The morning times., 1895-08-19
Ten Dwellings Destroyed, Others
Damaged, and Loss $4,000.
A FIREMAN SLIGHTLY HURT
Most Serious Blaze the Virginia City
Has Had for Many Years-Two Fire
Engines Hardly Enough to Cope
with the mes-Hard Fighting
Finally Subdued the Fire.


began at $50 O'Clock yesterday evening,
and continued until nearly 10 p; m,
was one Of the most disastrous the city
has seen for many years, destroying nine
dwellings on Princess street, one on West
street, aud partially burning several on
Payne street, eRtaif5hg loss of about
$4,000,
The fire was ErsGseeu n the saw mill
of George jones' 0 d, Princess street, just
west OF Payne, and is supposed to have
caught from the heat OF The banked fires
under the boiler
When discovered, the rear of the mill,
low one-story frame structure. was in
light blaze. The fire department re-
sponded very promptly to the alarm and
were on the. ground and at work within
ten minutes after the alarm was first
given. When they reached the scene,
the entire mill was n blaze, ana smoke
was pouring from under the caves Of a
row OF two-story frame houses ou Princess
street to West. Jones grocery store, at
the southwest corner Of Payue and West
Streets was also in a blaze
The row on Payne street, just south Of
the fire, was also threatened nd smoking,
Realizing thatthe Princess street row was
doomed, the firemen concentrated their
efforts upon saving the row on Payne street
and 10 prevent the spread Of the flames To
the WeStStreet houses, which were also of
frame
FIREMEN MADE TO SUFFER.
The heat OF the fire was so intense that
the firemenc could hardly get within fighting
distance of the flames Owing 10 the in
flammable nature OF the building material
and piles of cord wood stored away in
Jones mill, the flames were hard TO sub
due, and AleXandria's fire department OF
two engines was totally inadequate t. cope
with the flames.
Added 10 this, the hydraulic engine broke
the spring Ia her alr-chaniber which greatly
impaired her efficiency. AT one time the
fire chiefs were seriously considering the
adyisability Of sending to Washington for
aid, but this was found not to be neceS-
sary, as after an hours hard work the fire
men got the fire under control and kept il
from spreading, confining the fire to the
one house ON West street.
The residents Of the burned houses sue
ceeded IN getting all their personal et
fects out without loss. and on all four sides
Of the block were piled household good
taken from the burned houses and thos,
threatened by the flames
EXTENT OF THE LOSS
The Princess street row OF eight houses
and the house on West street, which are {
! total loss, were owned by Messrs. Pete
Aitcheson & Brother. who estimate thei
damage at about $4,000, with only
$4,000 OF Insurance in one of the loca
companies. The saw mill, belonging Il
Gage Jones, was also totally destroyed
and his grocery store, on the corner o
| Payne and Weststruets, and one OF tn
dwellings to the south Of it. also owned b!
Mr.. Jones, was partially burned.
The remainder OF the Payne street row
was not burned, but the houses were con
siderably damaged by smoke. Mr. Jone
was out OF town last night, and could no
be seen, but his loss is estimated at from
| 5000 to $6,GOG, with about half tina
/ amount IN insurance.
- OF the burned houses on Payne street
| No. 1900 was occupied by Jones' grocery
and his wood yard and saw mill came next
| No. 1912 was occupied by Benjamin Scriv
ener; No. 1914 was vacant; No 1916 wa.
occupied by H K Powell; No. 1913 wa
vacant; No. 1920 was occupied by MI
/ John Shaw, and Nos 1924 and wer
| vacant.
! The West street house was also vacant
| BarnpE SinlDSon and BENJAMIN Welsh oc
| cupicd Nos 32G and 32S Payne street
! which were partially burned about tn,
! rear
| SAND AS AN EXTIN GUISHER
1t was after 10 O'Clock before the fire
men succeeded in eXuuguishing the flame
in the big wood piles in Jones wood yard
and then the flames were only smothereC
| by covering the wood with several car
loads of sand, which were passed from
hand TO hand in buckets and thrown upoI
the flames
During the fire Harry Simpson, membe
| of the Columbia Fire Company, was in
| jurcd, but not seriously, by bureau fall
ing on him while he was trying to take i
down from q second story window Thi
is the only casualty reported
Wesley Fibbs, colored, who lives ol
West street, adjoining the burned building
had very II daughter i'll his house s.
threatening did the fire become that it wa
thought best to move the girl To the hous
Of her grandmother, and it is now feared
that the excitement attending will xii
| her. TibbS' house was unharmed after all
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