Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-03-27
destructive C0nfiagralian I'm. Rich
IMOHd.


Oao Il Tho most destructive cnA:gta.icus
tart eyer vi.ised R;chm bod occurred there yes-
tesdsy resulting 10 great destruction Of prop
crty. tbs lesi ct QUO lf,, aud several nicor
casualties. A rumber of poor people ere dt-
priv.d OF their homes aud hous ,hold goods,
aud the travelling public vastly il c,lvyniere,d
BY The lois IF tho main bridge, directly co.,
rcc:ieg the Northern AID Southern systems Of
railways crossing the james R:vcrat that point.
At hall past Twelve O'clock ea employee Of lbs
Richmond and Petersburg Rsiltoad Company
discovered small blt2, near the southern cot
Of tho ooupaDY's long bridge ever the James
river, and immediately Started TO give an alarm.
10 few minutes portion ct tn, department
arrived, but ty the time ii arrived the IRE, aid
ed by heavy gale ir.u ths southwest, had
maGo such raDld progress that the bridge Has
wrapped IL tl;m S, ard 10 ltsj than half CD
hour tho whole structure fell. o mass Of rules
into the river, lesVng lothie E shading but the
gracite piers upon which The Bulge ives ALT,
a5d which are plsc2d at Intervals across the ris-
er TO lha combrs ible mlltrial Of The bridge.
cjnbiacd With tho high wind, wfs due lis swift.
destruction. When the f,mts reached tho
Richmond end If the bridge they Immediately
seized upon thu lHg, fou.-;tnry brick tchtcJo
factory OF T. NJ. Ru.hertard g. Co., Which also
quickly Toll violin to the deVcusiDg clement.
From that point tho FIRE continued to spread
With fr!ghtful rapidly, attacking snd laying in
ashes 10 quick SUCCESSION the la'g, bri, tobacco
factories OF r. A. Patterson 4 TO-, T. 9. VII
lsiEs Il Co., tho three tobacco stemerios Ct
j. Il. HuOblns,tWo slemmetits OF T. L 4 L. u.
Birksdals. III, stemueiy CT Aborn & Edwards
The Vulcan Iron Works Operated by Bruc, g.
Archery. twon!y tsnt M INT houses ccc1liad ty
poor people,. about three hundred ieot of tres
tlc-Work c,nneo!ipg The Tredsgsr Iron works
with the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad,
ten new freight cars belonging to tho Tredagar
Company, /. Z. Smiths grss ill. rumb,r
OF Other minor buildings, AID quantity Of coal
ani lumber Of tho southern or Manchester end
OF tho bridge. The Virginia Mining and Mat
ufac:uripg Conpsny's k,oline WORKS werasl, 10
destroyed.
The total loss is estimated ct between
100000 and 100000. Shut Lslf Of which is
covered h1 INSURANCE..
The tflrts Of the freuen 10 check The
illmes Were entirely futile, fighting ss they had
to d., against tho ierco wlrdl, which dr,yog
the fl.msS, cirders, and smt k, into lheiv fac IS.
f0rcad them back, foot ty ioot from is fiery
psth. At quarter OF twJ p NJ. Mayor CAL
rinttn telegraphed to Washington fUs assistance
from the fro depsr ment OF tha: oity. bus later.
WHOM tho fire was frsIly gotten under conrJl,
suoihar telegram WAS sect 10 Washington 10
that effect.
The fro occurred just Sd u! the liue the
churches wtr, beiag dismissed irt III morning
services. srd The alarm bciog immediately
glVou by every apparatus and ball 10 the city.
notification of tho calamity spread with iigh u
niDe-!ko repdity, and in short time the hills
aid hcuse-tops AID every elevation sTording
plnos ct view Wero depsely throrgcd with cd
snd young, white aud colored. fho heavy
winds added moro viislty to tho flames, and
oIiied large pieces Of burning cipd,r rs fer long
distances. which 10 soms CASES sat fire to distant
roofs, ncoessita!ipg q constant watch on the
house !ors 10 prevent the threarened danger.
The area Of the burnt dstrics cjv,rs about
three fq1srss. being about ono hall OF the epioo
bounGeu by Eight sIreet. from the bridge to
Byrd, from Byrd to SIKH. sed from Sevencth
to he r!v.r-'ront. There were seven fac cries
and stcumcrCs of tobscco destroyed.
The fro reached somo OF the lumber piles in
the Tredegsr yard. and but for change OF Wind,
ghich occurred about that time, tho destruction
Il chat va!usb,o establishment would have been
Inevitable.
Mr.. Isaac A. Gentry, WHO is manager aud
hook-kacpor in tho factory O raer of Arch and
Eight sreets. made narrow escape from the
burnine building. lilo was seated in his Office,
aud had just tsked fricrd il he thought .herc
was e1y danger OF tho factory burning. While
awaiting Investigation which his friend proceed
cd to mako and as be was c)lleoliug bis books,
I bnk ;pl H.,
snd smoke into the cflice. which oamnl,tely SUI!
fccsttd MIR. Gentry. His friends fortunately
came TO his rescue. ard he was dragged from
tho house in an insensibe condition.
Whilo ths fro WIS raging 6srocst ard the
Excitement wss mes; intense, young lad
usmod Charley Belts, s)n Mr.. Louis Bets,
pairttr, made his WY into The heart of tho
burning disIr.c:.
He WIS warned repentt dly by fremen to keep
out Of tho way, but he seemed anxious 10 assist
IN removing books and psLe rs from the burning
bul dngs. Presently the gable end Of Pat. Bel
tons house was seen about to fall. a fireman
hallooed 10 young Belts. who stood in dangerous
proximity, to get out oftne way.
The warning csma too late, and tho next m in.
ule tho boy UEs bniisd beneath tho fallen bricks,
HIS body bong almost entirely covered. HIS
death was almost instantaneous.
The Petersburg passenger depot bui!dings-cf
"ooC-sulV!VeQ Smlu3t ms crun OF walls 6nd
wreck Of matter.
The bridge which was destroyed was built
about 1885, and was destroyed by fire a. the
evacuation, April 3. 1855 It wis rebuilt in 1868
at cost of SllS,245 OF upon the Howe plan, and
was z. S62 feet in length between the atutments,
sid was divided into nineteen spans. The truss
was lG feet in width and is feet in height The
track was GO feet sbLya low water in the river
Letter from Fairfax Courthouse.
| Correspondence of the Alexandti, Gaz,tto.
FAIRFAX G. IL March 2G-Owing to tao
great snouut IF rain that has fallen this Hir.
ter aud curing the present month, our farmers
arc backward with their Spring work, and very
few have begun gardening. The ground is
wettcr now than it has b,cu for may years.
Streams and springs are nov running ths. have
been diy for ten or twelve ystr,. The mild
winter hos allowed tho wheat to get q foo
start; aud if our farmers have luck, the yield
will be largo one. Tie grass TOO is looking
we'll. Ptoveudor Of every kind has been high
this winter and Spriog. Society news is real
scare; it being Lent, and the only things dis
cu:ssG are Tia prio, of fish and ths probable
fashion az Enster honDe}s and droreau sEVoIB