Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-22
SMOKE AND FIRE TOO.
CONSIDERABLY DAMAGE AT B1NswAH-
GER &C0.'s STORE AT ABOUT MIDDAY.
The Loss Quite Largo, but Partly In
sursd-Grest Blockade OF Street.
Cars-Ircidsnts.

Throwing " oil upon the troubled waters"
has been going on figuratively for ages, and
experimentaly for some time past in certain
maritime circles, but here 10 Richmond yes
terday occasion arose where great deal OF
water bad TO be thrown on The troubled oil.
About quarter past O'Clock the changing
Of the fire. bells; the sight Of great banks OIL
depse black smoke, and the rush OF fremen
and their apparatus towards the oil ana
paint store OF Rinswanger & co. drew pub
Inc attention to that part OF Nam street on
the south side between Fourteenth ana fI-
teenth. Here q mighty crowd soon assem-
bl,d, consisting OF groups OF New YORK SOL
diers aud their Richmond military escorts;
men from the workshops thereabouts; DUST
ncss.men on their way TO lunch, and all that
vast and unnumbered population when
seems 10 have no existence until hre BREAKS
out and then appears in prodigious force,
coming from the Lord only knows where,
and. after the excitement is over, vanishing
as mysteriously as they arrived.
TIE BLOCKADE.
Foremost in the features az the day was
the long and almost unprecedented blockade
OF street. ears. At one time the Fire Depart
mcnt stretched ropes across Main street, but
Il did not appear that the streetcar company
had their bridges at hand until great time
had elap,ed. and without the bridges the
hose could not be crossed.
These bridges are very cheap affairs. One
that would serve all the purposes could Oe
made for $3.50. A dozen Of them ought 10
he made and kept at convenient places along
the route so that they can be put 10 service
immediately. Thus, II one had been kept al
the First ststIon>hOuse It would have been
nj great service at the time OF Tlechler's IRE
and would have been very handy yesterday.
However, in the light OF two such expert
ences, IL IL net likely that any time VIII no"
be lost by the company in providing them-
selves with these cheap and convenient con-
tIiyances.
TIE FIRE.
Mr.. Binswanger docs business In new
four-story brick house. In the basement
was stored a large number Of barrels Of oil
and yarnish and spirits OF turpentine. Inc
room being dark the iirm kept lamp bufn-
ing there and it was at first supposed that
TIE Are originated from the lamp, out the
polfer, who first discovered 1t, said that IL
was several feet from the lamp and that when
he first saw it the fame was no larger than
his hat and that it spread over the ileor ike
lightning. Mr.. Binswanger was unaDie 10
assign any cause for the fire.
The smoke was so sitting that most OF the
stores in the vicinity OF the fire had to close
M and business was suspended for awhile
THE LOSS.
Mr.. Binswanger states that he Is unable to
estimate his loss. The amount OF stock on
band he estimates to he about $4,000 How
much Of it has been destroyed he Is unable to
saw. as he bad a large portion Of it stored
AWAY in the basement. ibis, be fears, Is
nearly all burned up, and that portion OF the
stock 10 the store is badly damaged by smoke
and water.
The following Is the insurance on his
stock: