Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-08-07

section 'air weather, sou:herly winds,
Dec, Ing westerly.
EXTENSIVE FIRE.-Three houses in
MINIS, one partially destroyed and nine
h.ra Quilted aa,i ronGsred uninhabita-
bic was tho scene presented on the
square on the west side of Alfred street
between Wolfe aud Wilkes, this morn
iue, while the bedraggled occupants
with what household effects they could
mlrriedlv snatch huddled i'll the
street. 1t was shortly before . o'clock
This morning when what is known as
FiWcett ; row was discovered to be on
fire. The conhagration, which is be-
heyed TO be of incendiary origin, was
discovered in one of the three frame
houses which were in process of cree
iion on the south of the row proper,
and in few minutes the flames had
been forced through the rafters of the
ten adjoining houses on the ncrth.
The structures, being composed OF
wood. burned fercely, and tongues Of
fire shot from the caves of first one
house aud then the other with fright
tul rapidity throwing sheets of light re-
semblng lightning In less time than
il takes to tell it huge banks of fire and
en ake illuminated the entire western
heaven and curled and roll' d towar
the northwest, casting showers of
sparks which cacsed persons living
squares away to be apprenhenlslve;;
Locomotives in the Virginia Midland
hallway yard shrieked with their
whistles, and the police sounded the
alarm. aud in q short time the fire de-
partment was on the scene and at
work. The scene was terrible and one
long to be remembered. The terrified
inhabitants of ten of the houses tnm-
bed as fast as they could into the
street. Half-awake children, blinded
by the light. and not realizing what
was going on were carried to places OF
safety, and in some instances persons
were removed from the burning houses
on beds. OF course, it was impossible
to remove all the household effects,
and such things as carpets, stoves and
other non-portable articles were left
TO the flames. The house fartherest
south in the row, occupied by MIR.
Davis, barned SO tiercely that it was
impossible 70 save anything, ana tnis
morning that gentleman found himself
devoid of everything in the way OF
housekeeping utensils. The Column
Columbia, Hydraulion and Hook aud
Ladder companies were quick to re-
spond, and that they performed their
services heroically and effectively Is
attested by all who witnesse! their
combat with the devouring element
and the result Of their work as pre-
scented this morning. Four houses out
OF the thirteen had been destroyed, and
how the flames were kept confined
mostly to those structures seems re-
markable, while the fact that frame
structures on the opposite side of the
street toward which showers of sparks
were continually waited by the south
west winds remained unscorchtd .hough
the heat was unbearable, is the best
commentary on the work OF Alexan-
dria 6remen. After combat OF an
nour aud half the fire had been placed
under control. The bank of light
which had lowered oyer the neighbor-
hood during all that time began to
lower. the flames which had been in
the partially burned houses were &c
}oueer protruding, while water dripped
ron, floor 10 floor and steam and vapor
curled from the windows. The fire
was out. But the scene in the street!
How pitifai Mothers surrounded by
little ones and anxious fathers endeav-
or;ng to take an inventory of what was
left of their scattered goods aud chat
ties. Kind people ministered TO the
Immediate needs of most of them, and
this morning a committee of ladies
started on canvass of the town for
subscriptions for their relief. Later
the former occupants of what had been
COW homes sought other habitations in
order to begin housekeeping anew.
The houses were owned by DIR. Il. >.
Fawcett and were insured, the old ones
for 81 900 Isl, 900 in the Mount Yer
non Insurance Company of this city
and the new ones for 5000. The
insurance will about cover the
losses. and DR.. Fawcett will rebuild at
an early date. The ten completed
ilouses were occupied by the following
persons Geo. Davis, Stephen Wooless,
j r. Henderson, James Crockett, J. a.
Williams. Joseph Williams. James Il.
Warren, James r. Goram, VIM. I. Ar
nod and VIM. f. Harris. The three
unfinished houses to the south, in one
of which the fire originated, also be-
lonped to DR.. .Fawcett Mr.. George L.
Young lost fifteen dollars worth OF tools
which he had left In one of the untin-
ished houses. The only iaas Of life re-
ported was that of a dog which could
not bo rescued though several occu-
pants of the houses have thrilling
stories to relate of their exits. In one
instance n mother aud q newly-born
babe were removed On G bed. The
plastering had been put on by Messrs.
George Maxwell and Orlando Harris,
and they will lose about $50 by the
fire. There is said to be no doubt that
Ihe lire was of incendiary origin, and
The authorities are doing all they can
to ferret ont the fiend who perpetratta
the Jeed. A lady who lived in one OF
the houses which was burned, it is SAID,
alleges she was sitting at an upper WIN
dow about twenty minutes before the
fire broke out and saw man ana "pI
man standing under the tree in front OF
one of the partly finished houses. 81 Sne
heard the man say to the woman, "Ine
wind is from the south, and if they get
oil the entire row will 60" The par
dies were total strangers To her.