The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-06-29
A WELL-NICH FATAL FIRE.
4 Handsome Residence on West Mar.
shall Street Destroyed.
THE NARROW ESCAPE OF ITS INMATES
So Furious We're the Flames That Ihey
..sre Forced to Leave the House IN
Their Night Eobes-Mr. Huxter's
rcrilous Jump-Oricin Unknown

At Ills o'clock this morning the resi-
dents Of west Marshall street. living In
the vicinity OF the Richmond Fredorioks-
burg and Potomac depot. were awakened
from their slumbers 10y tho cry OF fire.
few minutes later tho sound OF the
alarm from Box s. at the corner Of
Broad and Hancock streets. brought many
persons from their houses TO ascertain
what was the matter.
BY this time volumes Of black smoke.
with long. ftful tongues Of fire. were seen
TO be issuing from No. sl7 west Marshall
street.
A HANDSOME RESIDENCE.
Tho house. which is handsome two
story brick residence. is where live Mr.
J. W. Alexander and Mr.. Claude Huxter,
with their families.
Hardly had the sound OF the alarm died
away on the still night air. before the
approaching rumble OF heavy wheels ana
tho cIatter Of horses hoofs told that the
FIRE Department was coming to the res
cue.
= few seconds later Chief Fuller was
uron the scene accompanied by Engines
Nos. 3 and and Truck No j. When
the department arrived the house seemed
hopelesslv doomed. but Chief Puller with
his accustomed ability and celebrity had
two hose quickly coupled up and at the
head Of his men entered the house which
wac now a seething mass OF flames, while
the oddving clouds of smoke made the
work even more difficult and dangerous
90 svstematic was Chief Puller's attack
upon the burning house and so capaDie
his direction OF his means OF conqueflhs
the flames. that in exactly sixty-hve MN
,fios from the time the alarm was sounded
the back tap was sent H. anhoun'"s
that the fire was out.
DISCOVERY OF THE FLAMES.
IT was fifteen minutes past l o'clock
when Mr. Alexander, awakened suduehiE'
ana glanced at his watch. A mysterious
crackling sound with strange dancing
lights came from the direction OF the
kitchen
The dense smoke began to overpower
M. Alexander as he made the discovery
that his kitchen was blazing furiously
lie quickly aroused his wife and her
sister and brother. who were asleep on
the same floor. and they hurried upstairs
TO warn Mr. Huxter and his family. who
occupy the upper noor OF the dwelling
Mr. Huxtor however. was awake and
had already begun TO look after the safe
Is OF the ladies' and children OF his part
~ the house.
Soon the kind hands Of the neighbors
were busy I>ing many of the household
effects into the adjoining yards.
In the meantime some narrow escapes
were being experienced within the burn
ing building.
Mr.. Gus Woody. a brother of Mrs.
Alexander. and Mr. J. +. Huxtcr. were
engaged i'm removing valuabes from the
second loof. when the fire overlook
them.
Mr.. Woody crashed his foot through a
back window that was hard to raise. and
30 escaped. while Mr.. Huxter WAS COM
PEELED 10 jump from second story front
window.
ESCAPED IN NIGHT ROBES.
There was no time for dressing when
tho fire was discovered. and the ladies
fed from the house attired in their night
iobe'.
The honsc IS rented by Mr.. Alexander
from Mr. Charles A. Rose, and is owned
by a Mrs. Brown. II was thoroughly
euttod. hut the worst damage is in the
rear.
Mr.. Alexander had $500 insurance on
his furniture. 10 could not be learned
how mucl insurance is carried upon the
house
The ala-m was turned iu by Mr.. George
Bryant. a next door neighbor of Mr.
Alexander who was awakened by the
lattcrs cry Of IRE.
The heat on the second floor I'm the
'front.' rooms which were not injured by
,he flames. and where Mr.. Huxter and
his family slept. was so intense that the
shellac pealcd from the furniture. and
the glass and Washstand fixtures were
elackened ami cracked
ut is n great wonder" said Chief
Shaw. that Mr.. HuXter and his family
we're not suffOcatcd before they were
awakened. as the temperature in tho
rooms must have been over 200 degrees.
THE HEAT INTENSE.
Although the flames had been out half
an hour the chief was forced TO relieve
his men who were working in the rooms
every few moment. as he feared prostra-
tion from heat.
only a minute in these rooms was suf-
icient for the Times representative.
As 90 the origin Of the fire il began
in the kitchen. and the door to the back
stairway being open. the flames found a
ready escape 10 the upper rooms. tn
kitchen. dinninC room. and upper rear
rooms were totally destroyed. The only
thing that prevented a general connaera-
ton In the nelghbOrhooc was the fact that
the windows In the house were down
which confined the flames until Just be
fore the arrival Of the department. other
wise Chief Puller would never have been
able to have saved the house and the
adjoining property.
Several remarkable circumstances in
connection with the fire were noticed. |
The fact that little alarm clock undis-
turbedly continued its ticking and cor |
rectly pointed the time in the midst OF
the hottest part OF the fire and when the |
flames had suhsidcd. even its glass face |
remained intact. and the fact that a box |
OF matches on a partially destroyed man |
telpiece OF the second floor were found un- |
burned and dry were among these fiery |
freaks the most notable.