Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-13
HAPPENINGS IN ALEXANDRIA
FIRE WARDENS' INQUIRY RE.
GARDING DEFECTIVE HOSE.
Belief Expressed That Some One
Ruined It With Acid-Gen-
eral Matters.
Special Correspondence of The Star.


ALEXANDRIA, vi. April IL. 1908.
An examination of the five sections Of
fire hose of the Columbia fire engine, re-
Gently purchased by the board of fire
Wardens which burst yesterday morning
while in use at fire. was made this
morning by Chief Pettey and the mem
bers of the board of fire wardens. and IL
is said il revealed tina. the hose had been
sprinkled with some strong acid Warden
Summers stated this morning that he felt
positive that acid of some sort was used
on the new hose
The matter will be thoroughly prcbcd
10y the board of fire wardens at a meeting
which will be held very shortly. and
every effort possible will be used toward
experimenting the guilty party or parties
me reason for the act can only be con-
jected.
Had high wind been blowing the fire
perhaps would have devast ated the whole
southwestern section of the city as the
nose used by the Columbia company was
me only available hose at the time and
before the arrival of the Reliance engine
the fire might have done great damage.
The hose was tested yesterday morn
ing following fire on South Washing
ton street. and the five sections, con-
sistlng OF about 800 feet valued at $500
AS result Chief Pettey of tho fire
department and the members Of the
board OF fire wardens ordered The new
nose of the Reliance company to be
tested. Fhe hose was tried this r,orning
ana found to he perfectly satisfactory
At ) o'clock this afternoon the remain
ing hose of the Columbia COMPANY will
be given thorough test.
When the wardens learned of the
satisfactory test of the hose of the Re-
nm n f1,f
absolutely satisfied that acid was used
on the Columbia hose, as hose for both
engines only arrived recently and was
manufactured by the same firm.
Star Excursion Well Patronized.
The free excursion to Washington ten
dered Alexandrians by The Evening Star
was we'll patronized today. Every trip
made by the ferry steamer found it
packed to its utmost capacity with hum
dreds of Alexandria women who took ad-
vantage of the free excursion to make
their Easter purchases in the Capital city.
The news depot conducted by Mr.. A. 8.
Doniphan. 1O1 King Street. where free
tickets were given out, was crowded this
morning and before noon large supply
o. tickets had been distributed. The ex-
cursion will be continued tomorrow and
Wednesday and doubtless large crowds
will continue to take advantage of il.
Tickets can be procured at Mr.. Donphan's
store.
Police Court Cases.
Henry Gaddis. colOred, was charged in
the police court this morning with threat
ening his wife, Georgiana Gaddis. with a
revolver 1t was testified that Friday
night last Gaddis threatened to shoot her.
and said he would burn the house and
ride the rail or go to the woods for her.
1t was also testified that he struck his
wife.
Henry Armstrong. colored. proved to
he the star witness in the case and tile
hood by telling fortunes. After hearing
the evidence the court acquitted the &C
cused and fined Armstrong s. for dis.
orderly conduct and IS for doing bust
ness without license.
Henry Washington. colored. was
charged with disorderly conduct and en-
co,lraging his children to fight other chill
dren. Washington was acquitted.
Sylvester Quail arrested on suspicion
OF the larceny of chickens. was acquitted.
there being TO evidence against him.
Funeral Services.
Funeral services over the remains of
Mrs. Edith Lober. who died in Baltimore
Friday last, took place at o'clock this
afternoon from 1909 Montgomery street.
The burial was made i'm Bethel cemetery.
Mrs. Minnie T.. Padgett's funeral will
take place at o'clock this afternoon from
the Emmanuel Lutheran Church. Rev. j.
J. May, pastor. will conduct the services,
and the interment will be in Bethel Gem
etery.
Fire Damages Tenements.
Two brick tenements, known as 62s and
ESQ South Washington street. were par
TALLY destroyed by fire at 1870 O'Clock
yesterday morning. The houses were oc
cupied by Fannie Johnson and Daniel
Hopkins. colored. A defective f1ue is said
to have been responsible for the blaze.
The occupants lost most of their effects.
The houses belonged to the estate of the
late John Seaton. colored 1t is said the
loss is covered by insurance.
About the same hour defective fue
caused a slight blaze in the home of
William H. Wood. 1as South st. Asaph
street. chemical extinguisher from the
Reliance engine house extinguished the
fire.
General Items.
Arrangements have been made for cele-
brating the eighty anniversary of