Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-27
FIRE NEAR A HOTEL.
THE EXCHANGE STABLES IN A BLAZE
YESTERDAY EvENIsG.
A Good Deal OF Hay and Straw Burned
and the Guests supper
Delayed.

Yesterday evening about o'clock thick
smoke savoring OF hay and straw was oh.
served issuing from the second story OF the
stables Of the Exchange Hotel, located on
the Balard-House eide OF the street.
An alarm was turned in, but before the
department could arrive the flames burst
orth from the windows opening on Franklin
street.
THE DEPARTMENT AT WORK.
Hose-wagon No. was the first TO arrive
and it took the plug ut the northwest corner
OF Fourteenth aud Franklin streets, and q
stream Of water was soon playing upon the
flames. Engines Nos. 2. 3. 4. and came up,
and the last took the plug from Hose No.
Engines and went TO work on Main
street between Fourteenth and Fifteenth
and Engine No. was located at the corner
OF Franklin and Fifteenth streets.
Truck No. was soon on the ground and
ladders were placed up TO the windows and
several heavy streams Of water were poured
upon the flames, which by this time were
leaping out OF the windows far across the
street.
The fire was brought under control with
good dispatch. and as the flames began 10
grow smaller the great crowd OF people as
sembled in the streets sent up cheer after
cheer.
After little while the blaze was confined
within the windows, and II was not long bo-
fore all was darkness in the building, while
dense clouds OF smoke and steam issued
from the windows aBd doors.
HOW DID IT oRIGINATEY
How the fire originated is not known, but
the general belief is that it was caused from
cigarette or cigar-Stump thrown into the
hay or straw which was stored in the room.
Mrs, Mccoy, a lady whose duties are In
the cook and stOre.rOom OF the hotel, was
probably the first person 10 observe the fire,
and called the attention Of some one 10 the
smell OF something burning.
The cOOk-room runs back and partly over
the stables, and the place where the fire was
first observed is just under the kitchen.
Supper was being cooked at the time. and
the water from the hose literally covered the
floor Of this room, but Notwithstanding the
hotel guests sat down 10 their meal at ten
minutes past O'Clock.
TIE DAMAGE.
The damage caused by the FIRE was fixed
by officers Of the department at $500.
All the feed in the stable wss destroyed
and the walls and floors were considerably
burned. The building was very old and
inflammable and especially 20 at the northeast
corner, where the bremen had their hardest
work.
HORSES, HACKS, VIC, NOT INJURED.
All the horses, hacks, and omnibuses were
gotten out OF the building uniniured. Three
dogs were upon the feed floor and were
smothered.
FIREMAN HURT.
Mr.. Clarence Hockey. fireman, fell from
a ladder aud was considerably bruised up.
lie was put i'm a back and taken TO his home,
corner OF Main and Nineteenth streets.
The ifemcR lsDored zealously, and their
work in checking the fire in such 4 short
time Is highly commended by those who wit
messed their efforts.
GREAT EXCITEMENT.
Great excitement prevailed around the
hotel, and the streets were thionged with
people soon after the alarm wa, sounded.
Colonel Carrington's stables were insured
in the Westchesier Company for $1,000, and
his horses, hacks. omnibuses. etc. IN the
Williamsburg City Company for S2,20).
The ircmen remained around the building
for some time, pouring a stream OF water
upon II until not a spark OF fire was obserya-
bic.
DELAY IN THE ALARM.
Some delay was occauoned in turning in
the alarm owing to the fact tina. no one
seemed to know where the nearest station
was located. The First police station was
called up through the telephone and an oili-
Ger 'phoned the superintendent OF The Fire
Alarm and POiice-T Telegraph, who sounded
the alarm from Box 81. at the corner OF
Fourteenth and Nam streets. The depart
ment then responded promptly and did ef-
focftva work