Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-09-09
AN EXCITINGLY HOT FIRE.
A MAN SUPPOSED DROWNED.

n. u. Whitieek-s Faetery Burned Mitchell
d Hsrdwieke's PlnnlBs Mill DESTROYED
Less sIs.oco.
Last night at 1905 o'clock an alarm
OF fire was turned in from Station ",
corner Cary and Nineteenth streets.
The cause Of the alarm was blazing
tongue Of fire seen shooting from that
part Of Robert II. Whitlock's planning
mill building occupied by Messrs.
Mitchell & Hardwicke, and situated
between Eighteenth and Nineteenth
streets on Csry.
The fire brigade responded in few
minutes, No. 2 engine and Acting
ChiefEngineer Fuqua being promptly
on hand. The locality is a dangerous
one for fire, and the building in which
the present one was burning was filled
with the most infammable material.
Chief Fuqua at once turned in the
second alarm, and the entire depart
ment responded.
On its way down No. 5 engine, sta
toned at Brook avenue, became dis
abled, the nuts from the fire-box fall
ing out and rendering the engine worth
less. No. 6 was then called, and was
soon on the scene Of action.
In the mean time thousands Of people
Of esery description gathered near the
FIRE, although it was impossible to get
anything like clear view of what
was going on, owing to narrow streets
and the fiat nature of the ground,
which is completely covered with build
ings except where either a street or an
alley had been left.
The neighborhood is densely popula-
ted, and women Of all sorts pushed
their way through the crowd, sometimes
with escorts and sometimes with none.
Flannel-mouthed, thick-lipped colo red
suffrsgans yelled and whooped, and
pressed in dense masses along the
narrow streets, creating confusion and
frequently interfering with the work Of
the firemen, who were working like
beavers to get streams on the burning
building. which at that time bid fair to
be total loss and initiate big fire.
An effort was made to stretch a rope
to keep back the crowd, but the pres
sure was too strong, and the police
abandoned the effort in disgust. Pre-
sently the whistle Of the engines told
that they were ready. Three were at
the dock, one at the corner Of Nine
teenth and Cary, and one corner Of
Main and Eighteenth.
The fire was then blazing in the one
story part Of the Whitlock building,
where the machinery belonging to
Messrs. Mitchell & lIardwicke was To-
Gated. Here the firemen directed their
first efforts, and, bravely entering the
low-roofed building, sent telling streams
of water against the fire until they were
driven out by the falling-in of the roof.
Mr.. Hardwicke, fearing the worst, had
in the mean time secured sufficient force
TO roll his large safe out into the street,
where it remained all night.
For one hour and half the fight OF
FIRE and water continued, the fire grad
ually getting the worst Of it, until the
centre OF attraction was no longer the
burning building, but the dock, where
there were now four engines putting
and blowing.
The mob pressed so closely around
the engines that in the darkness-made
more binding by the glare Of the fire.
boxes casting dark shadows out in the
dock, making it hard to define its
boundaries-that two men were showed
from the bank, and fell splashing into
the water. For five minutes there was
great excitement.
1.-TWO men have been drowned, y
Ga A fireman has been drowned and
other exclamations Of like sort spread
rapidly, and the crowd made for the
dock. but it was noticeable that as the
people neared il they became partlcu-
lar in their movements.
The fireman was Dir. Lawrence, the
driver Of hose-reel, and he was res
cued from the water. No one knew
who the other man was, and it was i'm
possible last night to find out. A
straw hat foated out on the black
waters of the dock, and dozens of peo-
pie said they saw man go down, but
none knew him-the only description
given of him being that he was "a tall
young man."
1t was suggested that boat be OBJ
tanned and the dock dragged at once
for the unfortunate man, bat no one
took the pains to have this done. One
unfeeling fellow said, "Oh, he is dead.
and we will catch him when he floats y
The fire was under complete control at
midnight, and . part Of the fire brigade
was sent back to their stations.
Messrs. Mitchell & Hardwicke are
the heaviest losers, their machinery
alone Ia complete loss having cost at
least $4,000. Their stock wsuld run
their loss up to $4,000.
The building was owned by X. ii.
Whitlock, and is badly damaged; and
this loss, coupled with Mr.. Whitlsck's
loss of material, will run the loss up
to $4,000: but Mr.. Whitlock is fully
covered by insurance-sl, 800 in the
Royal and $4,000 in the London and
Lancashire, represented here by IL.
Swineford.
Messrs. Mitchell 4 Hardwicke are a
young firm, having entered business
January lst of this year. They had
only $4,000 insurance, which Dir. I.
L. Alfriend had placed for them, but
in what companies could not last night
be learned.