Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-17
FURIOUS FLAMES.
Destructive Five IA " ashington- Nfwspspsr
OfHcss Burned GU.
IBy telegraph to the Dispatch.l

Ohteh bbihfd bu's
lBy telegraph to the Dispatch.l
WASHINGTON, July l6.-About \
O'Clock this evening fire broke out
suddenly in the Post building, at the
corner Of Tenth and d streets north.
west, and soon the upper stories were
wrapped in flames. The building was
occupied by the Washington Daily
Post, the National Republican, the
Washington Critic. the Sunday Gu
zeife, the United States Electric Light
Company, the District Gas-Inspector,
Tim Lees restaurant, Joseph Shorter
bsrber-shop, and Nealy's lithographng
establishment. The editorial, composing.
and pressTooms Of the four papers sre
completely ruined, and the business
offices flooded with water. The build
ing, which is owned ' by Stlson
Hutchins, was valued at $50, 00O. and
is said to be covered by insurance,
though this cannot be definitely ascer-
tanned until me arrival of lIutchins,
who is at present in New Hampshire,
and whose business papers, which were
saved, are locked up in his private desk.
The Post and Republican used the
same press, valued at $4,000, and on
which insurance policies to the extent
Of SIS, 900 were taken ont to-day. The
Critic press was valued at $4,000,
and is supposed to have been insured.
In the basement Of the Republican
Office was press owned by exSecre-
tsry Chandler, and valued at S2j, 900.
Ii is not yet known whether this press
was insured. Nealy's loss is estimated
at $4,000. He had in his charge the
plates Of Stilson Hutchins's new book,
entitled The National Capital
Washington Past and Present." The
plates were very valuable, and are a
total loss. Besides the plates, 5000
copies Of the new work were burned.
Lees restaurant was aplace Of p0pu-
lar resort for southern visitors to Wash
ington, especially those from South
Carolina and Georgia. His loss is
$1,000, with 81, 500 insurance.
The Gazette is owned by Thomas G.
Morrow, whose loss is not heavy.
.Shorter's loss is but $500. The total
loss will reach 100000, about two
thirds Of which is covered by insurance.
The editors Of the Evening Star at
once rendered the use Of their office TO
both the Post and Republican. and
these papers will be issued as usual 70.
morrow morning.
The Star has two presses, either Of
which is capable Of printing the entire
editions of both the Post and Repu6-
Iican. While the Post building was
still in flames the editors and printers
OF the Post and Republican were hard
at work at the Star Office preparing for
tomorrow issue. While the origin
of the FIRE is not definitely known, 1t
is believed to have broken out in the
engine-roem Of the Electric-Light Com
pany. The plant Of this company was
in the Post building, and soon after
the FIRE broke out every electric light
in town was suddenly extinguished,
leaving certain quarters OF the city IN
comparative darkness.
Walter Hu,ehins, Of the Post, gives
the following losses Post, including
loss on Us building, ESQ. 900; Repub-
aiean, e25. 900; Critic, $50, 600; Elec-
tric Light Company, 10000; other
losses, %, 0o0--totsl, 100000. The
loss Ii almost entirely covered
by insurance. The most serious
loss to tho Post is the burning OF
its mailing-list Of the weekly edition.
Two OF the presses were saved in .