Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-08
FIRE DAMAGE 100000
Big Blaze Yesterday After
noon in Anacostia.
LARGE CROWD ATTRACTED
Two Car Barns Of Street Railway
Company Destroyed.
MERCHANT LOSES HEAVILY
Unable to Determine
origin Of the Fire-Three
Alarms Sounded.

Fully $4,000 persons lined the river
banks, filled the streets and crowded
the Eastern Branch bridge yesterday
afternoon shortly after o'clock to
watch ten companies of the fire depart
ment fight fire and save from destruc-
ton large portion Of Anacostia. Two
car barns. one a brick and the other a
frame structure were destroyed. a
stable belonging to J. J. Glennan YVES
damaged and s. NJ. Frazier. dealer In
wood. coal. lime and cement. lost about
$4,000 worth Of property. Two freight
cars, one belonging to the Baltimore
and Ohio Railway Company and the
other the property of the Western
Maryland Railroad Company. wore
badly damaged. The entire loss by the
fire is estimated at about $4,000.
The two car barns, 1t is stated, have
prevented improvements being made In
that section of Anacostia, and the resi-
dents. while deploring the loss, are
hoping the disaster will result in good
to the community. Besides the destruc-
ton of the two barns. stable and cars.
Mr.. Frazier was the only sufferer.
Members of the Anacostia police pre-
of the barns as a drill hall for a number
of years. and they will now have to do
their drilling on the streets or procure
other quarters. The old frame structure
was enjoyed by the boys Of Anacostia
as playhouse. especially in bad weather,
and they are mourning its destruction.
Origin Of Fire Unknown.
The fire originated in the frame barn
from some cause which could not be de-
termined. Other fires had occurred in the
structure in the past but upon each
such occasion the firemen had been able
to prevent serious damage. Yesterday.
however. the flames spread 80 rapidly
that 1t was impossible to save that or
cause Of the efficiency Of the fire depart
ment, 1t Is declared. that piles Of lumber
and the stables of DR.. r. F. Pyles and
Thomas F. Murray were saved.
Occupants Of many structures near the
river front feared their homes would be
destroyed. and many of them got their
effects together and removed them to a
safe distance. The blaze had spread
through the entire frame building by the
time two companies of the fire depart
ment responded to the first alarm, and a
second alarm was given, a third follow
ing In few minutes.
Chief Wagner Of the fire department
hurried to the scene upon hearing the
second alarm. and Maj. Sylvester. su-
perintendent of police. sent the police re-
serves from several precincts to assist
those in No. IL. Inspectors Boyle and
Gessford Of the police department were
also on hand to render assistance in
keeping the thousands of spectators from
impeding the work of the firemen.
Cars Removed From Danger Zone.
A shifting engine from the Anacostia
freight yards reached the vicinity Of
the scene of the fire in time to remove
a number Of cars which were in danger
Of being destroyed. Besides the destruc-
ton Of a quantity Of lime and pipe, Mr.
Frazier. the merchant. lost several hun
dred bushels Of corn he had stored in one
of the car barns
The barns were built about twenty
years ago by H. A. Griswold, who was
president of the Anacostia and Potomac
River Railway Company and later they
were turned over to the Washington
Railway and Electric Company. They
were partly insured.
1t was dark before the crowd of spec
tators disappeared, but members Of the
IRE department remained until a late
hour, in order to make certain that the
last spark Of fire had been extinguished.