Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-19

Erhph SonpanV nau Dson Io,d
years OF more one OF the imposing land
marks of lower Broadway: IL iron's on
Broadway facing east on Dey stroes. Of
the ground floor are the receiving oihces OF
the COMPANY, together with the ofnces Oh
the American District Messenger COMPANY
with entrances on Broadway ana Dey
streets.
THE BrG BUILDrSG.
The building runs up eight lofty stories.
which are surmounted by cupoia. Run
ming up from the cupola is stan on whicn
hangs the time hall which drops at the
hour of noon and tells the standard time.
The building is filed with offices on the
i've lower floors, which are occupied oy
some of the greatest railroads and railroad
magnates in the world. The vast system
of the Pacific railroad is operated through
instructions given from the western Union
building. and there are the private ofnces
of Jay Gould. Sydney, Dillon, Norvln
Green. and others who are lannon's
throughout the length aud breadth Oh 'ne
land.
PARTICULARS AS TO THE FIRE.
New YORK. July is.-Reliable particulars
as to the fire IN the Western Union tele-
graph building at 1876 Broadway are now
obtainable. James Larrisey. wireman
| who YVES on duty in the building, was the
| first TO discover the fire. About the same
| time Mr.. Tobin. night chief, noticed an
oior of burning rubber, and on LOOKING
into the wire-shaft leading from the bat
| tery-room saw smoke very distinctly.
This was five minutes before O'Clock.
| Two watchmen were supposed to oe on
| duty. but no alarm was given by them.
| When Mr.. Tobin discovered the smoke ID
the shaft and descended 10 the battery
room he was surprised at the great heau-
way the fire lad already made.
FIRE ALONG THE WIRES.
| The flames followed the wires. which:
being covered with rubber. oil. and
parafne. were very inflammable 10 the
Great switchboard and soon all OF
| the woodwork was burning. The hre
leaped from table to table and t0, the
window and door-casings. and all et-
forts Of the men on duty TO suppress the
burning by the appliances at hand were
unavailing. The tiremen were promptly
on hand and took possession of the build
ing. The day force of operators were re-
porting for duty. but found it necessary 70
retire. Five female operators were led out
of the building by the fremen.
THE DESTRUCTION WROUGHT.
All above the sixth floor Is destroyed;
The carpets. paper, &c, on the fifth and
| other floors below are soaked with water.
The battery and storage-rooms occupied
the sixth floor. The operating-room ana
the gallery devoted TO the work OF the
Gold and Stock Company occupied the en-;
tire seventh floor. and the Associated
Press and part of the bookkeeping the
entire eighth floor. On the ninth nOor
were the Western Union files.
THE LOSS VERY LARGE.
The loss of the telegraph company is
very large, aud it will require long time
to replace the material. The Asso-
ciated Press loses its instruments, type
writers, furniture, and all OF its books ana
papers dating back as far as i8i5. All ol
the material for history of the growth OF
the press in America, contained IN letter
books and files. is destroyed and can never
be replaced The money value IL estimareo
at $4,000. There is no insurance.
WILLIAM II. SMITH HEAVY LOSER.
William Henry Smith is personally
heavy loser by the destruction OF rare
books and papers. many OF when canno'
be duplicated. Among these were Hun n!
dreds of rare pamphlets collected by Ste.
vens in Europe which Alr. Smith supposed
, were secure 10 this fire-proof building. Al
extensive correspondence or great value
was also consumed.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE BREAK.
The telegraph company has divided it'
| operatlng force among its sub-oiilces q
l Twenty-third street. Jersey City. Brooklyn
and Weehawen, from which business VII
7 be done temporarily. Meanwhile quarters
: are being prepared at the old Baltimore ant
t Ohio office, at No. Ais Broadway.
, The Associated Press is at the Pennsyl
= wanna depot. Jersey City. After tomorrow
il will be at No. AIS Broadway. The Unite!
Press has courteously rendered its facill
ties during the break.
The loss of the telegraph company
heavy. 1t will require some time 70 re
place the material. The large switch
! board in the operating room cost S5OOOt
; THE WESTERN UNION LOSS NOT MORE THAl
:. Sl00,00e
2 General Fckert, vice-president OF In
4 Western Union, is of the opinion that tn
: loss Of that company viii not much e1eee
= 500, coo. He also believes they VIII D
e able to employ a considerable force IN IN
J. main Railways in day or two. Alread
s new switchboards are on the way froi
e Philadelphia. and all that energy an
4 money can do to quickly restore the SCI
|. vice for the public Will be done.
3 The Associated Press will use the exeet
o tive room on the fifth floor and such otht
It rooms as can be had in the neighborhooc
d THE FIRE WAS HOT.
Il The FIRE was 80 hot in the operating ROOF
/ as TO melt the brass instruments and gas
Workmen went to work at noon 70 pu
the offices in the Western Union ouildin
4 in condition for occupancy. -,
Superintendent HumestOne, OF the ives
!; ern Union Company, called on May
Grant AT noon to-day and secured perni
,f sion from him rs president OF the Board {
y Electrical Control to string wires to
! run into the old Baltimore and OHIO Con
N pany's building at 5l4 Broadway. whlc
a will be the temporary quarters OF the Yves
)" ern Union Telegraph. A large force
, linemen was put TO work at once: By Z
! morrow it is expected that one hundre
\ wires will be in use.
II SHIP NEWS AwRY.
e The fire burned out the ship news CAB
10 and no dispatches have been received th
q morning from Fire Island SANDY Hook.
lie Quarantine. Merchants, ship-owners,, au
y members of the Maritime Exchange ha'
re no knowledge whatever of the movemen
ID or arrival OF vessels. At the request or
number of ship-owners the reyenue-cu
ters Chandler and Washington were o
, dered down the bay to find out what shll
- had arrived at Sandy Hook or of FL
~ Island. 1t is expected that the cutters W
20 return late this afternoon and bring fuii 7
ar ports of all outgoing and incoming We
AZ sells. Several ocean steamships are expec
ID ed to arrive to-day.
m Inc nre IL SuppOScu W hoNo "S"N N'-"'
to by electric-light wires.
10 THE EXCHANGES CUT OFF.
De NEW YORK. July lS.-By the FIRE the col
As mercial exchanges were completely cut
t, from all their telegraDhic connection
40 The Cotton, Coffee, and Produce c
r, changes depend upon the Western Uni'
At Company to distribute their quotatlo
ne over the tickers. All transmittlng-n
Of chimes by which the tickers were WORK
SO were destroyed. This caused a compile
suspension of the ticker service al
brought business almost to stand-still
~ the Cotton, Coffee. and Produce
- changes. In addition to this all outsl
~ | cities which are reached exclusively
of New York wires were cut of and the pu
20 lie. gram. and cotton cables were also lc
,r through the cutting off Of the wires.
he WORSE THAN The BLIZZARD.
he The suspension of telegraphic facilitl
to had worse effect than the blizzard. +
some time the only business transact
has consisted Of srbitrage dealings WI
n Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia, q
~ the execution of orders by houses hayi
nrivate wire connection with the la