The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-01-20
From the New York Times OF Saturday. j

| 4 fire in tho very heart OF the dry-Go0us
district Friday night threatened at one time
| 10 become one or tic most disastrous con-
| fa~raiionS that has occurred in this city for
MANY wears. The efforts OF the fircmen,
tic thickness Of tho walls Of the buildings
attacked. and the absence Of much wind,
combined tn prevent very extended
sprcad of the flames. The building, COM
| nris;ng Nos. g. and e. Worth street, and
Nos. 20 and ~ Thomas street. were entirely
! destroyed. The adjoining buildings on
each side on both streets were almost de-
>troycd. Other adjacent structures suffered
less serious injury from smoke and water.
! The loss upon buildings and contents is es-
! timatcd 1T between $2,000,000 and $4,000
600. 4 curious incident OF the fire is that
| lis discovery was caused by the squeaking
| OF The tcrrIl ed rats. An unusually large
! crowd OF spectators was drawn to the scene
OF the tire, the flames being visible at q great
| distance.
| fThrce columns OF descriptive metter are
on!ttcd.l
The district in which the fire took place
is that in which arc crowded together the
offices and stores Of the largest dry-Soods
commissioned dealers aud importers in the
city. and anon. the principal OF these were
the firms who were burned out, or had their
stocks damaged bv fire, smoke, and water.
Notwithstanding the commission character
OF their business, almost every one OF
these firms carried stock valued at more
than $250.000. Several Of them are agents
III foreign manufacturers, and arc known in
! France and Germany; and the domestic
commSSion-housc control the products OF
some OF the largest print-works and
woolcn-coods mills OF this country. The
principal losers arc The firms OF Van
Noikenburgh & Leavitt, WalkinShaw d
Noigt. Fcrstmann Il Co., SchnaDcl Brothers.
and II. W. 7. Mali Il Co.
The building in which the fire originated
was occupied by Van Eokenburgh d La
witt. WiIkiu>haw & Weight, and Ncuss n
Icnlcin. The tirSt-namcd firm is in the dry
goods commission trade. They occupied
TIC first floor. cei!ar. and Sub-celar. in which
i!!cv had stock valued at about SJ00,G00.
This stock is totally destroyed. Mr.. Learitt
said last night that they were insured fully,
bat he could not tell the companies holding
RI ks nor The amount OF insurance.
Waikin>haw l. Eoigt occupied the second
iAor on Worth street, and all the lofts above
lac first floor on Thomas street. They are
importers OF foreign WOoen goods,
and had stock valued 1T S4O0,000, not
dollars worth OF which was saved. They
are insured for :;4i2.0G0. distributed a> fol-
lows: Imperial, 5000; Northern, S25.-
coo; Liverpool, $4,000; Globe, S20,GO0;
and seyentv-ci-ht other insurance comNa-
MES oi this and other cities and OF foreign
countries.
NeuSs & IIenlrin. who occupied The third
and fourth floors OF Nos. g. ana 64 Worth
street. and in whose apartments The hre
originated, are Importers OF iaccS ana tai
lorS' trimmings. Their stock was worth
about $4,000. Ii was completely destroyed.
The building Nos. 5Sand 60 Worth street,
which was destroyed, was occupied by two
firms. L. II. Smith Il Go. and Chapman
Il Martin had the first floor, cellar, and
sub-ccllar. both firms being engaged in the
commission trade. and carrying Il joint
stock OF about S2j0.00G. They suffer loss
OF about $50, 600 by smoke and water, their
goods being soaked through and through
ForStmann Il Co. occupied the upper part
Of the building. They arc among the largest
importers OF French cloths in the United
States, and arc the agents for the sale OF the
+. 4 II. (For>tmann & Hoffman, cloths and
dGcSkins made at AK la Chapclle, France.
They had 4 stock OF 100000, which Il
rllincG-that which is not burned being
made worthless by water.
The building Nos. &C and GS Worth
street was occupied by three firms. The
ground floor and cellars were occupied by
John Sladc 4 Co., doInga commission Dusl-
ness in domestic goods. They carried a
stock of 5000 200, and suffer loss OF half
that amount.
Schnabcl Brothers, importers OF foreign
woolcn goods, and among the principal
dealers in caS1orS, cloths, and doeskins, oc-
cunicd the second floor, and had Il stock
valued 1T S35Q.000, upon which there Is
total loss.
Henry ". T. Mali 4; Co., also importers
OF woolIen goods, had Il stock OF 100000,
which is destroyed.
Nos. So and IS Worth street were occu-
ped on the ground lloor and cellars by
james +. White Il Co.. importers OF Irish
linens, and on the second floor by II. Y.
White u Co., dealers in French silks and
shaws. Games +. White Il Co.'s stock was
worth Sl00.010. and is badly damaged by
water.
Il. II. White Il Co.'S stock, worth about
S25, 0G0, was also damaged by water.
Nos. 60 and G4 Thomas street, corner OF
Church street. is occupied by the offices OF
BUYERS for out-cf-toWn houses. 1t is dahl
aged by water.
The occupants OF Nos. Sc and GS Thomas
street. were William Simpsons Sons d Co.,
first floor and easements : Nono'ucE SIX
Company and Florence manufacturing
Company, Oh second floor; Neustacdtcr *
Rrothcrs, third and fourth floors; John ;.
Holders stCTagc-rooms fer Government
supplies, on upper floors.
William Simpsons Sons & Co. are manu-
lecturers OF cotton print goods. Thelr
stock, valued at 100000, is almost COM
p.rtely r;ined by water.
Eeustacdter Brothers are manufacturers
Of mems furnishing goods. Their stock,
worth 100000, is also ruined by water.
The loss OF the Monotuck mill will be very
large OH stock OF $4,000.
The .gooGs Stored in Holdea's apartments
arc destroyed by the flames.
NoS. 20 aad - Thomas street were totally
DESTROYED. only the iron front being scIt
standing. The building was occupied by
Van Yokenbnreh d Lcavlit, WaikinshaW
{ Eoigt, and Neuss & Hen!ein, whose losses
are as above STATED.
Uuham, Tucker & Co. occupied the
ground. second. and third floors, and the
cellars Of Eos. "a and 7G Thomas street.
Their stock Of print goods, valued ut $780,
900, was damaged 10 the amount OF about
81, 900 hy water and smoke. The upper
floors CT the building were vacant, the
large clothing house Of EIIcldt, Levy q Co.
having recently moved out
Tie buildings destroyed, anG all but one
q those damaged. were owned by the Man
Italian Real IIS,%te Company. The single
execution is the building at Worth and
Church streets, which IS the property OF
James L. White, who occupies part OF 1t.
! The buildings were on leased ground, and
are estimated to be worth S130,000 each.
Those DESTROYED 3aH most damaged have