The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-11-16

&c. -.
As was stated in yesterdays paper, the
fire at the penitentiary was under control
when our reporter left at 3 O'Clock. After
that time it made no further headway, and
by last night was entirely extinguished.
Steamers B and D were kept at work until
yesterday afternoon, when they were re-
lievcd and the penitentiary hose was brought
into requisition and attached to the yard.
plugs. superintendent Swami kept these
streams going in order to cool the bricks
and iron-work in the debris. The work OF
clearing up the ruins and preparing to re-
build was commenced yesterday.
The change to at least one OF the officers
Of the Fire Department was very great
from the agreeable situation occupied IN
Norfolk Wednesday night, where he sat
down to the sumptuous banquet enjoyed by
the Templars, to the hard work Of subduing
the fire, twenty.six hours later, at the pen
itentiary, and then breakfastnG on prison.
fare.
But there are details Of the late fire not
vet published which will be OF interest.
DISCOVERY OF THE FIRE.
It is supposed that the fire was first dis
covered by the guard on the wall. He called
to his nciehbor and said he believed Dir.
Webb (the interior watchman) was in the
cooDer-shop with lantern. Later, how
ever, he concluded all was not right, and so
The alarm was given. The fire then must
have been burning sometime, but the mid
die gate being closed, the watchman on the
wall was unable to decide at first whether
the light which he first saw was tire or the
CLEAN OF a lantern.
There is standing order Of the institu-
ton which requires the officer Of the day to
60 through the shops, etc., and see that the
fires in the stoves are all out. This is the
last thing he has to do before going OIL duty;
and his successor. the night officer, is re-
uuired to perform the same duty. This was
done at 500 p. NJ. by the day officer, and
later by the night officer, who reported no
fre-and there was none to be seen in the
stoves then, and how the fire afterwards
broke out is not little puzzling.
COLONEL swANN-PRoGREss OF THE FIRE.
Colonel Swami was in his office until
nearly midnight, and retired, little suspect
ing what was to occur only an hour later.
He was aroused about 1 O'Clock, dressed
himself, and hurried out to the shops, call
ing on Edward Moore, convict from Nor
folk, to get the hose and attach them to the
plug in the. yard. When the Colonel got
TO the building black smoke was issuing
from the front and windows near the en-
gine. The hose was soon put on, but then.
instead OF smoke, the flames burst out with
great fury, and the stream did but little or
no good. They saw at a glance that the fire
bad made alarming headway, and it was
then that messenger was sent and the
alarm turned in at City Fire Station ID.
The windows in the building were fortu-
natelv all down, and thus the fire was kept
in measure from spreading.
The city fremen were soon upon the
sround-Company b using the plug on Pine
street, while D took q position inside OF the
enclosure on the south side. Captain Wing
field, OF Company y, seemed to appreciate
The vast importance OF prompt action, and
he so far succeeded in driving the fire be,
fore him that when the second alarm was
given and the Broad.street steamer (A) ar
rived. the Chief stationed it in very close
proximity to the burning building and be-
tween the institution walls. At that poln
it stood until yesterday morning, when II
was, with the truck company, ordered home
3 and D, however, remained in their posi-
tons all day yesterday.
TIE BUILDING DESTROYED.
The building which was destroyed was
three-story brick structure, 800 feet long
and was situated on the northern side o.
the enclosure, between the walls. The
cooper-shop occupied the basement Of
eround-hoor. On the next floor was tht
broom-shop, and the carpenter-shop ant
the shoc-shop above.
The fire originated in the coopcr-sho1
from one OF the stoves used IN charrlng tnt
barrels, and was discovered at five minute:
past O'Clock yesterday morning. On tn
lower floor, to the right, tine engine which
drove the machinery and the boiler weE
located.
The value of the machinery in the cooper
shop is estimated at S7,97721. The value
of the machinery in the shoe, broom, ant
carpenter-shops is put down at Sl0,500, ant
the stock destroyed in the last two namet
shops was valued at $1,000. The value O
the stock in the shoe.shop was estimated Il
$1,000.
The weeving-room took fire at one time
but the fire was promptly put out by one
the prisoners, who, finding nothing else a
hand, overturned a vat Of dye.
The wagon and blacksmitll.shops were
saved, together with the wagon materials.
THE ToBAcco-FAcToRY AND DISING-RooM.
Immediately in front of the building dc
! stroyed, just across q narrow yard, stands
| the mess-hall, or dining-room, aud the to
bacco-factory. The tobacco-factory is very
valuable part OF the institution, and ut pre-
sent is operated by Messrs. McCoull, Sulli
van 81 Co., who have contract with tht
State OF Virginia for the use OF the convict
and the steam-power. These gentlemen
have, it is stated, large number Of order
ahead, and while they have sustained onlt
slight damage from water, yet they will b.
inconvenienced in their work by the tenn
porary suspension OF the use OF the steam
boiler. They are insured On stock and fix
lures for $4,000, divided between Mr.. Hor
ace Swineford's agency and the Richmont
Banking and Insurance Company. Th
dining-room adjoins the tobacco factory, ant
into these two rooms Colonel Swami turnet
about fifty Of the convicts during the fire
They all behaved we'll, and from the win
dows overlooking the yard could see the fir
and all that was going on. Underneath th
dining-room there were stored 100000
hoop-poles and about 400 barrels, all valued
at about S7.400, which were saved.
The Superintendent commends our city
Fire Department specially for their goot
work in saving the tob2cco-iactory, whicl
was in imminent dunger, and the window
frames OF which were repeatedly on fire.
WORK OF SOME OF TIE CoNy1CTs.
During the progress Of the fire Colone
Swami, who had the general Management
of affairs, discovered one OF the prisoner
| af hillats, uharo thor