Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-09-12
Freaks of Electricity

The inhabitants IF Grand street, between
Essex and Ludlow, opposite the old Essex
Market New York. were sent hurrying
from their beds at four o'clock Thursday
morning by the unexpected invasion OF the
electric current that ordinarily runs quietly
By their houses along the wires strung by
the electric light companies. Almost every
store In the locality has an electric lamp In
front. 1t was one of them that made all the
trouble 1t is owned by the United States
Company, aud hangs 10 front OF William
Fritscbe's furnishing store on the southwest
corner of Grand and Essex streets. About
q. % in the driving rsinstorm the wind
broke it from its fastenipgs and twisted one
of the wires that fed it in two parts, One of
the loose ends fell on the tin covered cornice
over the store aud charged it with the cleo.
trio current. Then the mischief began. 1t
manifested Itself fret in Mrs. Mary Skelly's
ftuit stand on the corner. The stand leans
against the Frtscbs store and the awning
over 1t g fastened to the building Gas
pipes run around 1t and up through it.
These were charged fret, and next every
iron rail and scrap of metal about the stand.
The fruit also got its share. 1t Is an all
night house, and James Hunt, who wns at.
tending 1t, was first astonished, then scared
by receiving little shock when be picked
up pear to wipe it of. When next be
touched toe gas pipe be got shock
that made him dance and yell
like Comancbe Indian. The yell
brought POLICEMAN Ringler up on
run, aud aroused everyone on the block.
Mra. Frtsche weDt 10 the front window up
stairs TO open the shutters and tiod what
IL har dc,
the shutter and she felt shock upon shock.
Sac could not open the shutters, neither
could she let go of them. She stood there
shakug them with her hands. When she
fioaly got loose she lost no time In getting
her family up and out on the street. The
house, sne said, next morning seemed to her
to be alive. Everything that could convey
elec rictv was full OF it. Out in the sire els
number OF the neighboEs had gathered 10
the rain, exciedly considering the queer
situation. The broken electric lamp hung
'n,r in front Of the store door, sputteriDg
apd throwing sparks at intervals. 8. Fried
ensteins shoe etore is next door There is
lamp in front of the store. The electricity
ran through it without making any disturb
apce to William Bernstein's shoe store at
351 Between this and the shoe store of
Mary Morris, his other in law, at 349. q
tin gutter runs to the sidewa K and half way
out towards the gutter with cast-iron
spout on top of the sidewalk. Through
this the electricity found an outlet
| to the wet street. The frightened onlookers
saw the iron spout pour forth white aud
| blue Are Ali the way up the leader flashed
| forth FIRE. The buildings are two stories high,
and oid. The roof of Mrs. Bernstein's
house, which is somBwhat lower than
| it's ;eighbor. was covered With old tar paper.
The gutter that ran along it was alive with
electricity. and there was danger Of fire.
Policeman Ringer ran to the quarters of
Eogine Company No II, iu Ludlow street,
and called Foreman McCabe. Meanwhile,
one of the neighbors ran to the electric com.
pany'e shops to give warning of the danger
In Grand street. The whole side of the
| store seemed gradually to have become
charged with electricity. This state OF
| things had lasted nearly an hour and a-half
before an electric light man came and cut
the troublesome wire At the same time
| Foreman MeCabe. having summoned Hook
aud Ladder Company No. 6, went to the
roof. The volcanic activity was over, but
| there was smoke coming out from under the
| tar paper on the corpice. McCsbe sent for
engines Box 1872, on the corner of Essex
street, would not work. II, too, had been
knocked out by the capers of the electric
current From the next nearest box at
Broome and Ludlow streets the alarm was
cent that brought three engines to the spot.
The moment the fremen began to tear open
the old roof of 351 it blazed up brightly.
The top of the house was on fire. The
flames ate their way into the Morris house,
and before they were put out caused q dam
age of $4,000 The damage to stock was
| m oetly, hv rater