Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-08-13
PANTS FACTORY BURNED
Stubborn Fire Calls Department to
Gazette Building Saturday Night
Several Thousand Dollars Damage.

Several Thousand Dollars Damage
Fire was discovered in the pant:
factory, operated by, Harry S. Marine
on the second floor Of the Alexandra
Gazette building, at about nins
o'clock Saturday night. The fire de
partment quickly responded to the
alarm, but owing to the lack of proper
ladders were somewhat delayed in
getting streams of water turned on
Doors to the building were finally
broken open and after about an hour
of hard work the flames were extin
guished, but not until the place had
been absolutely deluged with water
which ran down to the first floor
occupied by the Gazette.
The water came down the stair
way in torrents, percolated through
the ceiling and flooded that part OF
the building. The large newspaper
press, used in printing the Gazette
the two linotype machines, rolls OF
paper and everything else in the Of
flee which could not be protected in
time, was thoroughly soaked with
water. Holes had to be cut in the
floor to let the water out. With the
kind and prompt assistance OF citl-
zens, tarpaulins were secured and
everything possible was done to save
the property. The building and ma
chinery and stock are insured. Just
what the loss will be to the building
or to the Gazette cannot be stated
at this time, until the insurance ad-
iusters have completed their investl-
cation. A force of men were put to
work yesterday morning and We're en-
gagged practically all day Sunday IN
clearing up the building SO that the
nnblication of the Gazette might not
he interfered with, although this IS
sne will be gotten out under difl-
cult;es.
Loss on Second Floor.
Mr. Marines loss, in the pants FAC
+orv on the second floor, will be prac-
ticallv a total one, it is thought, as
nearly all the stock of goods on hand'
material from which boys pants are
=, ,,nufactured, was destroyed or dam
aged by water or smoke. in'r1s
saving machines, used in the place.
1,era also more or less damaged, as
we'll as a quantity of goods that aao
been made up.
Mr.. Marine and parties, Interested
with him in the business carried an
insurance of $4,000 on stock ana ~
soo on machinery, 50 that it is be-
lieved they will be protected
Origin of 1.-THE Fire.
There was no; one in the building
at the time OF tne i,i.. - MOO,
factory, had been closed down at noon,
- saturday for a half, holiday, and
= is said that Mr.. Marine went, to
washington at two o'clock in the al
+ornoon He did not retarn until about
ta,f.nast eleven that night. He said
that everything in the factory, mao
been left as usual when work was
sbnt down, and says he has no IDEA
&c to how the: Ere could have oris'-
mated. ) ,.oa
The frenen: say the fire appeared
70 have been, the hottest near wnere
= hox Of waste cuttings stood a
short distance from the stairs.
Some twenty or more women. ana
c;r,s have been employed there since
Aha factory was opened last fall and
= is claimed that the concern was
building up:a good business
Tho fire attracted thousands OF
nsonle to the street in the vicinity
,sS;,e pa Il was III progress. Edward
Wowell, captain of the Truck Com,
pany, received bad cut on his his a1a nans 70
and soldier was also cut by: gas:
s.on, co. one Of the windows. About 2;
pigeons that had home e, on the. the 'a,ss ans
aaor were killed by the heat ane
smoke. nroa
Thanks for Assistance Rendered.
The editor of the Gazette here
',.;+h desires to express his sincere
.nnreciation to the firemsn for the
a.;on+ manner in which they worked
at the Are, no outstanding the fac'
that they we're greatly hindered fo'
u,roner ladders, with which