was pouring
from her stacks as though steam was heing
generated in her boilers. Tongues OF flame
finally began to dance upward abaft the
pilot house aud subsequently the lurid glare
spread heavenward and a bank of light was
observable from every point in the city. The
Columbia and Hydraulion steam engines
were quickly upon the scene, the former
humping water from the river and the lat-
ter being stationed at the plug at the south
west corner Of Duke and Union streets.
Streams of water from the engines were
soon deluging the burning steamer, and
were subsequently augmented in no slight
degree by the transfer tug Beaverton, Capt.
A. j. Fair The Brewerton's fires were
banked at the time the alarm WAS sounded,
and some delay was experienced in get
ting up sufficient quantity of steam
to start her engines, but once at work she
proved an efficient auxiliary to the depart
ment in preventing the entire destruction Of
the steamer. The fire proved to be extra
ordinarily stubborn, and from about hall
pust two till nearly eight O'clock this morn
ing it was fought heroicaIly, not, however,
until nearly everything above the main
deck bad been destroyed or badly damaged
and the hull submerged. The origin Of the
fire is unknown, though it is generally sup
posed that it started from the stove in the
hold. The Armenia was owned by the In
land and Coastwse Transportation Compa-
nv, of which Messrs Henry Bros, of Balti.
more, are the managers. She was 2l2 feet
long, 80 feet breadth of beam, 8 feet depth
of hold, nominal horse power $50, had two
tunnels, gross tonnage 52S 30 aud was val
ued at 100000. She was insured for about
$4,000 She was built in New York in
1S47, and for number of years was en-
ployed on the Hudson and other rivers
around New York. In 1888 she was pur-
chased by her present owners, taken to Bal
timore, rebuilt and placed on the Potomac
as an excursion steamer, making daily trips
during the summer months, between Wash
iBgton, this city and Lower Cedar Point.
Her business had been lucrative during the
three years she had been on the Potomac.
Shortly after the close of last years eXcur-
sion season she was brought here, as stated
above, to be reftted for the coming season.
She was one of the finest looking steamers
on the river and the fastests boat ever on the
Potomac, having it is said record oftwenty
three miles an hour. During the last two
years she was commanded by Captain w.
Samuel Henry, of Baltimore, one of her
owners, was here to-day, and upon an ex-
animation of the steamers condition said he
believed she would prove total loss,
though he could not positively tell until
meeting of the board of underwriters is held
and a conference had with his company.
He was also unable to say whether or not
the steamer will be raised and rebuilt, but
confidently affirmed that no matter what
disposition is made of the Armenia, a steamer
would be put on her old route during the
summer.
THE WEEK OF PRAYER.-Despite the
dashing storm last night, an encouraging
number of worshippers assembled at Grace
(EpiscopalD Church to enjoy the first meet
ing in the week of prayer. The pastor,
Rev. Mr.. Sharp, led the meeting. Pastors
Dinwiddis, Smithson, Edwards, Nourse and
Flippo took part in the exercises. The
topics for the evening received due consid-
Grafton and the meeting was interesting
and profitable. Union services will be held
tonight in Trinity NJ. f. Church. The
topics published in last evenings GAZETTE
will be discussed. On to morrow (Wednes-
day) night the meeting will be held in the
Baptist Church-Topic: The Church and
the Family; that the church of Christ must
be more united in the bonds OF iaith and
love: that, holding fast the head it may
grow with the increase of God; that it may
he delivered from false apoStles and wolves