Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-09-14
Old Globe Mills Property
and Two Other Build
ings Destroyed.
DAMAGE is s25,OOO.oO.
Alexandria's Fire Department Does
Effective Work in Keeping Danger
Gus Flames in Check. ..

BY the prompt and heroic action OF
the Alexandria Fire Department,
which again demonstrated it's effect
iveness last night, dangerous fire
which for time threatened the manu-
featuring and wholesale district along
the river front, was averted. AS a
result of the fire, the old Globe Mills
a four-story brick building on the
river front between Queen and Orono-
CO streets, formerly occupied by the
Lawrence Mills, and recently purchas-
ed by the Alexandria Fertilizer and
Chemical Company, together with the
two adjoining brick buildings which
were used by the fertilizer company
as carpenter and machine shops, were
completely destroyed. Although no
estimate has as yet been made by the
fertilizer. comp Ilany of their loss, it is
stated that thu damages will approx
innate $25, $4,000, of which sum $751;
10000 is covered by insurance
The entire town was thrown into
state of the greatest excitement
when it was learned that fire had
broken out in this section of the city,
which has long been regarded as a
dangerous fife trap.
The fire was discovered in the old
Globe Mills buildings at 10:45 by the
watchman of w. A. Smoot Z Co., who
turned in the first alarm. The blaze
seems to have started in the boiler
room where the machinery was form
erly installed for milling purposes.
There has been no fire, however, in
the building for several years, as the
boilers were removed and electric
motors used in their place. Since the
failure of Peter Lawrence, proprie-
tor of the Lawrence Mills, the build
ing has been used by R. H. Wattles
who has stored grain and feed there.
An electric motor was also used by
him for operating some small grind
ing machinery, but it was said this
morning that the current is cut off in
the building every night, so that the
fire could net have originated from
this source.
The Columbia engine was first on
the scene followed few seconds later
by the Relief Hook and Ladder
truck, and the Reliance engine. AS
soon as the seriousness of the blaze
became known, the old Columbia en-
CINE was also ordered out.
The fire swept through the wooden
partitions and floors of the old mill
property and quickly started in the
adjoining brick building used as car
penter shop. From there it spread
to the next building and there it
stopped, for the coal yards of Messrs.
w. A. Smoot & Co., join it on the
north.
Across the street, on the west side
of Union street, are long frame build
ings which are used in storing ferti-
lizer, and the firemen, realizing that
it was impossible to save the brick
buildings on she water front, turned
their entire attention to saving the
frame sheds from destruction. Amidst
the fiercest heat and imminent danger
of falling walls, they played five hea'
wv streams of water upon the roof and
sides of the sheds and although sew
eral times small blazes broke out, ou'
along the edges of the roof, they were
extinguished before Roadway was
secured. In the meanwhile, the va
rious concerns in the neighborhood
had gotten out their own fire fighting
APPARATUS, and were doing all in thelr
power to prevent the spread OF the
flames.
Shortly after eleven o'clock, despite
the heroic work of the Alexandria lad
dies, it was feared that they would not
be able to conquer the flames and a
telephone message was sent by George
H. Robinson to Washington, asking
that the "Fire Fighter" the floating
apparatus of the Washington depart
ment, be sent to Alexandria. Twenty
five minutes later the welcome whistle
of the big fire boat was heard, but by
that time the fire was under control.
The "ire Fighter" took it's position
on the north side of the trastle which