Fire companies in the early 19th century were all volunteer affairs and relied on clubs of young men to form the fire fighting cadre. Fire trucks were pump action often pulled by the firemen themselves or in some cases among the more affluent cities by teams of horse. Fire houses were a sort of social gathering place rather than a place where professionals would meet, and the money paid to the brigade went into the house's fund rather than to individual members. It was not all that uncommon to see someone "squatting" on a fire hydrant by placing a barrel over it so other fire brigades could not use it. However, paid professional firefighting services were eventually established. Below are three separate account of the 1827 Alexandria Fire. The first was published the day after the fire in the National Intelligencer. Due to many dangers of associated with ordnance production , the Washington Navy Yard was one of the few government institutions to have its own fire truck and its own organized fire company to respond to fire and disasters at the Yard.

      The second account from a participant in fighting the Great Fire is from the Diary of Michael Shiner. Michael Shiner 1805-1880. In 1827, Michael Shiner, was a enslaved at the Washington Navy Yard (About ten percent of the WNY workforce was enslaved labor) his owner Thomas Howard was WNY Chief Clerk who leased him to the yard. After receiving orders from the Secretary of the Navy, Commandant, Commodore Thomas Tingey, directed about three hundred of his WNY employees to Alexandria to help suppress the fire. Shiner recounts the efforts of the Yard Mechanics and laborers to get their equipment to Alexandria and the effort it took to fight the fire in subfreezing cold.

      Sadly Michael Shiner would again see Alexandria Va. when on 5 June 1833 his wife and the couple's three children were abducted of the streets of Washington and held in an Alexandria Va. slave pen at 1315 Duke Street. This slave dealing business was managed by the notorious John Armfeild and Isaac Franklin. Only through the intervention of kind and well-connected friends was he able to eventually secure their release.

      The last account of the fire is an extract from the Washington Navy Yard Station log for January 18, 1827 with remarks on the events of the day by the officer of the watch.

Transcription:
      Theses transcription are from the National Intelligencer, the Diary of Michael Shiner and Washington Navy Yard Station log respectively and were made from images of the original documents. The Diary of Michael Shiner was transcribed from the Library of Congress microfilm and the WNY Station Log from images provided Mr. Charles W. Johnson NARA Archives Specialist. In transcribing these documents, I have striven to adhere as closely as possible to the original in spelling, capitalization, punctuation and abbreviation (e.g. "Do" or "do" for ditto or same as above) including the retention of dashes, ampersands and overstrikes. For the special problems associated with the transcription of the Diary of Michael Shiner see my introduction to that doument. Where I was unable to print a clear image or where it was not possible to determine what was written, I have so noted in brackets. Where achievable, I have attempted to arrange the transcribed material in a similar manner to that found in the letters and enclosure.

                      John G. Sharp                                                                                         March 15, 2009
                      Stockton Ca

      The whole number of persons who went down from this side of the river could not be less then a thousand. If we appear to dwell too much upon the public spirited conduct of our citizens on this occasion let it be recollected that the distance to Alexandria from most of the points started from was seven miles, and that the engines and men arrived about the time the fire was most appalling. If any other cause for exultation is thought necessary to justify it, let it be found in the fact that the fire was arrested, and a vast amount of property rescued from the jaws of destruction by the aid thus afforded. The first succors from the city arrived about 11 o'clock, and was followed by successive supplies.

      Our friends at Alexandria, exhausted by the fatigue and anxiety, were not employed in endeavoring to save their individual property, and without the excellent apparatus of hose &c, which we have, were not able to contend with the devouring element. They welcomed relief from this quarter as almost providential, and they are unbounded in the measure of their thanks fro the assistance, without which, the best part of their town, with most of the shipping, would have shared the fate of that valuable portion of which was already in flames.

      As it was however, the conflagration was awful, and the destruction of property very great, as may be supposed, from the raging fire in the thick of the town for five long hours, with a brisk North West wind-blowing. It is a wonder, indeed that the fire was got under at all. The hose and forcing machinery, having the river for a source of supply, furnishing copious and inexhaustible supplies of water effect what not supply of water by hand could have done and, although the water thrown in streams descended in the form of ice and sleet, mantling the firemen in icy garments, we believe but one of the engines was so frozen during the day as to be disabled, so steady were they worked.

      The fire commenced in the Cabinet Maker's Shop of James Green, on the east side of Royal Street between King and Prince Street and extended to Fairfax Street thence down Prince to Union Street. The number of houses destroyed besides other building was about 10 and the value of the houses and goods destroyed can hardly have fallen short of two hundred thousand dollars.

      Great danger was menaced by tumbling walls. One man reported to have been killed and one of our citizens under a falling wall, had an escape by means of the embrasure of a window, little less than miraculous. Refreshment was liberally served by the people of Alexandria to their visitants, and we shall be glad to hear that got home safe through the cold of last night, still more intense than that of the day.

Diary of Michael Shiner     http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/NHC/shiner/shiner_diary.htm