Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-02-11

scciio fair to-day, followed BY sno t night
or 10 MORROW morning, probably tuning Lila
rain. Warmer, variable wi It s.
BURNING OF GEORGE R. Hill Il Go 5
BAKERY.-About hslf past min ~ ,.'.,cl
Saturday night the low moan oi III !.
whistle of Smoot & Co.'s saw mill. on
The east side Of Lee street, between
Cameron and Queen, caused all who
heard it to surmise that that building
was on fire, and this report travelled
from mouth as the bell in the City Hail
steeple rang out the alarm and was
taken up by the. bells on the variou,
engine houses. 1t was intensely cold
but the hour not being late most people
were up and hundreds ran to the scene
as quickly as the slippery pavemen S
would allow them. 1t was, however,
not the sawmill, but George r. Hill &
Co.'S bakery and confectionery on the
opposite side Of the street which was
burning and at rapid rate, too. Be-
fore the fire department could be got
ted in working order gentleman who
had arrived early on the scene forced
his way into the molasses room, next to
she engine room, where the fire bad
originated, and made desperate at
tempts to subdue the flames by throw
ing snow on them. He was soon COM
PEELED to desist and flee for safety. A
few minutes later both engines had got
ten to work, but from some cause
sufficient pressure could not be brought
to bear and it was found difficult to
throw streams as high as the
second story windows. The fire.
mn worked heroically, but the
devouring element assumed a fear
full Roadway, and with their clothing
enclsed in ice and the water freezing
almost before it left the pipes, they
manfully fought the fire for five hours
and half, aud though the entire build
ing was destroyed they succeeded in
continuing the fire to the bakery and
saved all adjoining property. A high
aud frigid northwest wind famed the
flames greatly, and burning embers
were flying thick and fast and settling
upon the roofs of adjoining houses. 1t
IS generally conceded that it was the
hardest fight Alexandria fremen ever
had with the devouring element. Be-
tween two and three o'clock Sunday
morning, when nearly all the wood
work in the building had been burned,
aGd no further damage was apprehend-
ed. tine fremen ceased work, leaving
the frozen hose on the ground. Short
iy before FIVE o'clock a second alarm
was sounded, the fire having been re-
ported to have broken out afresh, but
this proved false. Yesterday morning
a desolate scene was presented, nothing
but the bare walls of the former build
ing and the ruined machinery being
visible During the progress of the fire
there were several slight explosions
which were caused by some fire.
works which had been left over
from the Christmas sales, but the bulk
OF the stock of such goods was in
brick house on the opposite side of the
alley. Many people worked assidu,
ousiy in removing goods from the
building, aud it is reported that in
some cases articles were stolen. The
bakery was a three-story structure and
was fitted with modern machinery,
and the loss, including stock on hand,
will reach 100000. There is bat
S2S. 900 insurance, 81, 600 ofwhich is in
Alexandria companies-$2,5 800 in the
Alexandria Fire Insurance Company
and 81 800 in the Mount Vernon. Mr..
Hill only few days ago cancelled a
SIG. 600 assurance, believing the pre-
MUM to be too high. The books of
the company were saved but the trade
record. invaluable to an enterprise like
this, was destroyed. Numbers of PEG.
7le visited the scene yesterday and
the Hydraulion engine was kept there
throwing water occasionally during
most of the day Numbers of boys
swarmed about the burned building
searching for almonds, candy and other
articles which had been scattered dur
ing the night. The origin of the fire Is
mysterious, though Mr.. Hill is clear.
ly of the opinion that it was the work
of an incendiary. Mr.. Stephen Hen
derson, engineer at the bakery, was
the first TO discover it, ne having enter
ed the engine room to feed two dogs
he had placed there. There was nothing
"a indicate how the fire had been started.
George r. Hill & Co.'S bakery was the
evolution Of the old Jameson bakery
of orr grandjathers' days. In the year
1869 Mr.. Hill came here from Balti
more and purchased the property at
time when it was supposed nothing
would flourish in Alexandria. AT this
period the products of the bakery were
distributed throughout the city from
hand cart, the locomotive power being
furni,, he'd by colored man. The new
proprietor was young and energetic,
and he determined to extend the busl-
ness of the concern, and he was not
long in doing so, but during the de-
preston which followed the Jay Cooke
disaster Mr.. Hill was forced to make
an assignment and offer the best terms
he could to his creditors. Like prac-
tical business man, this reverse only
stimulated his mercantile spirit and ne
worked assiduously to surmount TINS
temporary setback. In short time
the Increased trade having rendered
the old building too contracted, he nur-
chased larger structure on the oppoo-
site of the street and enlarged it for his
purposes. The enterprise prospered,
and few years ago Mr.. Hill paid off
all the Indebtedness incurred by his
ASSIGNMENT with six per cent. IN
terest added. AS many as i've
Thousand barrels of flour have been
used in one year to meet the demands
made upon the factory. Mr.. Hill WILL