Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-11-20
destructive Fires in Virginia and Pcnnsyl-
yanla-Five Houses Burned In Atlantic
eiIy, n. J,
FIRE IN THE VIRGINIA PENITENTIA'
RY.

RICHMOND. Va, Nov. l5.-About
two O'Clock this morning a fire broke
out in the engine room OF the Stale
peuitentiary. The superintendent OF
the institution at once senta messenger
TO the nearest alarm box. and an alarm
sounded for the fire department. T"o
fire. being fed by the most inilammaole
matter. soon spread to the coopers' shop
thence to the carpenters and furniture
shops, and shortly aiterward reached
the shoe and the machine shops. With
the assistance Of the city fire depart
ment and the prisoners under guard the
Superintendent made every effort to
stop the flames, but without success
until all of the shops named were de-
ojed.
At one time the flames caught the
window and door frames Of the buildings
in which arc located the cells, and IN
which are confined some five hundred
prisoners. At this juncture the excite
ment was inteEsc, the prisoners crying
out IN agonlzing screams at what they
believed would be their terrible deaths.
A large police force and number oil
the Firt Virginia Infantry, in uniform,
were present, however, and prevented
anything like an outbreak. The fire IN
nelgborhood Of the cells was soon ex'
tinguished;the sufenngs ofthe cOnyicts,
though, is described as intense. Atone
time such was the heat that it would
blister a mans face who was at the VIM
dows of the cells.
Atthree O'Clock the fire became man.
aseable and all danger to the prisoners
had passed. The loss is estimated to
be s65.OOO.' The buildings were not
insured, the State not insurng any OF
its property, but assumed its own risks
upon its buildings in preference. The
usefulness Of the institution, as all OF
the workshops were burned, will be de-
stroyed. At the last session Of the Leg
islature bill was passed pro7iding Tor
advertising the pen!tentiary for lease. a
lumber of northern cQpitlists examined
the institution, but it was never leas-
ed.
The buildings Of the penitentiary have
been destroyed twice before July l,
1861, and August s, 1923. No steps
can be taken towards the rebuilding OF
the structures destroy ed until the Leg
islature assemblies, the lst Wednesday
in December.
THE GREAT FIRE AT BRADFORD, PENN
SYLVANIA
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. IA spe-
cial dispatch from Bradford, Pa, at one
O'Clock this morning says fire, which
started there at nine O'Clock last night,
burnt out five acres Of the town. The
The Theatre Comique, the Riddle House
and ten buildings south Of the Theatre
Comique were destroyed soon after Q
p. NJ. Shortly after ten o'clock the
Olean department arrived By special
traiu on the Bradford and arren rail-
way. The express Office went next,
and then eight buildings on Davis street,
north of the Riddell House.
coNFLAGRATION AT ATLANTIC CITY
n. j.
ATLANTIC CITY, n. j.. Nov. H.
At 1856 o'clock this morning a fire
broke out in &. E. Adams grocery store,
on Atlantic avenue, and directly Oppo-
site the large structure known as the
United States Hotel. The fire spread
rapidly on both sides of the place where
it originated. The supply Of water gave
out and so permitted the fire to gain
Thcthcr headwayurf following places
were destroyed;
{. E. Adams grocery store, owned
by Lewis Reed, Jr.; the drug store and
residence of E. Reed; the dwelling ond
stationary store of Lewis Reed, ST.; J.
II. Sinners boot and shoe
store, and the residence of James Reed.
The front of C.. W. Tompkin's zee
cream saloon was torn down to pre-
vent the spread of the flames. The
loss is estimated from $4,000 TO s40,-
900, but the building are fully nsured in
Newark and Millville companies.