Evening star., 1909-05-12
ENTIRE RIVER FRONT
EXPOSED TO DANGER
Help From District Succeeds in Pre-
venting Spread Of Flames
TOTAL Loss OVER 500, 900
Section Bounded by Cameron, Lee
and Union Streets Burned Over.
Many Families Driven From
Their Homes.

Flames that leaped high into the air
and sent aloft great clouds OF curling
black smoke threatened the destruction
of the buildings. wharves and lumber
yards on the Alexandria river front this
forenoon. 1t Is estimated the damage will
reach over 100000
The fire started in the planning mill OF
the Smoot company about 1925 o'clock.
Fed by the combustible material In the
mill and famed by a brisk northwest
wind. the Smoot buildings quickly became
as a roaring furnace. The flames rapidly
devoured the structures. and with almost
prairie-f1re rapidity extended to the sur
rounding lumber yard.
Before noon the half acre occupied by
the Smoot plant on Cameron street from
Lee to Union street. had been swept
clean by the flames Of all buildings and
lumber piles. and only red hot piles Of
debris marked the place where a few
hours before there had been a scene OF
industrial activity.
1t was stated that the conf1agration was
started by sparks from the engine room
being blown by the wind into the plan
ing mill The shavings piled about the
whirring machinery became ignited. and
in q jiffy the Interior of the factory was
= furnace.
Families Driven From Home.
\ Z 6f.A
flames swept across Cameron street and
communicated with the two-story frames
on the north side Of Cameron street. The
tenants Of the threatened premises. as
sisted by the police and citizens. carried
the contents Of the buildings to the lot
adjoining the old Braddock House on the
east. and the space was soon filed with
bareheaded men, women and children and
their household effects.
A three-story brick dwelling OF antique
design stands between the Snoot mills
and Henry X. Field & Co.'S lumber yard
and large frame building occupied as q
door, sash and blind factory. Had the
flames reached the Field mill. 1t is be-
lieved, the entire river front, with its
many quaint and venerable warehouses
of past centuries, would have been
doomed
As the confagration extended eastward
toward the wharveS-but a short distance
away-Chief Goods Of the police depart
rnent telephoned to Washington an ur-
gent request that the Firefighter be
sent here in a hurry to check the spread
of the flames along the wharyes. re-
quest was also sent to washington Tor
fire companies, and the cheering response
came back that two companies would be
dispatched by rail forthwith.
Chief Wagner Of the District OF Colum-
bia fire department reached the scene Of
the big blaze about 11:30 O'Clock and CO.
operated with Chief George Petty OF the
Alexandria department in directing the
work Of the fire fighters.
Buildings In Path Raced.
4 number Of old. weather-worn build
ings near the Field factory, which stood
in the path OF the connagration. were
quickly torn down by force of men. 1t
was realized that these ancient structures
would prove to be veritable tinder boxes
should the fire reach them.
The breath of the flames heated the
sides and roofs of nearby houses to the
point Of combustion, and the volunteer
tiremen were diverted from the main work
in order to extinguish the incipient fires
on many buildings. The east end of the
Braddock House was for time In dan
ger. and William Simpson, who has
charge OF the venerable hotel as well
as Of the ancient Carlyle House, more
than 200 years old, with its colonial and
revolutionary war associations and rem
iniscences was on the alert to prevent
the dre from reaching the old structures.
The Carlyle House is inclosed within
tho walls Of the Braddock House. and Mr..
Simpson. it's custodian, stood on the roof
OF the historic edtfice. bucket OF water in
hand, TO prevent il from suffering from
the fire.
Washington Firemen Arrive.
The two companies from Washington
reached the scene OF the big blaze about
1I:45 o'clock and promptly went into serv-
Ice under the direction of Chief Wagner.
BY that time the welcome cry went up:
The fire is at last under control.
Many acts of daring on the part of the
volunteer fire fighters and citizens mark
ed the progress Of the flames. Three
men of the local department after break
ing hole through the high peak
cd roof Of a three-story building in
the path of the fire, pulled a hose
through the aperture. The men strad-
died the slippery crest of the roof, and
with the flames almost licking their
faces, and concealed from the multitude
below by dense masses of black smoke.
operated the hose. directing the stream
upon the surrounding roofs and lumber
piles. Finally the fire began TO scorch
them, and by one they dropped
through the hole in the roof to the third
story of the building.
While the fire was at it's height wom-
an. said 10 be an occupant of nearby
house. fell in faint and caused some
excitement. A report that fireman had
fallen into burning building and was
cremated proved 10 be false.
First Call for Help.
Mai. Sylvester received the first official
message from Alexandria about the tire
Chief Goods of the Alexandria police de-
partment having sent him a message ask
ing that the fireboat Firefighter be sent
there TO render assistance. Commission
or Mcfarland upon receipt of an appeal
from Alexandria. directed that Chief
4on,inued un Second Paye.)