Evening star., 1912-08-27
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
Baby Boy Abandoned on Steps
of ChiIdren's Home.
FIRE DOES $1,000 DAMAGE
Section of City Known as Fishtown
Wiped Out-Money
for Streets.
Special Correspondence OF The Star


ALEXANDRIA, Va. August -. 1917
A blue-eyed baby boy, with golden hair,
apparently about month old, was
abandoned at midnight last night on the
steps of the Children's Home and today
is being cared for by Mrs. Balm. wife
OF William f.. Balm. An Duke street
Tomorrow. the child will become an in
mate of the home
Mrs. Balm was attracted by the faint
cries of the child. Mr. Balm went across
the street and found the infant Its
hands were red from mosquito bites. lie
took charge of the child. the occupants
of the home being away on their vaca-
ton at Colonial Beach. Tomorrow it
will be turned over to the home.
The child was dressed in white and
bore every mark of refinement. Its dress
was of an excellent texture. and there
was tiny gold breastpin fastened about
its neck
AS soon as Mr. Bain found the waif he
notified the police department. and every
effort is being made by the police to To-
cate the whereabouts of the child $
mother. The supposition is that the child
was brought here from Washington, pos
sibly by its mother. and abandoned on
the steps of the home. short time
before the cries of the infant were heard
parently a stranger. was seen walking at
a rapid gait past the home. Up to the
present the police have obtained no clue
in the case.
Fire Destroys Fishtown.
Fire at o'clock last night destroyed
what is known as Fishtown. situated on
the river front between Princess and
Oronoco streets. destroying the frame
buildings thereon used for packing and
salting fish. The total loss will he ap-
proximately 5000. covered by insurance.
The I originated in an auxiliary
stable of William \. Smoot & Co. direct
~ south of Fishtown. One horse in the
stable was cremated The flames soon
spread To Ffshtown and the firemen eX-
perienced much difficulty in preventing
hundreds of tons of cord wood being de-
stroyed
The losers by the fire as estimated are
as follows: William A. Smoot & Co,
81 eco. Price and Cook. fish dealers,
$500: Thcophlus Ballenger. fishhouse
and office, $500: Edward III. Hammond
ishhouse $500. The losses of all are
said TO he covered by insurance. About
thirty-two barrels of sated herring in
the fshhouse Of Mr.. Hammond were
saved. il being the last of the fishhouses
10 take fire.
Michael II. Derrig. superintendent of
the plant OF the Alexandria Fertilizer and
Chemical Company. discovered the blaze
and turned I'm an alarm. In the mean
time he had ..Ga feet of hose of the
company divided into three sections and
when the tiremen arrived the fertilizer
people had three powerful streams play
ing on the burning structures. In an
hour the fire was under control.
A second alarm was. however. turned
In shortly after II o'clock. caused by the
burning of some coal in the yard of
Smoot & Co A plug stream was kept
on II most of the night Employees of
Smoot e. Co. soon the fire started.
removed all of the horses and wagons to
places of safety as the entire river front
appeared threatened for time.
resolution approprating the sum of
81. 900 for the construction of a macadam