Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-03-21

hcssDIARIRs AT WoRK-Two FIREs FRIDAY NIsEr
night the frame stable OF Mr. VIM. Ira Smith, situated
the vacan. lot Of Ga and Clay Streets was
fired by incendAry and with It's forage consumed
Loss 81 500 There horse ia the stable at the
time Of the FIRE, which got out without other liz
jury than having his tail singed.
An hour later, on the same night, whs. patrelipg
his beat wachmsa Cousins discovered light proceed.
irg from she'd ia of R. B. WoojKards Carpenter
shop near the corner Of Oh aud Nail ssfeets Hsand
mis- comrads fastened tie spot ald fading that tue
premises had been fred about 0xtingushipg the
tiimes which they succeeded in doing. Whilst they
thus engaged they herd he inceud airy huriedly
cambe,ing over some Of the sheds ia DIves' marble
yari Tne fugitive WAS pursla bit wi.hou;
Having the FIR. entirely exingushed the Wachmen
left the negloorhood not hlyig tho rsmotest i6ea
that another attemp: YOU bs mi1s the premises
the night. Bat the incsndiiry wal not to be
defeated in his objec: by Gao failure. About four
o'clock he again applied the tOr,h at exactly the sane
spo, and this lime with mora success. When the fire
was d SC ysred the rsar of Woodsa DIS extensive car
poster shop wrapped in fines which spread
log rapidly. The FFe Brigade we're soon on the ground
sheds ia tiis locality they failed check the flames
before extensive damage had been done. Woodlands
shop with its contents lumber, nds carpenters TOOLS
&C., valued at betseen fifteen and twenty thousand
dollars, was destroyed. The brick building adjoining
this sop on ths west, ownad by Richard Allen, and
occupied By Z. f. Baker Co.. al shell factory was
burnt and some very valuable ma hiaery rendered use
less by 6e,loss a5ou. $40 O0). Toe of the 400
saloon, west o. Baker Co.'S, scorched and dam
aged TO the amount Of three four hundred dollars
shany east of Woodwards shop occupied Julian Auhe
as a candy ald pea nut stall, was consumed,
With it's contents and valued By the owner at So 0oO.
The large wooden building slmos! Immediately on the
OF sl and Main streets formerly for many years
resided in by the late Archibald air but recently oc
cupici BY william Sagg as Tailoring establishment,
and by John w. Davies q lumber house, next took
Gre. The house being old ansdry the flames devoured
it with frghfi rapdity, and though the 6renen made
every eIsrton toe raging element wa, not stayed until
everything OF vslue about il was consumed Some
withdrawing aud few poss ard rafters on the
end all tina. remain. of the house proper. The base
mens which was occupied as drinkng saloon, known
as the Rough and Ready, was saved. af.8Svies Lest
in this house forty slabs Of mrbls valued at $50 OOO
Two or three sheds back Of these buildings we're also
burnt AID tie long wooden shan facing on 9th street,
occupied by the iaie; employed in the War Depart
ment had its western gable considerably sngtd. The
loss Of Mr. Davies who ownei most of the buildings
destroyed, is loosely es mated at SIS, 0oO.3
The inlense heat OF this 6'e cracked all the hand.
some plate glass windows ia the City Post Office and
the stores Of z. Wepdeabarg & Co., the Union Sew
ing Machine Cowpr y All P. II. Reach. The lo.sls
to be regretted It's very dhfguing to Il Ia portion
Of Main rect and cannot be repaired in these times Ct
b ockade. Nc
The statue Of washir gtoD, by HDkeos, the property
Of the Masonic ratfaity in Of the buildings
on NJ. DIVES lot ard was removed in safety.
The opinion has bsen EXPRESSED that it was the OBJ
Jet Of u author OF Il FIRE to destroy the War De-
pa'tuent. II viewer tbs may BE-, We think there Ia
little deast that u The first attemp 10 FIRE woodwards
shop had not been discovered by the wschmen before