Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-01-23
Heroic Work on Part of Firenen Prevent
Persons From Being Sufocated by
Smoke in Sunday Morning Blaze
EIGHTEEN AUTOS ARE DESTROYED
DAMAGE Estimated at s3OOOO-Firemen Work Hours
Origin of Blaze Not Determined Started In Gar
age of Slocombe Brothers-Only Two OF Machines
DESTROYED Were Insured

which shortly after midnight Satur
day night started on the first floo
of the four-story brick building, IL
South Fairfax street, occupied as
garage by John. w. and H. G. Slo
combe operated under the name OF
Slocombe Brothers, seven out of nine
persons occupying the third anc
fourth floors of the building were
rescued by the firemen, being
brought down a fifty-five foot eX,
tension ladder and down the stairs OF
the building.
The persons rescued were Mr.. and
Mrs. Floyd Shanks and two little
children, who occupied rooms on the
fourth floor. and Mrs. Jesse Berry
and two children who occupied rooms
on the third floor. Mr.. Berry and a
young son came down the steps with
out the aid of the firemen. Mr.. Berry
in addition to his wife has three
children, two boys and a girl.
Mrs. Shanks and her two young
children were rushed to the Alexan'
dria Hospital. Mrs. Shanks suffer
ing from shock and her two children
being overcome by smoke. They were
treated by DR.. S. B. Moore and are
still patients at the hospital. 1t was
stated today that they are rapidly
recovering from the effects. Mrs
Berry and her two children went te
the home of a neighbor for the night
The rear part of the structure was
destroyed and eighteen automobiles
and one motorcycle the property OF
different parties, went up in flames
John "a. McCuen, chief operator o'
Motor Company No. l.. had his left
elbow mashed when asfiftv-five foot
extension ladder fell on it, it beine
badly cut He was treated by DR.
S. B. Moore.
The damage is estimated at about
$4,000. Of this amount it is esti.
mated that the loss to the automobiles
destroyed will be about $4,000 and
the damage to the building, which is
owned by j.. A. Eggborn and w. H
Heymel will be about $4,000
partially covered by insurance and
the loss of Slocombe Brothers will be
about So 900 or $4,000, partially COW
cred by insurance.
According to reports only two OF
the cars in the garage were insured
The only machine saved was small
truck in the rear of the garage. or
the first floor. which was owned by
w. L. Rammel.
The origin of the fire has not
been determined. It is regarded as
certain that it started in the garage
which occupied the first floor of the
building, and NAV have been caused
from an Automobile or from crossed
wires it is said by some Of the fire.
men.
The rescue work was conducted by
Fire Chief E. J. McDermott, assisted
bv John A. McCuen Eugene Simp
son. Jack Tullock. John Travers ant
C. Pullman.
Owners of the cars destroyed fol
low: B. Erady, automobile and mo-
torcycle. w. H. Foot C. E. Massev
Rufus Mathers. Charles P. Miller, c
A. Aistrop, Thomas Powell. E. p
Santmire, two automobiles, Collie
Simnson. j. A. Sampson, Estor
Walker. B. Wilson. A. j. Haugh, J
Reece Cation H. NJ. WAGNER, anc
Emerson and Baker, the last named
of Washington.
The entire rear end of the struc
tnre was destroyed. and it was here
that the automobiles were stored
The firemen, however succeeded II
confirming the blaze to the rear enc
Of the building. the upper floors o1
the front end being used exclusively
for residential purpose with the ex
ception of the second floor and the
front end of this floor was used by
the garage nroprietors for an elec'
trio shop and also for offices.
The front end of the building was
only slightly damaged by water anc
smoke.
The firemen worked on the blaze
I'll 8 o'clock Sunday morning. The
fire made big blaze and attracted 8
crowd of several thousand persons
Two rescued persons were brought
out OF the house in their nipht clothes
and suffered considerably from ex.
posure.
Before the rescue work was bepur
Chief McDe~mott went THROUGH The
smoke enveloped building before
nermitting his men to enter and ther
he called to his men to volunteer.
There was ready response on tn,
part of the narticipating firemnn
and it was with the greatest diff
cnlv that the men gropnd their wa
through the smoke enveloned struc
ture and brought the persons t
safety
The alarm was turned in at 1910
O'clock SUNDAY morning bv Josan
Buckley to John A McCuen, "hie
c-orator Of Motor Comnanv No
When the fireman arrived on tn
srnna tho resr end of the place wa
enveloped and no time was lost b