The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-08-13

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE ON BROAD
STREET.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE ON BROAD
STREET.
Fortunately our city has seldom been at
| tended with so destructive fire as that
which occurred yesterday afternoon on
Broad street between Fifth and Sixth, south
side, at about a quarter past o'clock. The
| fire originated in the store of Mr.. W. A.
| Mountcastle, an extensive retailer in gas
| fixtures and household furnishing goods,
and spread with great rapidity to adjoining
buildings occupied by Mr.. |. d. Briggs,
baker, and II. L. Wigand, milliner. From
the moment of its discovery the fire as
sumed a most threatening aspect, and every
one feared from appearances that it would
sweep the whole block. Dense volumes of
three buildings, and it seemed almost i'm
possible for the fremen to discover where it
was seated. The utmost confusion prevail
ed on all sides, owing TO the rapidity with
which the flames spread and the seeming
impossibility to check them.
Furniture, beds, bedding, clothing, and
goods of all kinds, were cast forth from the
windows to the great danger of those stand
ing below. They were carried of-one-half
to places of safety, the other half 10 the
safekeeping places of the rogues who infest
places of this kind.
Mountcastle's store soon showed itself the
centre of the fire from the short time in
which it went to destruction. Four streams
were directed upon it from the rear, and a
very strong stream in front, but all in vain.
| There seemed to be something within urging
| the flames from the rear to the front, and in
| spite Of the volumes of water poured in upon
| it, the flames leaped out from tie fSont portion
| Of the store with almost uncomfortable fury,
threatening the destruction of the adioin-
ing building, occupied by Mr.. Jacob Lipps
Is a liquor and wine store. The fire in the
adjoining buildings Of Briggs and Wigand
seemed to be equally uncomfortable. The
llamcs, however, only showed themselves
from the rear, while from the front the
smoke poured forth from beneath the caves
| Of the roof in dense columns. The fire
| here was obstinate and hard 20 get at ::
| but by dint OF perseverance the Iircmen
managed to conquer it-nOt, however, be-
| fore all within the houses vas pretty much
| destroyed.
The fire was the result of an accident. 4.
| VI. Johnson, an old gentleman, and a re-
| taller in kerosene oil, came to Mr.. Mount
castles ut about o'clock to purchase some
kerosene oil. A negro boy was sent with
| him to the rear part Of the store to draw it.
| He carried with him a lamp, which, while
| he was drawing the oil, fell and was broken.
The negro becoming frightened, ran off
rapidly, leaving the oil running, and in
| flames. The fire spread like lightning,
burning Mr.. Johnson badly, we under
stand, but have been unable to learn posi-
lively, and entailing the disastrous results
We have already narrated.
During the continuance of the fire seve-
raj accidents happened, but none of them
very serious.
4 young man named ". H. II. Mason, q
mechanic Of this city, volunteered to 60 into
the third story of Wigand's building to get
a trunk belonging to a young man who
roomed there. He mounted the ladder fear
lessly, waded into the room through smoke
and flame, and returned, contrary to the ex
pectations of the bystanders, with the trunk
in his hand. He was descending the ladder
with the trunk before him, when it slipped
off, and he, in the endeavor to hold on to it,
lost his balance and was carried off. He
fell first on the ladder, and then slip
ping from it fell TO the ground.
His fall was broken by negro man Whose
name we would like to learn) who, at great
risk to himself, stood underneath TO try to
catch him. He evidently saved him from
broken neck. Mason was knocked sense
less by the fall, and was taken into the
drug store of Messrs. Underwater & Book,
near by, where he was soon brought to by
competent physicians. He had only been
stunned and slightly bruised by his fall.
He is a plucky fellow, and deserves long
life.
J.W. Hazelgrove, fireman of Company
B, had his head cut and his shoulder
bruised by the falling Of a chandelier in
Mountcastle's store.
In the general wreck and confusion at
tending the fire it was almost impossible 10
ascertain all the losses, the amount Of insu
rance, and the amount of losses. The en-
tire loss, it is ascertained, will fully reach
$4,000. Mr.. Mountcastle is, We learn,
insured for s. 200 on his stock in the Al
bemarle Insurance Company, for which j.
H. Montague & Go. are agents. This insu-
rance is only partial, as Mr.. Mountcastle
had on hand very fine stock Of goods. de
is insured, it is said, for $4,000 on his
building in New York company. 1t is to
be regretted that o young merchant of his
energy and capacity should be made so
heavy a loser in so short time. All the
private books and papers of the concern
were lost.
The buildings adjoining, owned by Mr..
Wigand, were only partially injured, as
also was his stock. The insurance was IN
companies for which Messrs. Alfriend and
Mr.. Christian are agents. We are as yet
unable to get their names. MIR. Nlgand
lost considerably by the removal of his
stock of millinery goods, which involved
any amount Of stealing. His money-drawer
was also stolen and carried of. He has no
idea how much was in it. Mr.. Briggs's
loss has not been ascertained. A number
Of gentlemen occupying rooms IN these
buildings, among them Mr.. Charles Morris
Smith, of the IVhig, had their clothing and
effects destroyed. The building occupied
by Mr.. Jacob Lipps was somewhat damaged
or the roof, as well as the adjoining one,
occupied by Messrs. Hundley q Iatum,
grocers.
The fremen behaved we'll during the fire,
and deserve great credit for their perseyer-
ance and management in battling such OBJ
stinate flames begotten of such conbustible
material.
There is one lesson which our authorities
should learn from this ire-that OF lmproy-
ing our system of hre-alarm. As Usual,
when the alarm was first sounded no two