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

lSpread abroad as 10 the origin and nature
OF the fire, and the extent Of loss sustained
by the Richmond, York River and Chesa-
peake Railroad Company. With the view
OF furnishing an accurate and truthful re-
port OF the c0nfagralion, Dispatch repre-
sentative was sent TO The scene on a special
material train, which left Richmond at
1890 A. NJ. Captain &. S. Wright was in
charge OF the train, and reached the Point
In two hours and half.
At the White House aud Lester Manor,
the two stations at which stops were made,
the fire at the Point was the all-absorbent
topic OF conversation. At Lester Manor
one gentleman was giving a graphic nara
tive 10 an eager crowd OF listeners. He said
the fire could be distinctly seen from that
place, and it made a tremendous light.
" Why," said he, "Dr. Richards, who lives
about six miles below here, says when he was
awakened by the explosion OF the carload
OF powder and fireworks, and looking out
saw the eastern heavens Int up with the
bright light from the coUfllgration, he
thought that iudgment-day bad come" He
said the shock Of the explosion shook the
window. pains violently, and actually
knocked the turkeys from their roost in
the trees. The whole country for many
miles around seemed TO have been aroused.
As the tram drove into the town OF West
Point
SAD PICTURE OF RUIN
was presented where but recently stood
the new and extensive warehouses and
wharyes Of the Richmond, York River
and Chesapeake Railroad Company. OF
The immense wbarves, with a river front OF
1900 feet mot TO speak Of The side piers, on
which stood six warehouses (three OF them
new, telegraph-oflice, and Two freight
offices, covering an area OF nearly four
acres, nothing was left but black mass OF
smouIdering Debris, while on The West
Point flats, at the junction OF the Pamun-
key and Mattaponi rivers. lay the shoulder
iag hulk OF the splendid freight steamer
Shirley. The devastating demon OF fire
had done its work quickly and well,
and the scene OF yesterday as contraSted
with that OF last week at this the junction OF
two great railroad and steamboat lines was
indeed sad to behold. There where had
been all life and activity, with the hundreds
of stevedores singing their quaint chant as
they loaded and unIoaded the cargoes OF
freight, all now seemed disorder and chaos,
and many OF the employees stood in sad
groups looking upon the embers OF what
had been their pride and means Of support.
In the midst of the ruins stood
SUPERINTENDENT II. T. DOUGLAS,
who had come down on special train at
4 o'clock in the morning, with force OF
men bravely at work making provision fol
receiving passengers and freight from the
steamers of the line. He seemed to look
upon the destruction around him as some
in1n m
vain and fruitless expressions OF re-
mind upon plans for promptly re-
placing the destroyed property. 1t seems
THE FIRE ORIGINATED
in The steamer Shirley, which was partially
loaded, and lying at The wharf Just in front
OF the company's Office. How or in what
mart OF the steamer the fire occurred no one
cln or will tell; for all hands on board, in
Guiding the watchman. appear to have been
wrapped In blisstul repose and fancied Sc
curity.
About ten minutes TO 10 O'Clock Sunday
night Captain w. ;. Dansey, watchman FOL
the York River Company, with Mr. Thomas
Benson, local agent for the Old Dominion
Steamship Company, had just sighted th,
lights of the incoming steamer Hattel2s
and was ringing out the signa-bel for hel
approach, when he discovered the retlec
ton OF a bright hight shining through lht
cracks i'm the wharf upon the she'd in front
Of the steamer. Closer inspection showed
that
THE SHIRLEY WAS on FIRE,
and flames were bursting from the star
board gangway and shooting in under the
wharf. Almost simultaneously fl INES broke
ont from The decks and shot up by tht
smoke.stack. The signal for the Hatiera'
was at once turned into one OF firealarm
and general outcry Of "Fire!" "Fire!'
was heard all around. and, above all
the fire-alarm signal was sounded forth by
the sbriIl whistle OF the shifting engine
The crew OF the burning steamer wa
now aroused, and they had barely
time to escape with their lives. Many
were forced to Jump overheard into
the river and swim' ashore, anC
the cook was badly burned abOut the face
in making his escape. Attempts were
made TO get her of, but only ont
cable could be severed before The, rapid
ly.spreading flames prevented all lur
iher efforts in that direction. The wine
and ebb-tide were, however, holding bel
firmly against the wharf, and as there was
no other steamer or tug at the Point, u
would have been next 10 Impossible 10 ge'
her out from her mOorings.
In a few moments, or in less time thar
one could tell it, the
wHARvEs WERE ENvEL0PED IN FLAMES
and flames too that, as IL by magic, nasheC
through the entire length and breadth o
| The SPACIOUS warehouses or sheds. I'm
| tarred timber on the front OF the whar
was potential auxiliary in giving the hr'
| a hold on tbfs structure; and once here tn'
| work OF destruction was assured; Tor tD
gasoline pipes running down tbe centre o
the warehouses becoming dislointed sent
train OF fire leaping through them, as al
eve witness described IL, "with the veiocit.
OF lightning" This, aided by the gravel
apd.tarred roofs, caused the 2,lOo feet
| handsomely. constructed sheds and whari
age to be enveloped in flames in the almes
incredibly short space OF fifteen minutes
and in less than an hour the whole was to
| tally destroyed.
THE SCENE PRESENTED YESTERDAY MORNING,
as we have said above, was that OF smou
derlng heap Of ashes aud old iron. WIN Tia
exception OF pier OF about fifty feet Il
length, which was situated Just outside
the southeastern extremity OF the sheds
there is not n floor-IlaDk or ioist left
Everything was consumed by the deyour
ing flames except somc portion OF tb
piles, and The iron; and many Of the rails G
The railroad tracks were twisted into mo-
fantastic shapes. All that remains Of III
buildings belonging TO the York River Raj
road Compaby's splendid property is III
gasometer, the small local-freighi depot, it
wood.house. water-tank with wind-puml
~ n,ch has lust been erected, and the el