The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-09-12

DEsrKvcriyE FiRg IN MANcBEsTra-OvEn THssK
Million DoLLAas' WORTH or PRopKRrr Dr.
sThoYsD. One Of tins most destructive frss which
has eyer occurred IN this State took place In Man
chester On Friday night last About ~ O'Clock ths,
citizens in the ncighbmhood were aroused by the
| roaring of the flames, which proceeded from the
| northwestern wing VI the Aessrs Gasy's tobacco
iactony, situated on Barney street, between Allen
ana basnbridge, and 10 Incredibly short time the
Whole building was IN light blaze The wind sct-
sing IN favorable drectio the large tobacco wsre-
house. 0l The opposite side Of the street. owned by
Messrs. John Gimour & Co , soon took firs AMI d.
spite the efforts of number of citizens To mt Il
out the destructive elements Travelled from one sec
ton of the vast structure to the other till the whale
Of it was entirely consumed.
When the last portion Of this warehouse and all the
various buildings inside Of the enclosure were lev
elled " the ground, the wind suddenly changed TO
the northwest and carried the flames In the direc-
ton where the fire originated, communicating them
with the fine family residence Of Mrs Ophelia
Fuqua, a widow lady, ON the corner Of Bain6ridge
and Barney streets, and from thence spreading to
her kitchen ia the yard, Mrs. Susan p. Aliens
kitchen the next lot, and another building adia
cent: il, the occupancy Of the Messrs Gary, owned
by William Gray Of this city, resulting in the total
destruction Ut them all In addition to these build
ings, which were destroyed the residences Of r. ".
kedford, Patrick Gary, Mrs. Susan r. Allen, and
the large framed tenement used negro quarters
for the Manchester cotton factory, took re several
times, and were considerably damaged
The buildings known as 0ilmours tobacco ware
house covered a whole square, fronting ON Bsin-
bridge street, all Of which enclosed BY brick
WALL Inside Of these we're hurnt up SIX hundred
aud seventy bogheals OF fine stripped tobacco four
hundred hogsheads Of leaf tobacco, three hundred
hogsheads Of steamed tobacco, which were the pro-
pe1ty OF Gilmour x Co, and two hundred and
thirty hogsheads OF leaf tobacco, the pyoperty
Of the Confederate States. The aggregate cost OF
tho tobacco destroyed. belonging to dlmour Il Co.,
amounted to fs5,oO0 before the war, which. es-
tmated ut the present value Of exchange, will ex-
ceed the sum Of s30V0,000 On thus there was an
insurance OF 22i oOO held altogether in Southern
companies Add to the above amount the loss Of
the warehouse buildings and that used . factory
by the Gary brothers, also owned by Gilmour Co.,
and the loss will be increased to upwards of two
hundred thousand dollars more. Upon the build
iIgs was nominal insurance. The senior partner
Of the concern Mr. John Gilmour, left this country
for Scotland tof which he is native) in the year
1859, where he has resided since During his
absence the business Of the firm has been attended
toby young man bearing the same name. who Is
relative.
The Messrs, Gary, the proprietors of the tobacco
factory iI which the fire first discovered lost
upwards o. one hundred thousand dollars worth OF
tobacco, Ia large portion of which was manufae-
tured,) tobacco presses, screws, frames &c, On
which they had an insurance Of $4,000.
About $4,000 will probably cover the whole loss
OF property owned by Mrs. Fuqua, Mrs Allen, Will
liam Gray and others, ON which We have heard Of
no insurance
Oaccount of the low state of water in the river,
and the limited supply which could be pumped into
the Manchester reservoir, no assistance could be
rendered by the fire engines. The Richmond fire
companies, as the alarm given, hurried
return Of ChiefEngineer Barnes, who went over to
ascertain to what extent the department there could
be assisted In short time Mr. Barnes came back
and ordered company b and the Hook and Ladder
company to hasten to the scene, but the stream
which the reservoir afforded feeble that it
became manifest that the fire not to be extiS
uished with water.
This fire, which was without doubt the work Of
an incendiary, lit UP the whole heavens for up
wards of five hours, and at late hour yesterday
afternoon its entire still in blaze from
the burning rubbish and smouldering tobacco scat
tered around
Fortunately no very serious accident occurred,
although Mr.. Ajax Gary was compelled to Jump
from second story window, and made q narrow
escape while under 1t from having box of tobacco
thrown OH him.