Evening star., 1896-09-10
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
The Big Fire Yesterday and the Estimated
Losses
Ffremen Nearly Overcome Good
Work by the COmpanies-Other
Local Notes of Interest.

q few moments the entire fire department
OF the city was in active operation. TIL.
fire was located in the fourth story of the
v arerooms of Z. j. Miller & Co., on King
street between Fairfax and Royal Tht
firm Of E. J. Miller & Co. is one OF
the Oldest and largest, wholesale china ana
glassware houses south of the Potomac
river. The larger portion of their stock is
imported directly by the firm. The hous,
OF e. j. Miller & Co. vas established IN
1922 Mr.. Ashby Miller of the firm today is
| 4 direct descendant of the head of the oiu
established house. The entire fire depart
inent was in active service from IL 80 am
10 2:29 PIN. At 2:29 pm. the Columbia en-
sine was relieved and permitted TO retire to
its quarters. AT 2:;.5 the Hydraulion was
withdrawn, but before it left the fire limit.
d pile Of rubbish in the building broke ou,
again and the company remained until . AZ
when it returned TO its quarters. The in
sCrance on the building is $500 in com
| panies represented by l.. Stabler. agent ii
Alexandria,, and on stock, $500; $3.50 ii
companies represented by Wise Co.
agents, in Alexandria, and $500 by l.
Stabier, agent. The head of the firm, Mr.
Ashby Miller, after consultation with hi.
associates, determined it was best to tUrI
| the whole establishment over to the repre-
sentatives of the insurance companies, an
this was done. 1t is impossible at presen
to determine the losses.
For the first time in many months tho
fremen found 1t necessary to have tho
crowd kept back, so that they could prop
erly do their work. Ropes We're put across
King street at its intersection with Royal
| and near Fairfax, and the crowd was
forced outside these limits.
One of the largest crowds ever seen at a
fre Sn Alexandria collected on the ground
it being between the hours of IL and /
when the machine and work shops were
all closed for dinner.
One engine was located at King ana
Royal, the other at King and Pitt. The
hose of the latter engine ran across tha
electSc road At King and Royal, and the
cars were detained AN hour or two. When
| IT was seen that the passengers might bc
kept at this point for an indefinite time al
impromptu bridge was erected, and over
this the hose from the engine at the corner
above mentioned was run, and the car.
passed under II and went on to Washington
| at 2:30 pm.
Firemen Wilmer Kemp, Robt Arnold
Robt. Stonnell and Earnest Langley were
ali more or less overcome with the hea,
and smoke. Kemp was taken from the
building to LeaGbeater'S drug store, at tn,
next corner, and was unconscious for some
time. He revived after treatment, and UNI
der protest from his friends returned Il
his post The others recovered after being
exposed 10 tie fresh air.
Geo. Petty, one of Alexandria, s most dis
t!nguished firemen, and foreman of the Hy.
draulion Engine Company, covered himself
and smoke from start to finish The fire
dropped from the fourth to the third story
Petty at once, with his company's hose and
men, went on this floor, through the win
dows, and worked there like a beaver A,
12:50 he came to the window and called Ia
his chief that he had the fire subdued on
that floor, and wanted to go where he could
ma more to DO, that the water foo
| deep where he was He called for an ak
| to cut into the floor to let it pass below
| He was ordered to remove at once to the
| fourth floor, where the fire started He
oEeyed and went at once with his asso.
ciates to the floor above where he workef
| with renewed energy.
AT l:2o he again appeared at the window
and notified his chief that the roof of tn,
| rear part of the building was falling IN
upon tnem, when he was ordered to with
draw from the building. The entire fir,
| department worked with great energy
| 1t Is strange to say that not single ar
| rest was made during the fire. The entfr,
poiice force was on hand. and everything
SO admirably managed that most perfec
order prevailed. A very large proportion o.
! the crowd was composed of ladies wht
We're personal friends and customers o.
the members of the firm of Z. j. Miller &
Co.
Burnett Again in Trouble.
Richard Burnett, a well-known charac.
! ter. appeared at the station house yester.
| day afternoon and requested Chief Web
ster to issue him a warrant for Lieut. Jas
Smith and Officer Keith Davis charging
| them with using abusive language The
warrant was issued and Chief Webste,
| served them himself. The case was called
| this morning in the police court. Burnett
| failed to put in his appearance and the
cases were continued until tomorrow morn.
lrg. warrant was issued for Burnei I
| charging him with contempt of court and
given to Oflcer Davis, who soon had Bur.
nett behind the bars. After the warrant
for the officers had been sworn out yester.
| day evening, Burnett, accompanied by hi.
| mother and wife, endeavored to withdraw
| 1t, but the mayor would not allow ii.
| Police Court.
| Mayor Thompson this morning dispose,
1 Of the following cases: Thomas Jackson
colored, arrested by Officer Beach, charge,
| with stealing a coat from VIM. Rogers
| held for Fairfax county authorities. Dennis
Higgins, arrested by Officer Atkinson charg
| ed with drunkenness in the street, fined $
Typographical Union Officers.
meeting OF the Alexandria printers wa
| held in the Office of the Silver Knight-Na
| tional Watckman Tuesday night, whel
they completed the organiza ton of the ty
biographical union by electing Mr.. james
Adams, president; Mr. Charles Snider, vic
president: Mr.. Edwin Markell, secretar,
and treasurer, and Charles Webster ser
| geant-at-arms. The charter for the nev
| union will be applied for at once.
School Permits.
| Mr.. Herbert Snowden, clerk of the cit.
| school board, yesterday finished issuin,
| permits to white children to attend tn,
| public schools. During the day - wer,
| issued, Al to white boys and 81 to whit.
| girls. making total of 1.29l for thre,
| days. 61I to white boys and GA to girls
| For the CORES ponding period last yeal
| 1,262 were issued Today and tomorrow
permits will be issued to colored children
| Union Mission Dfsbands.
The Christian Union Mission in Alexan
| dria is a thing of the past. At meeting
| of the board of directors in the Methods
Protestant Church. held yesterday, the,
| decided 20 discontinue the union, owing t,
| the want Of financial support. At the re
quest of Mr.. X. E. Redding the superin
tendent of the mission. he was loaned th,
mission tent for the present month.
Badly Hurt.
John Villa ms, colored, driver for Dun
| cans express, was seriously injured toda,
| at II o'clock by being thrown from hi
wagon. He was driving a spirited youni
| horse At the corner of Pitt and Prime
streets the horse became frightened ant
ran away. Williams was thrown from th