Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-02-20
Virginia Glass Works DESTROYED

ate temperature; light yaIlaole "inuS'
Virginia Glass Works DESTROYED.
About six O'Clock Saturday evening
several short blasts Of whistles followed
ny long distress calls attracted attention
to the western portion OF the city,
whence the sounds came, and almost
simultaneously cloud of smoke shot
upward from the Virginia Glass Works
The collapse of what is known IN glass
works parlanc as lehr" had com
municated flames to the packing
house. There we're appliances on the
grounds to meet such emergencies, but
when an attempt was made to use them
il was found that the water connections
were frozen. The Ere in the meantime
was gaining dangerous Roadway, and an
alarm was sounded TO- aid from this
city. According to an understanding,
the Reliance fire engine is to respond to
all alarms which are sounded at the
Virginia and Belle Pre- Works, and the
Columbia is to proceed to the Old
ID ,minIon Works when its services are
needed. Accordingly when the whistles
sounded the Reliance engine aud the
Relief Hook and Ladder truck proceeded
20 the Virginia Works as quickly as
possible. Chief Pettey was in the van
guard and assumed immediate control.
Some difficulty was experienced IN
,bawing the plugs, and by the time the
engine was at work the fire was blazing
furiously. The infiammable nature OF
the materials that entered into the
bnildings caused the flames to spread
RAPIDLY. aud it was soon realized that
about all that could be accomplished
was to cOn6ne the fire and save the
othsr buildings on the premlses-ware-
houses. stables, &c. The old by
draulion engine was ordered to the
scene by the Chief Engineer, and four
streams were directed at the contia-
grafton. The fire eventually burned out,
and the works proper, except the kilns,
two hours later we're mass OF RUNS.
Chief Pettey and the Alexandria hre-
,.ar ,rere considerably handicapped by
The nature of the fire. They could not
,brow water too near the hot kilns lest
thew be damaged, and in one OF the
burning buildings was a quantity OF
1;me IL sacks which would have been
Tnined if water had been thrown upon
IL. During the progress OF the nre Tue
row of frame buildings nearby had to be
protected by the firemen ana on, lot
their efforts these houses would nave
burned. e
Seventeen hundred and fifty feet OF
hose were put in use at the hre' ~
-. were included nine sections OF the
non o>e which were received by the
wardens Cew days ago. The Hart Dez
zIe wa. used nth satisfactory results
The buildings on the east IN wnicn
many boxss Of bo, lies were saved, were
uniniured and the Tther structures Oh
the north escaped damszSe' '"e If .beds
ever, are mostly in the azure =" go,
One of the kilns is said to be '''e.,
the other, however, is belived 10 ha'.
been damaged, but to what exteSt Is not
now known. 1t is impossible at present
10 approximate the actual loss, though
some place it from $40, 900 to $40, OOe.
The works were but partially insured.
1t is generally believed that they will
be rebuilt.
Many people ilocked to the scene OF
the fire while it was raging, and hun
sdreds visited the premises yesterday.
Had it broken out a few days ago during
the intense cold and northwest winds
aud extended among the many railway
cars sdjourning the works on the south
the destruction of property would have
been enormous. On Saturday evening
while the fire was raging comparative
calm prevailed.
The Virginia Glass Works we're es-
tablished 10 the early nineties by eight
men who had had practical experience
in the manufacture Of glass. They
pooled small sums they bad saved aud
started the works on small scale. These
gentlemen worked assiduously and from
,time to time added new appliances aud
buildings until the capacity of the plant
had reached point when the services
Of q hundred persons were required AT
nres,nt but two of the original parties
lMessss John S. Bordner and Peter
Astryke) are interested in the works me
others being identified with the Old
Dominion aud Belle-Pre Works.
ali was said this evening that though
nothing definite had yet been decided
upon by the officers of the glass com
pany, yet it is now more than probable
that a shed will at once be erected
over the furnace that has not been IN
jured and that operations at the factory
will he resumed in a short time.