Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-19
FIRE In WASHINGTON.
Block Of Business Buildings Opposite
Smithsonian Institution Destroyed.
NUMBER OF LIVES LOST.
Two Ffremen Dead-Four Danger
ousIy, Perhaps Fatally, Injured
Four Others Missing-Grcnt Crowds
at Scene of Calamity.

WASHINGTON. ID. c.. May B-Fire
swept away a whole block Of commercial
buildings opposite the Smithsonian inst-
tuition soon after O'Clock this evening.
The lives OF at least three firemen were
crushed out by falling walls The loss
will exceed 10000 The buildings, cover
ing the block adjoining the centre market.
held a large part Of the commission and
wholesale produce business of Washing
ton, and while not Of great value. their
contents burned so fiercely that great
portion OF the residents from all portions
OF the city were attracted to the scene
Of the confiagration.
From to O'Clock the district was
visited by one Of the most terrific thunder
storms in years, and It Is thought light
ming. travelling on telegraph-wires. en-
tered a Postal telegraph sub-station and
started the flames, which rapidly spread
through the highly-infiammable materials
in the stores fronting on Louisiana ave-
nue., Ninth, Tenth, and b streets. In
few minutes. under general-alarm orders.
the entire fire department commenced its
efforts to check the fires spread but
exploding barrels Of kerosene and gaso-
line drove them or, and led them 10
direct the engines TO preventing the flames
from crossing the streets to the neigh
boring squares.
While the firemen Of No s engine were
working a hose through one of the build
ings, the roof fell without warning, bury
ing them In the ruins. Alarming reports
at once spread that a dozen men had
been killed. The wrecked building at
once began to burn furiousy. and any
attempt at rescue was beyond question
Not until an hour later had the flames
sufficiently subsidized at this point for the
firemen TO begin clearing away the debris
Then three men. Joe Mulhal. Donaldson.
and Kennedy. still alive, but scorched
and crushed beyond all hope Of recovery.
were taken out, and removed to the Pro
whence Hospital. At midnight the fire
men came upon another body. Others are
still believed TO be in the ruins, and are
being searched for.
PRINCIPAL SUFFERERS.
Among the principal sufferers are the
following:
William Il. Clark. agricultural ware
house. 925 Louisiana avenue.
S. Bens.nger, horse and carriage auc-
Compton Brothers. butter and eggs, No.
9.4 Louisiana avenue
Roth 81 Geoghegan, pickles, No. 932
Louisiana avenue.
o. ID. spicer, butter and eggs, 93s Loui-
siana avenue.
F. NJ. Walker & Co. $50 Louisiana ave-
nue..
F. S. Swain & Son, $50 Louisiana ave-
nue..
The buildings on the B-street side.
which were entirely destroyed, were occu-
pied by Edward Adams. commission mer-
chant; Taylor Wade, dealer in butter and
eggs; Frederick Fishiere. J. A. Davis q
Son. w. s. Anderson 1.-TWO stores); w. o
Shreves. Brown Brothers. Matthewson &
Co., and William Semmes.
Jewell Crowley. who kept a small res
taurant midway OF the book, lost every
thing. and barely rescued his family
alive.
Later information Is TO the effect that
Firemen Giles and Griffin are dead. ana
that Fremen Mulhall, McElroy. Keppler
and Kennedy are dangerously, perhaps
fatally injured. Four others are known
20 be in the ruins. and several others are
and search is being continued
ate into the night for them.
This fire is one of the direst calamities
and is the only one Of its kind, since the
notorious Knox fire OF about two years
ago. The buildings that were burned were
comparatively Of small value, though
quite a whole block OF them were swept
out Of existence. The full extent OF the
terrible calamity that attended the con-
hagration was not known until a late
hour. and the neighborhood surrounding
the scene was thronged till long after mid
night by excited sympathizing groups OF
many of whom were friends an
neighbors OF the unfortunate men burned
In the wreck Of the walls and ruins.