Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-31
AN 100000 FIRE.
DESTRUCTION OF BUCK 4 H0FTs
xILL--oID DOMINION COTTON.
FACTORY pANAGED.

FACTORY DA4A6LD.
Friction In an Elevator Kindles the
Flames-The Losses Nearly Covered
by Insurance.
The most disastrous FIRE in Manches-
ter's history, the burning Of the Cedar
Works in March, 1884, excepted, oc-
CURED there early yesterday morning.
The large four and corn-mill Of Messrs.
Buck & Hof, situated on the east side
Of the Manchester end of Msyo's bridge,
was burned to the ground, and the Old
Dominion cotton-mills, on the opposite
side Of Hull street, were greatly dam-
aged.
The fire was discovered at Q few min
utes after 3 o'clock, while the night
force was at work and an alarm was
immediately turned in from the Old
Dominion cotton-mills bell in which
the Marshall mills and city fre-alArm
bells soon joined.
A LARGE CROWD.
The cries OF fire, and the ringing Of
the bells aroused the city from its peace
ful slumber, and hundreds Of persons
men, women, and children--hastened
to the fire. The Alert Fire Company
responded. but with the limited means
at their command for battling with the
furious flames their efforts amounted 20
very little. II soon became apparent
that there would be large conflsgrs-
ton, and there Was great apprehension
that nearly ell the mills along the water
line would be swept away by the flames.
The situation was critical and alarming.
A call for assistance was made to the
Richmond Fire Department by tels-
phone message TO the First police sta
ton, and an alarm was afterwards
turned in from Box 81, corner Of Four.
teenth and Main streets.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The fire is supposed to have origi-
mated by friction at the pulley Of the
elevators by which grain is taken to
the upper floors. A youth who wss
working in the basement first detected
smoke and reported the fact to another
employee, who at once went to the ele-
vator to see If the machinery had not
become hot. He took from an opening
in the elevstor-tube the hole used
for cleaning out the elevator
cloth which WAS placed in there
to prevent the entrance OF air,
and dense smoke rushed out.
There are twenty or more OF these
elevators. run by one lot Of shafsing,
used for carrying the wheat to the up
per foore. Upon seeing the smoke he
FASTENED upstairs to see what was the
matter, and soon learned that the fire
was not confined to the lower floor, but
was on all the floors through which tho
elevator ran. Unfortunately, no one
thought 10 stop the elevator machinery.
The uppermost idea seemed TO be 10
turn in the alarm.
THE MILL IN FLAMES.
The amount Of stock in the mill was
large, and was all Of q combustible ma
tuIe, and the flames made rapid pro-
gress. The mill was a sheet OF fire
from bottom TO top and before 4 O'Clock
the roof caved in, followed at short in
tervals by the falling of portions Of the
walls. In less than an hour from the
time the FIRE originated the mill and
contents, with the exception Of about
100 barrels OF -four which were rolled
out to a safe spot, were in ashes. When
the FIRE Vas at its highest tie burning
building presented 8 most beautiful
sight and illuminated the neighborhood
for squares around.
TRYING TO SAVE THE FACTORY.
When the roof Of the mill csved in
the situation was alarming, the Old
Dominion mills, on the one side, and
Dunlop Il McCsnce's mills, on the other.
being in imminent danger. The wind,
however, was blowing up the river,
which was in favor of the latter, but
decidedly against the former. 1t then
being evident that nothing in the mill
could be saved, the entire force was
turned to work TO protect the cotton
factory, and the employees Of Dunlop
& McCsnce used buckets to keep the
roof and windows Of the exposed side
of their mill wet. The Alert Fire
Company did valiant service by getting
a stream into the factory and keeping
the roof and windows wet and extin-
gushing flames as fast as they ap-
peaIed.
THE BRIDGE on FIRE.
AS soon as the Richmond Fire De-
partnent was summoned every eye was
turned to Msyo's bridge and looked
aDxiously for the approach Of the much
needed help. The ends Of several Of
the planks on MsYo's bridge took fire,
and the passage to or from the bridge
between burning house on the one
side and one momentarily expected to
catch on the other was exceedingly hot,
but might have been safely effected BY
moving quickly.
When the engines from Richmond ar
rived at Mayo's island they were stop
ped, their engineers being told that the
bridge was on fire and they could not
pass over. Helper Moore, who was
driving the truck to Engine No. 3, did
not halt his team but drove rapidly on
to the Manchester side. The engine
stopped on the island, and the idea was
suggested that stream might be thrown
from there to the factory, but the hose
proved too short. Moore, finding that
his engine WAS not following him, soon
drove back to the island, and in so do
ing was slightly scorched himself and
had his horse somewhat burned.
RICHMOND TO THE RESCUE.
Chief Fuqus, thinking it perilous
undertaking to cross the bridge, or
dered the engines to return to Rich
mond and cross by way Of the Free
Bridge. This, Of course, necessitsted
considerable delay and Of all this time the
fire was making damaging nse. Steamer
No. 2 came tearing down Hull street
about AIS o'clock and was greeted
with cheers. She was located just below