The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-08-20

p 1HE FIRE THURSDAY NIGf1T.-Ihe fire
which totally consumed the Virginia Wooden Mills.
on Thursday night, was caused either by lightning
striking the building during the storm, Il was the
work Of an incendiary Mr.. WATERHousE, the IN
telgent superintendent of the establishment il pos
tive 1t could not have occurred in the drying room,
and he does not see how il could have occurred
unless In one of the above mentioned modes. The
vast building was stored with immense guam
tity OF wool in bags, and manufactured into Han
nels, blankets, &c-and the FIRE having gained
firm hold it found impossible to save the
buildings their contents. Some few bales OF wool
and articles of machinery were saved but they after
wards were so ged by wuter and the falling bricks
to be worth little or nothing The fire proceeding
onward in its course then threatened HaxalPs Flour
mill, and one time the danger was most imminent
The wall nearest to the burning mills was covered
with blankets and all the streams that could be
obtained were let loose upon the roof aud sides OF the
building The indeatigable exertions of the fremen
succeeded in continuing the fire to the Wooden mills
We learn that the building and machinery cost
$12N 00a and that the stock valued at S60.0Oo-
Upon this total amount of $lsOOOO there is an ins-
rance of ST, 900, as follows:
Richmond Fire Association. 900
Virginia Fire and Marine Insurance company. ID 000
Etna Fire Insurance company, Hartford...... 5000
Protection - = 9,UO
atarah
Six n York Insurance companies, each $1,000 49, 0O
s77,Ooo
It will thus be seen that the Virginia Wooden COM
pany will SOS,O0o by this fre-a most heavy loss
Haxalls Flour mill damaged by water to the
amount of between 2 and s., 600 The machinery and
stock both suffered but the loss is partially covered by
insurance in the Va Fire and Marine Insurance com.
pany and the Fire Association. The Manchester fire
company rendered most efficient aid at this fire.
STEALING BLANKETs-C Captain Wilkin-
son on Thursday night, while the Virginia Wooden
Factory burning, detected a man named James
Kelly alias Broderick, with bundle ofblankets upon
his shoulder passing up 18th street by Haxals lum-
Der house. On asking him where he was going with
these blankets, he said he had been directed by Mr.
John Waterhouse manager at the Wooden Facto-
ry, to carry them TO safe place. Captain w
soon after saw Mr.. Waterhouse, who stated that he
had given such directions and Kelly was taken to
the cage. The blankets were given in charge of Mr.
Waterhouse. Mr.. w. said that the blankets were
worth over 800 Yesterday morning, Kelly denied
having carried any bundle at ala most unblushing
statement in the presence of officers and gentlemen
who had seen him with the iannels upon his shout
der and had him arrested at that time.
The Mayor committed Kelly to jail for examination
before the Hastings Court in September next
Patrick Cronin, who gave his name as Crawley, was
then arraigned upon a similar charge of stealing
blankets worth $780, part of the lot thrown out of the
factory, while it fire. William Snead and F.
E. G. Spaght Cronin emerge from the gate of
the Danvile Railroad Depot, at about half past II
O'Clock, with bundle of blanket fannels upon his
shoulder and go towards the dock by the river. Two
negroes, a moment after, running up, saying
that they belonged to Mr. HaxalPs MILL and that they
had followed this fellow from the fire. believing that
he going steal the annels They asked Messrs.
Snead and Spaight to help them catch Cronin, and
they did Cronin said that he took the flannel from
the negroes, who had stolen it. and about storing
it in q safe place. Cronin could not have taken the
flannel from the negroes he said he did, nasrnuch
as Spaight had just passed the place where he said
he took it and the negroes were then some distance
mp the bank.
g The Mayor committed Cronin to jail to await ex-
animation before the Hastings Court in September
next.