The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-02-07
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

ABOUT one CiOCk Dy ttlc WliSGiiiS Va 'OSN.
motives, the ringing OF the alarm bell ana
cries OF fire. Even with such din it SEEM
ed impossible to awaken the citizens, ana 1t
was not until fifteen or twenty minutes after
the alarms were sounded, that anyone APP
peared on the streets. BY that time the
portion Of the town was lie
lumined bv bright light which told OF a
large fire. 1t was the Staunton Planning
Mills property in flames.
Those who first observed the fire say 1t
made its appearance just above the engine
room. From there it communicated to the
planning rooms. and in an incredibly short
time, the dry timber and shavings had
caught, and all hope of saving the building
was despaired Of. Pretty soon a section OF
the Fire Company arrived with reel. The
plug was Immediately opposite the building,
and the heat WAS so intense that to attempt
to al tach the hose to the plug was really
dangerous. But the members OF the Au.
gusta Fire Company never shrink from dan
ger when anything can be accomplished,
and at the imminent risk of being bllstered,
the hose were attached, the lumber
house and some timber saved, and the flames
TO the mill proper.
But for the snow, nothing.could have pre-
vented the fire from spreading to LUSH
baugh's factory and Millers wood yard. The
sparks fell in dense sheets, and once AIiller's
stable caught, but was eStingnished by some
one throwing snow OH It..
Half an hour after the alarm was sounded,
the walls of the building fell in and all dam
ger Of the spread Of The fire was at an end.
The Staunton Planning Mill was new
substantial brick building situated at the
south end of Lewis street, and was built
some five years ago by Edgar Hartman for a
sash and blind factory. The original cost OF
building, lot and machinery was $4,000,
the machinery being valued at $1,000. Mr.
Hartman sold the property to Il. Il. Bagby
for $4,000, and Mr.. Bagby leased it to the
"Staunton Planning Mill Co." with tile OPP
ton of purchase for $4,000. In November
last the lease expired. and since then Mr..
Bagby has been operating it himself, work.
ing some half dozen mechanics, who will be
thrown out of work, and some Of whom, we
regret to learn. lost their tools. The fire is
supposed to have caught accidentally from
the engine.
The property was insured for $1,000 as
follows In the Lynchburg Insurance Com
pany, and the Columbus (O.) Home Com
pany, Of which Bayly & Cooke are the local
agents, each $500; in the Farmville Insur-
ance Company, of which Capt. Geo. C. jack
son is local agent, $500; and the Loudoun
Mutual Company, of which Mr.. Emmett
Guy is local agent, $4,000.
We cannot close this notice without spe.
cial mention of the Augusta Fire Company.
Its members are certainly fearless and ELI
cient, and in spite OF the most disconraging
are always willing and ready
to put forward the most heroic efforts to
save property. Owing to the defective hose,
last Sunday, they were compelled three or
four times to brave the most int 9se heat,
i'll order to properly adjust the plug.
- >------------
The SOUTHERN GufDE.-That the vast
resources of Virginia need only to be made
known to insure their development, is fact
which must impress all who have ever con-
sidered the advantages offered by this Sec
lien fol- the investment of capital and pros
porous operation of manufacturing indus
5ries. When the attention Of the monied
world is attracted by the great magnet
which nature has deposited here, it will not
be slow to perceive the golden rewards
which await its action. The South wants
and must have the world to know how rich
and abundant are her mineral treasures, how
fertile and prolific her fields, how numerous
md nothing we have seen since the war is
20 well calculated to place these advantages
before the public as the recent
publication by Messrs. Bran'hall Il Co.. OF
Washington, OF the Southern Gu;de, an T.
ustrated quarterly.
As its title implies, the work is designed
20 present the claims of the South to the
the capitalist and the manufac-
5urer, and in pursuance OF that design the
publishers have spared neither trouble nor
excuse. Every authentic source has been
for information, and that infor-
nation, i'll the most concise form, is present.
I'd fairly, honestly and impartialIy. The
publishers do not undertake 20 say that the
South is an Elder into which no guile and
It's consequent suffering has entered. Labor,
industry and thrift are necessary here as
elsewhere, but they do say, that it offers adj
vantages not possessed by other sections of
The country, and demon strate the truth Of
their statement, by Il presentation of facts
cleaned from the most reliable sources, and
every precaution is taken to avoid the slight.
est Misrepresentation, either by statement
Or implication. The authorities they RELY
upon for information are such men as Fro
lessons Shaler Of Kentucky, Stafford and Kill
Threw OF Tennessee, ker Of North Carolina,
Rogers and Hotchkiss OF Virginia, and
Fountaine and Maury of West Virginia.
The first number OF the magazine contains
lengthy and accurate descriptions of Mary
land, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky,
Tennessee and North Carolina, either arti-
Gle of which is worth ten times the price Of
In its article on Virginia it gives first
rate illustration of Stanton, looking from
The depot up New street, and an accurate
description OF the town and its prominent
features.
In closing his Introductory notice the edi-
tor says: ''The Southern Guide will be con-
tinued as quarterly periodical, devoted to
the description and discussion of the eharac-
teristics aud resources OF the different Sec
tons of the Southern States, their industries
and material interests. We expect to pre-
sent articles from the most able and d;stin-
guished scientists and specialists of the coun-
try, appropriately illustrated, and will en-
deavor to make Our periodical as accurate,
authoritative, popular and thorough as pos
sible,''
We commend this work to the patronage
Of our readers everywhere, and especially in
the South. Price $l.0O per year. Address