Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1919-12-04
LOSS is ESTIMATED AT $l5O,O0O
Blaze Startedn Elevator Shaft on Fourth Floor-Orgn
Undetermined Thirty Autos First
y Floor Saved-Fremen Worked Five Hours on Fire
Several Slightly Hurt-Only Small Insurance on
Buiding-But Few of Autos Insured.

The Mount Vernon Auto Com
pany's Garages on the east side of
st. Asaph between King and Came
ron streets, was destroyed by fire
early this morning and more than
80 automobiles also destroyed en-
failing loss on building and stock
at approximately $150,O00.
The fire was discovered at 500
O'Clock and an alarm turned in by
George A. Lewis, colored, employed
as a night watchman at Duncan's
garage.
The fire department soon got to
work and found the building mass
of flames and smoke pouring from
the big four story structure.
The flames made their way up
the elevator shaft to the roof and
spread with rapidity and soor nine
streams of water were being played
on the burning building.
Firemen and neighbors who ar
rived soon after the fire started sue
ceeded in, saving about thrty-five
touring cars and trucks which were
located en- the first floor Of the
building.
Owing to rapidity with which the
fire spread and the dense clouds of
smoke the firemen could not go to
the second or any of the other floors
to attempt to rescue cars.
In addition to having most of
the cars and trucks on the first
floor the books and papers in the
office of the garage-were saved.
Among the destroyed cars were
six just placed for storage in the
garage last night by tourists and
/ dealers from out cf town. Some
Of the parties were enroute to
North Carolina and others to Flor
ida. =: IL +
On the second floor Of the struc-
ture was the store room, and :on the
third floor was automobiles and its
repair shop.
The fourth floor of the structure
was used ,>for the storage of furnl-
ture, andva large, quantity of furni-
ture belonging to different persons
..,.z .I..ol -, {b,e Tloo,.
The exact origin Of the fire has
not yet been determined >All that
is known is that the fire appeared
to have started yin, the elevator
shaft, the elevator being operated
by electricity and to all appearances
broke out on the fourth floor in the
elevator shaft 49,
In an hour after the fire started
the roof caved in and then the walls
began to fall and all that remains
of. the big four story brick structure
is the bare walls. The building
had a frontage, of about seventy
feet and 100 feet deep. 4:
1t was owned and occupied by
the Mount Vernon Auto Company,
which concern is composed of Will
liam E. Moore and Philip E. Boyd :.
Mr.. Moore stated this morning
that the insurance on the building
is only $4,000. The building is
valued at between $4,000 and S40.-
600. The company had three new
cars and also five others which were
destroyed.
The firemen worked hard on the
fire despite frigid weather condi-
tons and their coats and helmet:
were covered with icicles, the water
freezing as fast as it fell Hot cof
fee was furnished. the firemen b.
neighbors.
As result of the !. fire north,
bound electric. trains for Washing
ton were dispatched from Payn
street. :.
The firemen worked on the hlaz
until 1880 O'Clock this mofnin
being inrseryice. practically fiv
hours. Dueing the day thousand
of persons visited the burned struc
ture. - .<.2 -, +
Several firemen: received mino
cuts and hriuses while working. q
the fire. Fire Chief Ogden had