The Washington herald., 1917-03-23
FIRE DESTROYING
VIRGINIA TOWN.;
800 LOSE HOMES
Hendon. Va, Being Wiped
Out by ConAagration
Aid Is Sent.
COMMUNICATION BROKEN
Flames Sweep Through Settlement.
Driving People to the
Streets.

Herndon. Va, q miles from Wash
ington. is being wiped out by flames.
Eight hundred men. women and chill
dren. half-naked and sobbing. are watch
ing their homes flare up into a running
wall of flame and curl down into black
ened ruins
Chemical engines and men are being
rushed TO Herndon from Vienna, Clar-
Cndon and Falls Church, over the Wash
ington and Old Dominion Railway. but
strong gale is blowing and at o'clock
this morning, half the town was in
ruins
The Herndon Bank, in which was the
telephone exchange. was gutted and all
telephone communication with the town
was cut of. except the one line of the
Old Dominion Electric Line. which Is ex-
peCtcd to be cut of at any moment.
officials of the Old Dominion Line
have taken entire charge of the situa-
ton and are arranging to send out spe-
cial relief trains from Washington.
stuck to Telephone.
The Old Dominion Line has a small
station at the edge of Herndon, and
have their telephone in 1t.
The agent there has stuck to the tele-
phone, reporting each minute the prog
ress of the flames, and begging that not
second be lost in sending help.
THE fire is within $50 feet of me now"
telephoned the agent at > O'Clock, and
it's sweeping this way. It's going to wipe
out this place in a few minutes and I'll
have to leave, but I'll stick as long as
can. II the connection breaks you know.
that the fire has gotten here
Ten minutes later the connection broke.
The Old Dominion officials telephoned
the alarm to all towns along its line. and
its first train left Rosslyn at 1850 o'clock
this morning. picking up chemical en-
zines and companies of men at Rosslyn,
Clarendon. Falls Church. Cherrydale,
and PurceIlville.
Fire headquarters in Washington was
asked by Old Dominion men il it would
send equipment on a second special train,
and Fire Chief Wagner is preparing to
send several Washington companies and
their equipment at any moment
The Washington and Old Dominion Line
has sent its motor fire engine to Herndon
from Centervile. and a number of its
men fiTefghteTs.
Old Virginia Town.
Herrdon is one OF the oldest TOWNS in
Virginia. 1t has one main street and
all the business houses were closely
the NAN street. these stores and shops
were mostly frame structures. The Hern-
GCn Bank, a brick structure and the
most important building in the town. is
in the very heart of the town.
The fire started at 1880 Thursday night
in a livery stable. in the rear of the
main street. The stable was surrounded
by frame structures and in just a few
minutes this entire group of buildings
vas in flames and the alarm had spread
over the entire town.
The flames had gained such a start
and were being swept along so fast
by a strong breeze that the volunteer
fire department of the town was prac-
ticaIly helpless. The hand apparatus was
started working. but the fire was then
beyond control.
Phone Exchange Closed.
Miss Marian Osgood. the telephone
operator. had closed up the exchange
in the Herndon Bank at 10 o'clock, as
is the custom. and the town was shut
of from the rest of the world and
would have been shut off for hours ex-
cept for the private wire of the Old
Dominion Line.
The agent of the company, c. g.
Cooper. was quickly reused and sent
in the alarm to the Washington office
of the company. asking for immediate
help. In fifteen minutes all the Off
cials of the company were in action,
calling out fire companies along its
line. arranging for special trains, pre-
pairing for possible relief trains, and
other measures.