The Washington herald., 1912-08-27
ALEXANDRIA FIRE
DOES$s,OOODAMAGE
Fishtowr, Situated on River Front,
Quilted by Stubborn Blaze-Car.
ter Nominated for Congress.

Alexandra, Va, Aug. 26-Fishtown
composed Of a number Of frame build
ings used for storing and packing fish
situated on the river front. between
Princess and Oronoco Streets. was gut
ted by fire at o'clock tonight which
virtually wiped It out The blaze wa,
one OF the most, stubborn that the fire
ladies have had to contend with fol
a long time, although the fire was sub.
dued by 9 o'clock. The total loss viii
be about 5000 covered by Insurance,
The fire originated in a small stable
belonging to William A. Smoot & Co.
Just southwest OF the buildings compris.
ing what is known as Fishtown. One
horse caught in this stable was burned
to death. The stable was packed with
straw, being q sort Of auxiliary or stor.
age stable. The affair. q frame struc.
ture, burned like finder. and soon was
q mass of flames.
| Michael H. Derrig, superintendent OF
the Alexandria Fertilizer and Chemical
Company's plant, saw the blaze a few
minutes after II started. and at once
turned In an alarm. In the meantime,
all Of the employees Of the acid plant OF
the Fertilizer and Chemical Company
put into action three lines of hose, con-
| sisting of 1.50o feet, and when the fire
| ladies arrived they had three powerful
streams playing on the burning build
ings. practically all of the buildings,
frame affairs, having caught fire when
the iremen arrived. Four additional
streams were placed on the fire by the
fremen, and they worked faithfully in
face OF the intense heat to prevent a
| spread OF the IRE. which in the begin
ming looked very serious for the river
front property.
Directly across from the fire is the
acid plant Of the Alexandria Fertilizer
and Chemical Company. and a short dis
lance away was the plant Of the Stand
ard OIL Company. while next to the fire
coal yard Of William A Smoot & Co.,
Inc. Fortunately, however, there was
comparatively little wind blowing. ex-
cept slight southwestern breeze half
an hour after the fire started, and this
did but little harm, as the firemen then
had the fire pretty well under control.
The losers by the fire are: Price a
Cook, fish dealers. $500. covered by in
surance; Theophilus Ballenger. fish
dealer. loss $500, covered by insurance;
Edward H. Hammond, loss about $500,
covered by insurance. The fish houses
OF the three foregoing, which COM
prised Fishtown. were destroyed.
William A. Smoot & Co., in addition
to the loss of the small stable and
horse, also lost several hundred cords
of cordwood, which was packed in
close proximity to the fire. and part of
which was destroyed. Their loss prob
surance.
The origin of the fire is unknown, al
though it is supposed to have been
caused by a match accidentally dropped
in the stable by some of the employees.
During the progress Of the fire a big
force Of employees OF Smoot & Co. were
Kept busy in removing the wagons and
horses from the adjoining stables, all
being saved from destruction except one
horse.
About forty barrels Of sailed herring
were saved from the fish house Of Ham
mond & Co., which was the last house
to I Ike fire, being east of the other struc-
lures which first caught. In addition
to his fish house. Mr.. Ballengers office.
adjoining the same, was also destroyed
by the fire. Mr.. Ballenger lost a num-
Der OF watts and salt for packing fish.
as did the others who were burned out
Early after the fire started there was
talk of sending to Washington for the
Firefighter. Its services. it was soon
learned, were not needed, and no such
call was sent in. After a hard hours
work the fire ladies had the fire COM
pletely subdued. much to the qualification
OF those whose property adjoined the
burning buildings. The fire illuminated
the eastern heavens, and attracted sew
eral hundred people to the river front.
Roy W. Carter. OF Orange, Va, al
young attorney. was this afternoon nom-l
mated for Congress by the Republican
Congressional committee OF the Eighth
District at a meeting held in the audi
forum OF the Elks' Home. Mr.. Carterl
will oppose Representative c. c. CarIin, |
the Democratic nominee, in the general
election, which will be held next No
vember. Joseph L. Crupper was appoint |
ed committee of one to notify Mr.. |
Carter of his nomination.
The efforts on the part of many of
those in attendance to have Joseph L. |
Crupper accept the nomination proved |
futile. Mr.. Crupper repeatedly declined
the honor which was about to be thrust |
upon him, and he stated that it would 4
be futile for him to accept the nomina-
ton at this time.
The name Of Mr.. Carter was placed
in nomination by John B. Grayson, of
Fauquier County. The convention was
attended by thirty delegates and was
presided over by DR.. F. NJ. Brooke. of
and S. A. Sager, of Herndon,
served as secretary. Throughout II was
being a veritable love feast.
When the convention was called to
order Joseph L. Crupper was called
upon to tell of his labors at the Chi
cago National Convention. Mr.. Crup-
per told of the contests for the seats
Of the delegates from the Eighth dis
trict at the convention. and said he
would give the delegates some idea of
how far the Roosevelt people went in
order to obtain the nomination. After
the contests had been heard the Virginia
delegation selected by the regular Re-
publican organization was seated, he
said.
An amusing incident of two afida-
Wits produced by those representing
the contestants was narrated by Mr..
Crupper. who declared that the afi-
davits were the same brought out
to Chicago four years ago. In conclu-
sion he said that he and NJ. K. Lowery,
delegates from this district, voted for
the Taft programme from start to fin
lsh. and he hoped the delegates would
feel that they had not been misrepre-
sented at the convention.
Resolutions were afterward adopted
lndorsing the course Of Joseph l. Crup-
per and M. K. Lowery at the Chicago
and also fndorsing the work
Of Alvah H. Martin. the National Com
mitteeman from this State.
L L. Whitestone, of Culpeper, who
was not a delegate to the convention,
was called upon for a talk. and Landed
the Republican party and eulogized
the present nominee for Congress and