Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-10-08
MONDAY EVENING. OCT. 8. 1906.

MONDAY EVENING. OCT. 8. 1906.
s.ANoTHER new engine and little
wind, and the town will burn up" Thus
spoke a citizen of the First ward early
Yesterday morning as he stood looking
a. the buildings in the shipyard burn,
while the Gremen standing a-ound the
steamers were apparently at an utter loss
to know how to get water on the flames.
There seemed to have been no head, and
certainly little judgment was shown in
managing the fire department. Indeed
there was no management at all. In
the first place the department was not
over prompt in getting to the scene.
The new Columbia engine was the tirst
to arrive and took its station at the plug
at the corner of Lee and Franklin streets
II was at once discovered that the
Coupling" of the new engine would not
fit the plug opening and instead OF re-
moving the engine from the plug at once
and taking it to the river it was allowed to
stand idle for some time. In the mean
time the Reliance had arrived at the
plug at the corner of Gibbou and Lee
streets, one square north, but no effort
was made to connect with that plug or TO
Law a line of hose from that point to the
fire. Then the Chief drove past both
engines and having ascertained the cause
of the trouble, left it to those in charge OF
the Columbia whether they would move
the engine from the plug and allow
the Reliance to take its place. Tut no
move was made for some time, however,
both engines standing motionless within
a square of one another. Finally the Co.
lumbia engine was moved from the plug
nearest the FIRE and after another delay
the Reliance engine was called to "drop
down" and take the place. The Reli-
ance was then coupled 10 the plug and
began throwing water upon the fames
which in the meantime had spread to
all the buildings to the south and east OF
the one in which the fire had started.
The new engine was then taken back to
It's house aud the Reliance remained in
service till about 7 o'clock, but was un-
able to save any o: the buildings, the fire
having gained too great Roadway dur
ing the delays. There seems to have
been no excuse for the mismaDsge-
ment. In the first place, the fact that
the new engines couplings did not
fit the FIRE plugs was gross oversight.
The engine had been tested and accept
ed by The fire wardens but it now ap-
pears that no one (not even the Wash
ington "expert" Who was employed for
the purp )se) had thought of testing the
new machine at plug after it had been
tried at The river. When it was found
that the couplings of the new engine
would not fit the plug some one having
authority should at once have ordered it
to the river, just at hand, but this was
not done. Neither was there any excuse
for the Reliance not coupling to the plug
at Lee and Gibbon streets and running a
line of hose TO the fire. IT was stated at
the time that the engine did not have
sufficient hose, but this is not 30, for a
double line was run from the corner OF
Lee and Franklin streets to the fire, and
me of those lines would have extended
rom GibbOu street to Franklin. Be-
ides there was more hose in the wagons
n the spot and someone in authority
hould have had the judgment to act
ensibly in such an emergency. Certain
the fire was badly managed and
here is no excuse for such misman-