Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-05-19
FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE.

storm, accompanied by thunder and
lightning, had subsidized about eight
o'clock when cloud of flame was seen
to shoot up in the northern heavens,
and rumor flashed all through the city
that the Seventh street market house
in Washington had been struck by
lightning and was burning. Groups of
people gathered in nearly every street
running north and south to watch the
flames, which often shot heavenward to
great height. Telephone calls were
sent to Washington and some of the
answers returned corroborated the
rumor which in few minutes time
had spread all over the city. While
this was being discussed the excitement
was still further increased by report,
which gained rapid circulation, TO the
effect that tragedy had just occurred
in West End-that young man named
Frank Ballenger had fatally shot an
other young man named James Fegan.
The rumor was that man on horse
back had just come to the city in search
of physician to attend the wounded
man. No one seemed to doubt the
rumor, as it was known that a difficulty
had occurred between the two men on
Sunday, and it was concluded that they
had met again last night and tragedy
had followed. To the great relief,
however, of the relatives and friends Of
both parties, inquiry proved the rumor
to be false. But to return to the fire.
Several hundred of our people had de-
termined to take the $40 train for
Washington, and the street cars which
connected with the train were
packed with people anxious to reach
the scene of the conhagration. A crowd
besieged the ticket Office and when the
train pulled away from the depot it was
literally packed, many of the passengers
being ladies, some of whom had not
donned caputical coverings. In about
twenty minutes time they were landed
within three squares of the fire. 1t was
not the Seventh street market house,
but the fire was contiguous to it
twenty or more commission houses in
the fat-iron-shaped block bounded by
B street Louisiana avenue and Ninth
and Tenth streets having been burned.
By the time the Alexandrians reached
the scene the fire had about burned out,
and there was but little to see save q
sea of faces which stretched in every
direction. The conhagration had
brought thousands to the neighborhood ;
the expected return of the Morton
Cadets from Georgia had enticed thou
sands more to Pennsylvania avenue, B
street and the B. & p, depot, where
humanity was packed as close as
matches in box. A large number of
Ale1andrians returned on the 1910
train, others at 1889 and some remain
ed over all night. Those who left on
the 1910 train, of course, knew nothing
of the terrible disaster which occurred
later, by which three men were killed
and number injured.
The fire had been kindled by light
ming which during the storm had
struck wire in the Postal Telegraph
office, situated in the commission house
of w. S. Anderson, 919 B street north
west, and set fire to the table where
| the instruments stood. In moment
the flames spread and it was two hours
before they could be checked. BY this
time they had laid waste and Quilted
the houses of E. j. Adams & Co., G..
Taylor Wade, w. w. Leishear, j. A.
Davis & Sons, w. S. Anderson, Postal
Telegraph (branch office), w. 0. Shreve
& Son, Crowley's, Davis's, Matthew,
Son & Co., Brown Bros, ]. H. Sims,
Samuel Bensinger, w. E. Clarke & Co.,
Loving & Co., Swaine & Son (of Alex
andria) Roth &Geoghan, Compton Bros,
o. o. Spicer, Bensinger Bazaar, w. Ber-
ger, S. M. Walker & Co., w. H. Keister,
T. Robinson & Co., F. Robinson, A. ].
Jackson, E. T. Wooden, w. T. Red
man, H. e. Stragge, F. Greenapple
formerly of Alexandria,, Washington
Packing Company, P. H. Pickford, and
Golden, Love & Co. Samuel Bensing-
er, one of the victims of the fire, con-
Quoted horse bazaar, and the work of
rescuing the hundred or more horses
was very thrilling. The total loss will
reach 100000. The insurance, so far
as learned, is small.
About $40 o'clock the floor of Clark's
store fell, carrying down with it three
fremen, Joseph Mulhall, ]. McIlwee
and Donaldson. They were surround
ed by smouldering framework and
beams and were extricated with much
difficulty. They were finally gotten
out and removed to Providence Hos
pital. All the men are pretty badly
burned, but it is believed that all will
recover without permanent injury. One
fireman was taken out of ruins at mid
night, and shortly afterward two more
were removed, all dead. They are
Giles, Tom Griffin and Conway. They
were imprisoned in the store of w. Z.
Clarke & Co., on Louisiana avenue, and
they were caught by the floor falling in
on them. The accident happened soon
after the other one. Later another
floor gave way and six more men were
caught, but all of these, it is thought,
escaped without injury.
The men were killed after the fire
was under control. The buildings were
old and the beams were of timber. |
Naturally the floors were on the verge
of falling in from the time the fire start
ed. By some mischance the fremen
entered, and when the floors fell they |
were crushed to death.
This is the first fatal fire in Wash.
ington since the Stumph Brothers fire
two years ago, and the loss to the fire.
men is only equaled by that of the
Knox fire, when three men were killed.
The bodies of Firemen Thomas Con-
r