The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-11-30
rHE INSURANCE..

Imperial aud Northern ..,..... 10000 90
London aud Lancashire. e................ 5000 on
WatertOwn (rciDsurcd S5,000l...... 10000 90
London and StaffOrds hire.............. 5000 60
Fsrragut OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES" 5.O00 90
lPennsl wanna OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. ~ UUO w
Mnnilduah '''.....'... U'uUO w
Royal. IU.CUO w
Petersburg Insurance and savings. 5000 90
LyLchburg .............................. 600 90
sIs7,509 90
1t is estimated that The loss on cotton and
merchandise will not be less than 60 per
cent. OF the above policies. Besides the
foregoing insurance, there was an insurance
OF $40 coo on the wharves and buildings
destroy ed in the Liverpool and London and
Globe Company. The greater part OF this
risk, we learn, was reIDsured in New York
in other English companies.
The Virginia Fire aud Marine Insurance
Company had risk OF $4,000 on cotton
and merchandise IN hdnSitu, but it is be-
lieved that company has sustained no loss
by this hre.
THE STEAMER SHIRLEY
made her last trip from Baltimore last SUM-
day, arriving at West Point at 1:30 Z. NJ.
Her registered tonnage was $40 tons;
length, 11j feet over all, and % feet beam,
and, as the captain expressed 1t, "as good
a steamer as ever travelled The bay" She
was manned by the following officers: Cap
tain, $. A. Geoghegan; First Officer, Will
liam Applegetth; second Officer, Frank
Philip; Chief Engineer, Charles Dudley;
Second Engineer, l.. w. Lambin; Quarter.
masters. Eric Bohannan aud Charles Geo.
ghegan Watchman, Clarence Collier.
Little could be ascCrained from tue crew
about the fire. In fact, they seemed to know
nothing at all about il except that they were
aroused TO find the steamer enyelOped IN
flames and their only safety IN immediate
fight The captain said: 81 was first
aroused by the sound OF the bell. l called
my crew together and attempted TO get her
loose from The wharf, but the flames had
made such headway that we had 10 leave her
at a quarter past TO-"
THE STATEMENT OF THE FIRST wATCHAAN
Of the York hiver Company, Captain w.
S. Dansev, who. in company with Mr..
Benson, first discovered the fire, was as
follows: "At ten minutes TO 10 o'clock
Sunday night was with Mr.. Benson, local
agent OF the Old Dominion Steamship Compa-
ny, ringing the bell for the Hatteras, which
we had sighted about six miles of. While
was ringing three four! five ! her signals,
and standing near the oflice.dOO by the
old part OF the Baltimore shed, saw light
shining through the cracks OF The wharf
lust outside OF the sheds and reflected
against the whitewashed caves OF the
building. Upon examination l at once
found the steamer Shirley was on fire, and
,hereupon changed my signal for the Hat
teraS, into an alarm Of fire. called to Mr..
Travis (an assistant watchmaD) 10 get the
axes and cut the steamer loose from the
wharf, but not TO do so, however, until all
hands on board could be awakened. Before
we could cut more than one rope, the she'd
which had become smoking hot, burst into
flames and drove us all out. Had | left the
bell when was giving the alarm | might
, have saved all Of Captain Tatum's (the
agfnt's) papers. | entered bis Office and
, started out with his bookcase, but the
smoke blinded me and could not lind the
, door, and was forced myself TO escape
=, through the window.
ANOTHER STATEMENT,
from Mr.. O. NJ. Chandler. watchman on the
&" g." miscellaneous shed. and who also
, had charge OF the gas-wOrks. which were
connected with and in rear OF "H" shed,
was as follows: ! was standing On the
platform in front OF the gaS-woiks; bad
. lust been in 10 look at the pressure OF gas
lit was then 10 o'clock). when | saw sud-
2 denly a fash Of fire from the smOke-stack Of
the Shirley, and Immediately afterwards
heard the alarm OF fire from the bell and
, from persons balloOiDg. | ran at once to
the scene and found the steamer on
fire. The flames were just catching
the whaIf. In an instant there came tre-
mendous yoley Of fire and smoke from The
gangway, passing principally under the
wharf, and gushing up through the seams
OF the flooring in such fearful blast that
, we were all driven back. The smoke was
worse than the fire, and before could get
back by way OF Captain Tatum's Office was
almost sutfocated. | rushed TO the works
and turned off the gas, and 1t seemed to ne
that in ten minutes the entire wharf and
sheds OF the company were enveloped IN
flmes.
The view OF the con1igration was TO the
citizens OF West Point
A GRAND But APPALLING SCENE,
for while many were alarmed, and With
| inst cause lest the town would next furnish
food for the Unsuitable flames, the vast burn.
ing panorama before them, with the waters
OF the York liz up with its red glare, was a
! sight that can c,rcely be described. II
[ was well for the safety of the town that the
2 reeant heavy rains had so saturated the
roofs OF the dwellings and other buildings,
e for large sparks, and even pieces OF 1re as
large as ones two fists, fell thick and last ~
e all directions. Many persons got ready 10
I move out at a moments notice. A beaull-
a fnl sight 10 one whose equaDimity would
4 hermit him indulging his a,thetie taste al
Y such an hour was verify
: PYRoTECHNIc DISPLAY,
\ which was presented in the midst OF The
= racing flames. A box-car loaded with con-
u fections. fireworks, and gunpowder Has The
F; source of this premature explosion OF the
= customary noise-making features OF the
christmas holidays. First, two: Kegs ol
cnnnowder gave "a boom," tearing open
/ The car and arousing the surrounding
. couotry. Then followed the display ol
n fireworks. sky-rockets, Romsn candles,
q and such, were seen shooting iH mid-air, as
:, snmjng all manner Of fantastic shapes, du
' ring which the incessant popping OF hre
: crackers was such u would bave gladdene'
- The heart OF the most enthusiastic OF ell
4 Young America.
= EFT CErsRA.
~ Csptain W. w. Green, clerk In the ol
/. foe OF the Piedmont Air Line, had Jus
,e moved with his family from Norfolk I
"a Wesl Point, aud unfortunately Tor him
D. his furniture, which was stored In one
n. the sheds, was buraed up.
The great bulk Of tho cotton destroye
was contained In shed TIL" together VIII
"..t hnudrod N ~, ala NJ auvar. Al M