Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-05-06
MOUNT VERNON
Ell. STABLES ABlAZE
Firemen Fight Fierce Con-
fagration Under Ad-.
verse Conditions.
HORSES ARE RESCUED.
Building Gutted-One of the Most
Spectacular Fires Ever Witnessed
in Alexandria.

A few minutes before Z o'clock this
morning people who were in the vici-
nifty saw smoke emerging from ,lh'
fourth floor of the Mount Vernon
Stables, on the east side of ST.
Asaph street, bstween King and Cam
eron. An alarm was sounded, and
the fire apparatus, in charge of Chief
Gronau, was soon on the spot and at
work. 1t was realized, however, that
for time, al, least, the efforts of the
fremen would be useless, as it was
known that the upper story was stor-
ed with hay and That furniture was
also packed therein. The smoke grad.
uaIly grew in density and in few
minutes was pouring from the win
dows in huge volumes.
1t was impossible to get at the fire
under such conditions, as the smoke
was binding, and although water was
shot into the banks of smoke, they
grew denser all the time, and fifteen
or twenty minutes later, tongues OF
flame began to protrude from the
northwest portion of the roof and al
most Immediately huge bank of
flame suddenly broke from the roof.
1t was then seen thaE the building
was doomed.
The tiling of the roof, which having
become heated, cracked and pieces
were falling in close proximity TO the
firemen who were working heroically
in attempts to check the progress Of
the flames.
By this time the scene was thrill
ing and all sorts of rumors and spec
ula.ions were heard, some to the eff
feet that the rafrers having burned
the walls were liable to fall in and
probably cause loss Of life. Some
were apprehcnsive less automobiles
supposed to be in ithe second story
would add horror to the conf1agratlor
when the fire reached the gasoline
tanks.
At this time the entire roof was {
roaring mass of flame and the vicin'
ity was becoming uncomfortably ho'
for spectators, who were compelled tt
move to some distance from the con-
fagration.
About an hour after the discovery
of the blaze the fire department hao
succeeded in getting the fire under
control. Fortunately there was vir'
tually no wind when the fire was dis
covered. which fact aided the de-
partment in confning the flames.
Virtually all the vehicles, harness
horses, ETC., were removed, being of
the first and second floors. The fur
niture, however, in the upper story
where the fire was raging, had to D'
abandoned to its fate.
Most of the hacks had been takel
from rhe house for the purpose OF be
,np used at the funeral of the lat
John A. Marshall. They were taken
cafe distance from the burning build
;nc There was ample Hime to re
move the Office, furniture, books, etc.
The building was completely gut
tod before the fire was finally e1
t;nguished, nearly everything exhaus
tible having been consumed.
The fire was one of the tlercaS
md most stubborn since the destfuc
tion of w. A. Smoot & Co.'S planm
mill, four years ago, when the hre d
pan ment of Washington sent engine
and men to this city. !,
The origin of the fire could not : :
learned. 1t was discovered at o:0o u
MIR. J. A. Kelly, night foreman. II
was on the second floor at the Ran
and saw the blaze near the eieVa''
shaft on the fourth floor.
The estimated loss to the buiioln
is $4,000 and to the contents Slo,oo
which is fully covered by insuranc
Over 100 horses were stabbed on Il
second floor, and Itwenty automobile
on the first and second floors, as we
as the carriages and harness, whit
as stated above were saved. T
principal damage was done to t
storage rooms which occupied Il
third ana fourth floors. A lar,
quantity of fine furniture, owned