Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-12-16
Big BLAZE 1t new ALEXANDRIA,

The Deis Furniture Factory in Ruins.
from Scven;y-fivc TO One Hundred
ieopie Thrown Out OF Employment
.-!he Huge building on Which
" orkmen We're Engaged all the
Summer Wiped Out in an hour or
two.
The hour hand Of the large clock in
the office of the Mount Vernon Electric
Railway Company on south Fairfax
street was drawing close 10 the figure X
on the dial last night several persons
were sitting and lounging about the
room listening to Messrs. Clark and
Hcndrickson, of the basket factory, give
their versions of The trouble with Miss
Alice tinnell one of the female opera
tives. which had been the talk Of the
day, when the jingle of the telephone
was heard The cali, which all sup
posed to be trivial or some order in
connection with the road, WAS answered
by one of the occupants of the office.
He quickly dropped the Indicator and
eXcitcdly exclaimed, THE furniture
factory is on fire y All conversation
was brought to al abrupt termination.
\ rush was made for the door and TO an
empty car which stood in front of the
building. The pavement had been
crowded with men and boys for several
hours, who had gathered for the purpose
of learning all that could he learned
from the officers OF the New AleXan-
y ,.o 'D,,, M ~. AZ hD bo,l ,oan i,,.n-t;no
ting the charges made against W. f.
Heudrickson and some female opera
tiyes in the basket factory by Miss Fin
nell, which has been the sensation Of
the hour. This crowd, when they
learned what was the cause of the sud
Gen bolt, in less time than it takes to
tell it filled every seat. the aisle and
platforms OF the ear, while Motorman
Warfield neryously adjusted the crank
to the motor, gave ita twist and the
car started down Fairfax street
with probably rs excited n
load of human freight as was
ever packed in any one vehicle.
The shouts which came from the eX
cited mass, aud the incessant striking OF
the gong, broke the usual quiet OF the
thoroughiare, caused some who We're
on the street TO stampede and Others
who were indoors to turn the keys iii
their locks, while numbers instantly
OWNED that a lynching party had
charge of the alleged perpetrators Of
the indignitv to Miss Finnell. Il huge
bank OF light. however, had loomed up
in the southern heavens, and the sad
truth was soon told The Deis man
ufactory at New Alexandria is burn
ing = passed from mouth TO mouth.
People who had partly undressed don
ned what had been dotted, and STAN
pede for the southern section of the
city was made. Bat TO return
to the car end It's load.
In few minutes the banks of the
/ creek had been reached and the weird
display made by the destroying element
shone out i'll unobstructed splendor-a
sad splondor, though Mid-winter near
/ IL here and Christmas close NJ hand.
/ The grandeur of the scene sent It's
sharp arrows deep into the souls cf
hundreds. 1t meant to them much
forced idleness and rigid economy when
so many fond hopes had been INDUCED
hopes which this grand illumination
was then dispelling as aerial castles
! Such is one OF the contingencies incident
10 mundane things. Some OF the tired
operatives were at that hour indulgins
in what is said to be the workman :
luxluy-their eyelids closed by peace
/ full sleen. and while indniging in cheer
full drcamS their occupation was van
ishing as quickly as their May visions.
The car and It's burden OF humanity
Numbered over the bridge TO the scene
of the conilagration which lit up the
entire structure, the adjoining country
and reflected its glare on the hill tops
and chimneys In this city. From the
bridge the scene was one not soon 10
be forgotten. A tremendous column CT
fire shot heavcnward from the centre
of the burning building, Nhiio zoe east
wing bla2ed ilercely i bank OF thick
smoke enveloped the west wing and
protruded from the windows. IhiS
awe-inspiring scene was reflected by
, the waters CT tue ereek which, OF
course, inverted 1t, making n double
picture of the sad but exciting display.
Upon arriving at the power house the
car disgorged its occupants as quickly
as it aa1 taken lheg OF, ara c%clLed
men scampered over the fields in the
greatest haste. But what could be done,
though their hands were ever so will
ing2 Almost nothins Though the
AIexandrians. many Of them members
of the fire department, did what they
could with Will aud succeeded in
getting some things from the factory in
the shape OF office books, some of the
manufactured chairs SC. thckead way
the me had acquired could not have
been stayed then by a trained fire de-
partmcnt. There was no apparatus OF
the ground. and the destr.ct;Ga Of the
factory was inevitable There was lit
tie. after all the excitement of going to
the fire. to be done but stand by and see
it finish its work OF DESTRUCTION. The
flames grew iiercer and Hercer, the eX-
cessive heat forcing the crowd back
which later had increased amazingly
by the arrival of other heavily loaded
cars. Minutes soon passed into hours
The witching time of midnight drew
on. The crowd began TO grow thinner
the flames ceased to reach the heavenly
height which st first characterized
them, until finally tho roof settled into
the soething flames and fell a mass o
enbers. and only the crumbling walls
Of what had been the Deis building, the