Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-31

building is gutted, the iron-front cracked.
and practically il Is completely destroyed.
What its value was could not be ascertain
ed, but $4,000 to $30,000 would probably
be fair igures The general impression
was that this was also protected by insu-
rance.
GENERAL REMARKS.
A peculiarity of the fire was that while
TO all Appearances it burned very hercely
the flames made comparatively slow head
way. IL was several hours from the tiine
the cellar caught until the top floor fell ia.
Messrs. +. Il. Taylor Il Co. are also quite
badly damaged. A stream OF water was
taken on TIE upper floors and played
about as much havoc a. the proverbial
bull would have done on the widest ram.
page. In addition 10 this the building was
Hooded from top TO bottom and they also
suffered considerably from smoke.
The Boston clearinghouse and the
the Owens 4 Minor Drug Company are
both badly damaged from water and the
smell of the smoke. The books from the
Circuit Court Clerks Office were taken
across to the post )fflce under the SUPER
vision of City-Attorney Meredith.
THEY KNEW 1T ALL.
There were the usual number of specta-
tors in attendance who could have gwen
the Chief points on the management OF
the fire and allowed him liberal discount
IN addition. 1t must be admitted, how
ever. that some of their suggestions were
really good.
a special friend Of the Dispatch reporter
handed him the following which IS really
a very fair criticism:
Tho water should have been thrown
first on the main floor instead OF being
confined go long a time to the basement,
Not drop Of it would have been then
wasted, and the fire would have been
thus confined TO the basement, though the
| stock on the main floor would have been
DESTROYED. As heat ascends the top floors
were burning while the water was being
thrown into the basement"
ALL THE FIRE OUT.
At o'clock this morning every spark OF
| fro had 10 all appearances been extiu-
| guished, and the Philips 4 Stein building
was as black as midnight. Several streams
| of water were kept upon it, however.
All the adjacent stores were lighted up
| that of H. b. Taylor being filled with
\ smoke, through which the tiremen and
others moved like spectres. Through the
windows OF the upper story OF the latter
house great gaps could be seen In the
! ceiling which had been cut by the hremen'
| VERY EXCITING.
The fire was one of the most exciting
that has occurred in Richmond for a lonG
time, as it is in the heart OF the most
valuable property in the city, and ire
quently during its progress it seemed GER
tain that it would get ahead Of the de.
partment, in which event the whole block
would probably have been swept.
| More than once il appeared as IT there
was an absence of all light in the building
except lurid glow. but the next moment
the flames would leap out from the dense
black, suffocating smoke and illumint
everything around with their intensely
vivid glare.
The news of the fire was whispered
around the Theatre soon after the first
alarm sounded and numbers of gentlemen
quietly left the building in their dress suit
and repaired TO the scene. Later on SOME
Consideration was created at the ball.