The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-23
Y,itItntond nispatth.
observation-disclosures "'' -
From the Petersburg ,ndss' a a,ao ooo
,,..sructive Fare Last N,S"s-NAo'
x.-or,h OF Property DcsfroSc"'

AS the town clock StTuch Nv s,o
,ni,y of the city sounded the ataI.n "a 80 nu'
',I The cries upon the street directea a's S,n
';nn 10 the furniture warcVoothS W ot -,
.,''"y %..,-,,;nc h;,iIding. The flames spread
TN" ca. ond, bv the time the hreuen
, nint,Si the sno., had gtinea such hsadWav
80, hmrst through the gratincs. n uenSe
~ ~ Of smoke isSue(i.into the street ana
N"''t ,hr,urs, the store. cicctuaitS prevent
wy , n"cn.S nv the Gremcn, who were com
M MI a. hest they could to direct their
t.o,',s !, thc cellar. They tought! tne Hre
>'ca' s,roat disadvantage ut first, anu only
." a eh'n f. delay is progress for NV fiie.
eyE"ro we're several barrels OF farulsh soe'
,,I" which seemed 10 add fuel to the hfe.
on6 when purst open by the heat conio ho'
BE- cXtinguishcd. . .,ro,ch
enc fr.t floor and extended from ifont 10
ra1r nf the store, driving back the hretheI
=, rach end. The flames swept upward
rom floor 10 floor. the second ana tnIo
n,Iiing away in comparatively oricl WINE,
,,1 thc ronf itself being soon enSe!opea.
~ Each n,or Of Nr. MorriS>'s store was
,,arre6 with furniture, much OF 1t OF very
ttnInal,Ie material and manufacture.
Wiling in the building was saved except
W. : books and the furniture on the
,Ijrd floor OF Me>srS. Bond Il faughanS
,fnrr. which formed a part OF the ware
ur Morri>s's stock was valued at $4,000,
,,,1n which, we learn. he had an insurance
Il about S2O, eco III the Offices represented
~ tb,S r;ty bv MesSrS. u. Is. Dusser, Ste
,cns Bros. and Geo. l.. simpson.
The building occupied by him was me
nroneytv of Mr.. Jno. ID. Ragland. on which
there was an insurance III Mr.. {. il. Cuth'
grr,'S Office for 5000.
Adjoining Mr.. MoIiS>'s WaicroomS on
The south was the large COMMISSION ana
grocery. house Of Ncs>rs. K. A. Martln u
Co.. containing 500 bales Of cotton, besides
, h,rur stock OF groceries,, &c. This build
inc CAUGHT fire on the roof, and burned
down much more quickly than the other
had burned up. The cotton in the upper
stories burned rapidly, and the tiremer
were powerl5ss to render any benefit.
Fortunately. Messrs. Martin x co. saved
MI their books and valuable papers ana {
good MANY bales Of their cotton.
Ncssrs. Martin 4 60. were Insured TO!
$50 nM. which fully covers AL their losses
Some =, coo of this amount is in the Peters
hur" savings and Insurance Company.
The huilling occupied by MeSsrS. Martin
( Co, wa, owned by John ID. Ra9land, an(
was insured in the Mutual Company o
Richmond.
The store Of Messrs. Bond & Vaughan
TO the north of MIR. Morriss's, was III Srea
danger mt one time. and everything Wa'
nnyed from it into the street. he from
doors and windows were knocked TO pieces
with axes, aud the goods removed III grea
confusion.
Centre Warehouse in the rear. on Wash
ington street, was also in great danger from
the spark~, and it was deemed advisable t
remove i'll the tobacco frOmit.
The roofs OF the building occupied 10y
Mr.. II. I. Alley, confectionery, caught fire
and were with difficulty saved.
The cotton IN the depot Of the Petersburg
Railroad Company 50 baic>), caught hrs
from the falling sparks. as did also the roof:
al the dcpot, but the flames were put out
A. measure of safety ull the rolling stock
was removed from the depot and yard.
The tire WAS the work of an inccndiary
vino forced his way through the rear por
don 81 the Store. descended into the cellar
and kiu4lcd the flames near the middle q
TIE floor, making sure thing OF 1t. Sus
p,Cirn attaches 10 no one.
When the fire WAS at lis height, aboutl.
o'clock. efforts were madc 10 telegraph tC
Richmond for n steam engine to assist IL
stay lng the progress OF thc element, but i
was found that one could not be obtained
LATER.
At ~ o'clock this lnOrnin" the bells were
rllng again. The fire was found to have
spreld down the street ana 10 have com
municatcd TO the roofs Of the stores Gccu
pied BY Mc,Srs. Bond 4 Vaughan ant
Branch & Herbert, and it MAS feared these
Buildings and MeS>rS. Gillian & Dunlop
store would be burned.
h> We 20 to press il is uncertain whcthe
they will be saved.