The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-04-01

was then advancing from Cary to Main
street. forced us to move the engine to an
other point.
| then left for breakfast, having been up
all night. and without anything to eat. AS
soon a. had breakfasted / returned to the
fire, and found the engine on Ninth street
between Main and Cary. | remained there
but n short time, rs we were forced to move
by the advance OF the fire and the eXpo-
sion of shells which had been stored by the
Confederate authorities in building near
by. This was between 10 and III O'Clock,
/ think.
| then repaired to the Capitol Square, the
lower side OF which was covered with fur
nltllre removed for safety from the adioin-
ing buildings. | soon saw that the State
Court was in danger, the fire having pro-
gressed to the corner OF Twelfth and
Franklin streets. The portico OF the State
courthouse soon caught on fire. and / then
united with the clerk and such other per-
sons as | could induce TO aid us In remov-
ing many OF the papers, and dcposting
them i'm the Auditors office.
About this time | saw Mr.. ii. EXall i'm
the southern portco OF the Capitol, and
learned from him that one OF the windows
of the Capitol had been on fire. Near the
same time the railing around the steeple OF
st. PauPs church caught on fire.
In returning 10 the city that morning 1
saw that the city was on tire, and when |
entered the city the fire had crossed Cary
street towards Main, and was above aud
below Thirteenth street.
There was brisk wind blowing from
the river over the city when entered the
city. | noticed it several times during the
morning, because | believed it would be
almost impossible 10 arrest the fire until
the wind lulled. | am satisfied the wind
was strong enough TO carry the sparks over
several buildings and catch at more remote
points, and that the fire was by that means
spread over a larger extent.
Ny impression is that The wind luled
about II o'clock, and that the progress OF
the fire was arrested about o'clock, chiefly
by the eXertion, Of the Federal troops.
MIR. SCOTT.
Mr.. James \. Scott deposcd that he was
a member Of the City Council committee ap-
pointed to surrender the city: that some
time after midnight ne, with others, pro-
cecdcd TO discharge that duty; that they
went down the Osborne turnpike about
two miles from the corporation line, and
]
when the formal surrender was made; that
the Federal commander stated to Mr.. Mayo
he would send party to destroy all the
liquor in the city before the arrival Of the
main body of troops, when he was INFORM
ed by Mayor Mayo that his action had been
anticipated by the City Council. and that
returning to the city he saw the tobacco
warehouses on fire. This was about sun
rise.
In other respects Mr.. SCOTS testimony
was about the same u Judge Mereditl's.
Various parties have estimated the los,
by the cyacuacion fire at from 2j,OOo,G0O to
Sl0,0O0,000.
DR.. 7. DAVIDSON.
There was a great fire on that day, and
had occasion to observe il very particularly.
| was coming up Cary street Just about
DAYLIGHT. When We came by ShOckOe Slip
a man went by with a torch into the ware
house. and before we reached Tenth street
we looked back to see ii the warehouse had
been fired, a, we supposed it was his in
/ tentiOn to fire twhen he went in there, and
we saw the smoke issuing TO great height
from that warehouse.
then came home. and went up TO the
upper part # my house and looked out.
and saw the column OF smoke rising per-
pendicullrly. For some time it seemed to
stand perfectly still and straight, without
moving, except upwards. In 4 little while
/ il commenced to bend towards Main street.
/ Very soon | could feel the wind blowing
/ the morning had been very still beforehand
the smoke was drawn up toward my house
and over the city by the wind.
! After breakfast went down TO Cary
street near the Gallcgo mills. The wind
! blew the flame right i'm against these mills.
and very soon they were fired. The fire
progressed IN the mills, until very soon the
/ roof fell in.
When the roof fell in a shower Of fire.
/ that j.. OF coal and shingles, chunks or
/ burning brands--and Goals were carried by
! the wind over toward Main street. and fell
/ on the tops OF houses even beyond Main
street.
As soon a | saw the mills were fully on
/ fire left and went back to my house, and
watched the fire from there. In the mean
time the canal companys she'd took fire,
and all the buildings near the mills.
When the roof OF the mills fell IN | was
at nv house. Some of the Goals OF tire were
driven through the open dormcr-wiudows
OF my house. and my house caugh. on fire..
think il WAS about the first house that
caught fire on that square.
We put the fire out, and then got on
top OF my house and fought the iirc-that
!, to say. put ont The Goals and shingles
with buckets of water as they fell on top
OF nv house. 4 great many persons were
engaged i'm this way on the houses on that
street. - the fire increased the shower OF
Goals also increased.
After awhile could no longer stand
uDOn nv house. and had 10 give 1t up.
Other houses on the street caught from the
: ton about the same time Is mine did. The
wind was then blowing very strong. My
house W:ls consumed.
Was OF not the wind strong enough
from tie first time yOu saw the fire after
breakfast to carry the fire over the city o!
it, own force! -.
Certainly IT was. for it actually did carry
tbe fire over the city. The wind grew
stronger until somewhere toward II OF l.
o'cIork. by which time Il large portion Ol
the city had been burned. y great many
Inrrsons carried their furniture 10 the Capt.
tol Square, where they had 10 protect Il
from the falling Goals blown by the wind
4 good deal OF this furniture, which wa,
NOT properly protected, was burnt up.
remember TO have seen a good many per
sons on the Square whose clothes were on
fire, caused by Goals dropping on theil
backs. With
About the time the fire got to Ninti
street the wind seemed to change IT.
course. being more south or southwest
II came from the south or southeast before
The change OF the wind gave the Federal
: troop, an opportunity to stop the hre
Tbey had been fighting it before in vain
They had tried to stop it on Tenth street
THAT was the first saw OF their attempts
TO stop it. but the wind was then too
, strong. and too many houses were on IRE
MAJOR ISAAC II. CARRINGTON.
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