Evening star., 1901-10-02
burned to the next stated quarterly meet

!ourned TO the next stated quarterly meet
Ing
As previously stated, the corporation
engines were usually located near the mar
kets, and one was in each ward. the Union
company using that Of the first ward.
located at the West market, 10th street
and Pennsylvania avenue; the Columbia,
that of the third ward. at the Hill market
near the Capitol, and the Anaeostia that of
the Branch market near and 9th streets
southeast 1t Is not clear what company
used the Marsh or Center market engine,
which, 1t is stated, was located on Sth
street, north of Market space. but the
Patriotic company was in existence in ISIS.
and probably used the engine There were
two companies in the fourth ward. east
OF 4th street east, and ii is probable that
the one known as the Navy Yard fire
company ran the apparatus located in the
yard, while the Anacostia took charge of
the corporation engine.
Suggestion of Fire Bugs.
About this period the former experience
of citizens of being called but seldom by
cry of fire was changed to a feeling of
alarm, as the following publications in the
Intelligencer indicate, there being a sug
gestion that "frebugs' were at work The
paper of April s, 1919. says:
"A fire broke out in 1 street in this city
in the square this side of the Franklin Hotel
between 10th and Goth streets northwest)
between . and o'clock yesterday afternoon
Qhe 1th instanO. Four or five small dwell
Ing houses were burnt down before the
progress of the fire was arrested We were
not able to learn the names of the suffer-
ers."
Two days later. April 10, 1919, the follow
ing appeared in the Intelligencer:
We have had for thirty or forty hours
ending at o'clock yesterday gale of wind
from the northwest of unusual violence, as
well as duration. Heretofore our city has
been providentially exempted from the cas-
ualty of fire. Alarms of that description
a "a s
frequent as to warn us of greater vigilance
and caution. We have already noticed the
fire on l street north in which four or five
small houses were destroyed between 8 and
9 o'clock Wednesday evening. The house
belonged to the widows McKelden and
kedgel1e and others. On Thursday after
noon, about the same hour. the alarm Of
fire was given from the eastern part of the
city, and three or four small brick and
frame houses, the property of Mr.. Law, Mr..
Taylor and others, on New Jersey avenue,
burnt.
Owing to the violence of the wind the
naming c1nders flew great distance ana
two or three houses comparatively remote
from the tire would have shared the fate
of the smaller ones which were burning
but for the alacrity of the citizens who
promptly assembled.
Between 10 and II o'clock Yesterday
Friday) whilst the wind blew almost a
hurricane, We had another cry of fire and
the citizens promptly turned out. This fire
was near Georgetown. Though menacing
at first, it was eXtinguished without doing
much damage. BY the time the engines
were fairly housed the cry of fire was heard
from the Navy Yard quarter and on re-
pairing there 1t was found on the premises
| belonging to Mr. Griffith Coumbe and
others, and the one occupied by Mr.. George
Beall. This large three-story house and
the outhouses We're entirely destroyed, and
1t was considered fortunate that the fire
was prevented from extending to the adta-
cent houses and board yards, which were
put in jeopardy, though at some distance,
by the flying fire.
Just as the citizens began to return
from this fire the alarm of fire was given
from f street, two squares east of the
treasury office and two miles distant from
| the one last mentioned 1t was of course
some time before the citizens and engines
| could be recalled. They arrived in fifteen
| or twenty minutes, but not in time to save
| the block of houses on fire. The large
three-story houses belonging to Mr. Walk
| er; the tavern house belonging to Mr. John
| A. Wilson, at the corner of F and l4th
| streets: that of Mr.. Miller and one or two
other houses were burnt down. Great as
has been the loss on this occasion, 1t is
| small compared to the destruction which
was at first feared and would certainly
have ensued had not the wind ceased after
the nre began to rage Had 1t blown as
violently as in the morning, there is no
knowing where the ravages would have
| stopped AS 1t was, several distant houses
| caught fire on the roof from flying sparks
/
extinguish them. Besides these serious
fires there were in the course of yesterday
| several other alarms during the day and
| one or two false alarms
Some think these to have been the effect
| OF design. 1t is certainly a very suspicious
circumstance that the three most serious
| hres originated in stables. Some houses
| have been burn and much furniture de-
stroyed. The citizens displayed their usual
aiacrity at these fires. 1t is evident, how
ever, that time and labor would be econo-
mized and efficiency impaired to the physi-
cal force OF our population by a general
| organization of the fire companies under
one head. possessing by law competent au-
| thority to enforce its orders on all bystand-
| ers as well as its own members
This morning, since the above was writ
| ten, We have had another alarm of fire.
1t was Mr.. Cambelrs stable near the navy
| yard. and was extinguished without much
| injury.
| In the Intelligencer of this date. April
| 10, 1919, is call for town meeting at 4
| o'clock that afternoon in the Center mar
ket. for the purpose Of appointing patrol
| men and committee to solicit subscrip-
| tions for the relief of the sufferers by the
| three recent fires.