Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-02-21
FIERCE FIRE IN
HOUSTON TEXAS.
Residences. Factories and Churches
Wiped Out by Blaze Famed by
35.Mile Gale.
TWO HUNDRED HOUSES BURN
Buring Embers Soar Before High Winds
---Entfre Block Dyuamited IN Order
To Stay Cnnfagration.

Houston, Texas, Feb. 2l.-Aftel
the most desperate struggle In the
history Of the city, nremeu. aided
by thousands of citizens and Il force
of explosive experts from the South
ern Pacific Railway, at ten o'clock
today got under control fire that
! for hours threatened the entire city
! More than 200 buildings, including
residences, factory buildings and
churches were burned. The major
ily of them. however. were small
structures Occupied by railroad men
and other workers and their famil-
! les. Some estimates put the loss as
high as $2,0O0,006.
The fire was famed by 35-mle
an hour wind which sent burning
embers far in advance of the main
body of the flames and to this fact
was due The failure Of The flremen to
control The blaze. II was not until
after block OF houses in the direct
path Of the flames had been dynamit-
ed thai the firemen got the situation
in hand.
The area burned over adjoins the
yards OF the Southern Pacific Rail
way. Cotton warehouses and loaded
cars here were destroyed. 1t was
this that brought the loss up, rs most
Of the houses that were burned were
lightly constructed and their con-
tents not comparatively very valu-
able. The path OF the fire ranged
from five to nine blocks in width.
The heaviest losers are the AIcFad-
den Compress and The Cleveland
Compress. hoth Of which were filled
with cotton: the big plant OF the
Ed n. Harrell Lumber Co.. including
mills and yards. and ST. Patrick S
Catholic church parish. The church
and school adjoining were destroyed.
Fortunately there was not much
suffering. The weather was severe
but most Of those driven from their
homes were able to carry their cloth
ing with them. In the excitement
many families were separated, while
their experiences caused most Of the
refugees to believe that the whole
town was going TO be Il total loss.
The burned area cover 81 city blocks
and at noon the fire department offic-
ials said the loss would probably tota
Sc ,O0O,0 900. The homeless are being
cared for ia the unourned portion OF
the city.
be spent within the city limits and
not in the County. He said that
if Alexandria is successful in its an
nexation then the location would be
excellent Mr.. Marshall declared
he favored Il new high school build
ing.
Mr.. Swan presented figures from
the Superintendent Of Schools show
ing that every school in the city en-
cepi the High School was overcrowd-
! ed he believed that the purchase OF
this tract would be one Of the most
powerful arguments for annexation
thai could be presented as it. would
show that Alexandria did not have
proper sites within the city for the
| location Of it's school buildings.
Mr.. Leadbeater thought the ap
preparation act should be more defn'
| tie: it did not specify any particular
property but merely appropriated
$4,000 for the purchase of site
for High School.
Mr. Spinks favored schools sc
strongly that he was willing TO vote
for any appropriation that would ado
10 the school facilities Of the city.
Mr.. Brumback questioned the city!
right 10 purchase land for schoo
purposes that is outside Of the city:
limits, and was Of the opinion tina
the State Law would make such pur
chase illegal
Mr.. Marshall's resolution that The
title OF any property purchased fo
school purposes should be vested il
City Council was unanimously car
ried. Mr. Burke spoke against th'
resolution.
The ordinance appropriating $40.
i 600 for the purchase Of Higi
School site was then passed on rol
call: Ayes 13. Noes 2, all member
voting in the affirmative excep
i Messrs. Marshall and Burke.
The health law was then taken VI
it's title read and referred 10 th'
committee on general laws and fin
ance. Council then adjourned.