Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-05-13
FcHOEs OF YESTERDAY'S FIRE.


ECHOES OF YESTERDAY'S FIRE
MANY people visited the scene Oh
vesterday's FIRE long after the flames had
been totally subdued, snd hundreos
vere moving about the locality until
after dark.
The enormous volume OF wafer thro"h
unon the fire BY the Alexandria engines
and those brought from Washington,
together with that forced upon II oy the
steamer Fire fighter, the later having
fhe Potomac river TO draw from, was
hours running of the square and was
still rushing into The sewers al DARK.
The Firefghter left for Washington
a boat 8 o'clock amid tho cheers OF hun
d reds of Alexandrisns who had gathered
ON the Cameron street wharf vicinity.
The steamer returned the salute with lis
siren.
As was stated yesterday, when the
FIRE was st it's height and the Smoot
mill was a mass OF flames snd many
niles of lumber were been licked by the
copAsgrstiOD, the roadway and sidewalk
on Cameron street WAS as q roaring iuf-
mace. the flames being thirty or forty
feet high snd extending from one build
ing line to the other. The heat was
30 intense that the granite curb stones
were cracked and 10 places burst open.
Flying embers we're waited In some
instances southwark three squares, and
roofs of houses on King, Prince aud
DIXIE street. at times we're found to be
burning. Prompt action, however,
prevented a serious confagfstiou. The
pressure upon the FIRE plugs rendered
il impossible to obtain water from n.y.
drsuts in houses, and the river was
utilized by bucket brigsdes.
The origin of the fire is still mJs'
tsry. So rapid did the blaze in the
mill SPREAD that it YVES found impossible
m reach the throttle in order to stop
the engine, aud a fan which was In
operstion continue to run, forming
draft which caused the fire 10 rage more
furiously.
Daring the progress Of the fire q
steam pump IN the Mutual Ice Com
psny Works threw 500 gallons of water
a minute. and aided materially in pre-
venting the spread of the flames to the
east.
Plug streams were kept playing on
the smOlderiug ruins last night and
today, while the work Of removing the
chsrrtd lumber and other remains OF the
FIRE is in progress.
OF course no accurate estimate can
vet be msde of the loes sustained by
Messrq. Smoot q Co., but today it IA
put in the neighborbood of 500, 600,
which is partially covered BY insurance.
Much of the lumber, however, was not
insured, The loss sustained by Mr. ii
X. Field, will, it is said, not greatly
exceed Thousand dollars.
As result of the fire about forty men
are temporarily out of employment, but
Messrs. Smoot & Co. are mailing az
Engagements to put them back at work at
The earliest day possible.
w. A. smoot & o., inc, have in
stalled Bell telephone No. 10 and Home
telephone No. 1872 in their temporary
off ces IN the Alexandra BANK Dullulng'
to which building they have already
moved. go,
A meeting of the City Council will be
helG tomorrow night to act upon the re-
auesf of Messrs. w. A. Smoot " %. for
permission to lay a switch from Henry
street to q lot north Of Oolross, where
they intend storing lumber till they can
reopen their mill and yards burned yes
terdsy.
The Washington police and tremen
we're entertained at the Hotel hammer
at the city's expense and every atten'
ton was shown them while here.
Mrs. Fannie Cook, who conducts an
eating house in the market building, to-
eether with many others served the fire.
men during the FIRE with coffee, lemon
ade, sandwiches, etc.