Evening star., 1932-01-13
BLAZE THREATENS
COLONIAL BEACH
Residents Assist Firemen to
Check Fire With $4,000
Damage.
Nv a stafr Correspondent of The star.

BY a STAFF Correspondent OF The Star.
COLONIAL BEACH, Va, January 13.
"A $4,000 fire razed three buildings
here early today and was prevented
from sweeping the town only by the
combined efforts of virtually every resi-
dent, assisted by firemen from Fred
ericksburg and the naval proving
ground at Dahlgren.
The blaze broke out shortly after
midnight in one of several bath houses
between the Holt Cottage and the
Washington House, both on the water
front. 1t was discovered by Mrs, Adie
P. Coakley. i'll on the second floor OF
a building a few feet from the Wash
ington House. Noticing sparks flying
past her window, Mrs. Coakey awaken
ed her son-in-law, ]. T. Coakley, part
owner Of drug store on the f1rst moor
Operator Spreads Alarm.
Coakley notified Mrs Anna E. john
son, telephone operator, who spread the
alarm.
From the washington House. the fire,
famed by a stiff breeze, quickly spread
to the Holt Cottage and the Holly View
Hotels. also on the water front.
While every resident of the town,
capable of carrying bucket, was ngnt-
ing the fire, Mrs. Johnson notifeo the
Fredericksburg Fire Department, ana
officers IN charge of the Naval PROVING
Ground. Apparatus from Freoerichs-
burg was rushed to the scene, while
submarine chaser, equipped with nre-
fighting apparatus, fastened TO the
blaze by water.
Sparks, carried by the wind, ignited
the roof of a building about a block
away, formerly used as post once
This blaze was extinguished before 1t
had made any headway, however.
Assists Family to Safety.
While the fire was at its height
Coakley assisted his mother r-in-laW, ms
wife and three children-Adelaide, l3;
Frances. 10. and Maysel, 5-from the
building. After taking them to the
home of his business partner, DR.. V.
O. Caruthers, he returned to his COM
bination home and pharmacy, and,
assisted by other residents Of the town,
began removing fixtures, stock and
furnishings. Most of this was trans
ferred to the town hall.
Despite the untiring efforts of the
townspeople and the fire fighters, the
blaze was not brought under control for
more than two hours, and 1t was not
until about am. that 1t was extln-
guished. Meanwhile the walls OF the
Washington House, with flames leaplng
high into the air, had fallen against
Coakley's home The building was only
slightly scorched, however.
The Washington House is owned by
Mrs, M M. 10 Alley of washington,
the Holt Cottage U-f Mrs. Charles Holt,
a widow. and the Holly View Hotel by
Wally Kimmel also of Washington.
Kiunel, who is attached to the Bo-
tanical Gardens in the Capital, rented
the property to Mrs. j. Q. Murray, VINO
estimated her personal loss at about
$4,000 for furniture and equipment,
some of which was covered by nsur-
ance. The contents of the other build
ings also was destroyed, and residents
of the town estimated the loss at ap-
proximately $50000 in all.
only the Washington House was oc-
cupied at the time, the other hotels
having closed for the season. Thomas
Hall manager Of both the De Atley
Hotel and the Washington House, both
under the same ownership was asleep
when the blaze broke outsS Awakened
by the smell Of smoke and the cracking
of the flames, he. fed from the building
while the fire was still confined to the
bath houses.
Two Persons Injured.
Only two persons were injured. Ed
win Coakley, about Is, relative OF the
drug store proprietor. and Emory
Smallwood, about the same age, we're
slightly hurt when an electric reirig-
orator which they were removing from
the Coakley store fell against them,
Mrs. H. N. Stone, owner Of a nearby
restaurant, was about to retire when
the alarm was spread. She reopeneo
her lunch room and, assisted by Miss
Ethel Mcneil, 81, and the latter's
sister. Mrs. Ara Sheaffer, fed the fire
fighters sandwiches and coffee free OF
charge. All together, she estimated,
she and the two girls fed at least 100
persons.
Charles M. Carey, who is not mem
Der of the town fire department, drag
ged hose lines into the blazing build
ing and stayed with the regular flre-
fighters until the flames were extin-
gliished. Most of the townspeople
were garbed only in nightclothes when
thev turned out for the fire.