The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-04

The store OF Messrs. Savage. Bsveridge d
Co. Badly Damaged.

basement Of the store of Messrs; Savage. bev-
eridge & Co., and at once turned in an alarm.
The basement was filed with hay ana straw
and the flames rapidly spread over the eh'ire
cellar. =.
In response 10 the first alarm engine NO.
came rapidly 10 the scene and TOOK up POSI-
ton at tho corner Of Thirteenth anu gary
streets. After the second alarm prde epS and w we're
3. 4. 3 and z were put III oiuei a"u "oic
quickly at work.
Fngine No. 4 was at the corner OF Shockoe
Sin and poured "A brave stream INTO the rear
portion OF the cellar.
No. 2 was at the corner OF MAIN ana Ihir-
teenth. No. s. at the corner OF Fourteenth and
Main streets. No. 2 at the corner OF Twelfth
and Cary.
TN building which was visited by the con-
aoeration il next door to the wholesale gro
cery-store of Messrs. Harvey. Blair X Co..
corner Thirteenth and Cary streets. On the
other side OF Messrs. Savage, Beyeridge N
Co. is the establishment OF the Richmond
Flour Company. and the ire was located IN a
very dangerous vicinity. The flremen labored
under "A great disadvantage, for 1t vas very
dinicult 10 get at the flames. The doors on
the ground floor were very heavy. and strong
iron grating prevented access t. the cellar.
After the men succeeded in securing sufi
Gent openings q ha ( a dozen streams Of
water we're directed into the basement from
TIC AlOBt VI ID buAiNihE. ~ lnC hli tbIN
fremen forced an entrance from the alley into
the rear of the building and two streams OF
water prevented the spreading of the fire from
that direction. The members Of the Fire De-
partmentwOrked very hard. and notwithstanc-
ing the great difficulties which the men had
TO compete with from all sides they managed
10 %confine the fire 10 the basement. the floor
of which was completely Quilted. Byloclock;
when the fire was under control, the men hau
10 wade through the water in the cellar up 70
their hips. The several car loads OF nay ana
straw stored away IN the cellar were almost
completely destroyed either by IRE or Dy
water. After an hour and a half OF nara
work the fremen managed TO get into the in
terror of the building and at once carried the
Office furniture out in the street.
In the meantime the flames had broken
through the heavy timber of the ground floor
and the iron safe which stood IN one corner u
the Office went down into the cellar with aloud
crash. The great obstacle against which the
fremen had to fight was the immense guam
tity Of smoke which met them as soon as thew
attempted 10 enter the building. In order 70
prevent if possible a spreading OF the fire
a large force OF men were distributed over the
several floors of the two adjoining houses.
Shortly after l o'clock. when the water IN the
cellar was almost at a level with the nay. il
seemed as if the FIRE was completely undei
control. but at 1.35 4. NJ. alarm 96 was turned
in. Indicating that some more apparatus were
needed nj the scene of the fire and the last
steamers in reserve. Nos. ! and 3. were dis
patched TO Cary street.
Mr. +. Beverldge, who soon AFTER the IRE
broke out appeared on the scene in company
with Sergeant Alexander IOmllnsOn, who mad
notified hlm. was unable 10 state what he sup
nosel the loss would be, nor did ne have any
idea as % the amount OF insurance carried 10y
tho firm. A little later Mr.. J.. Henry Savage
son Of the senior member OF the urn maut
- v-aH ~ T. 4 IN "a
One loss was fully covered by the insurance
vet be was unable TO even approximate 3 stat'
how much insurance was carried BIZ the nrm
le s.. ted. however. that II was placed VIII
various insurance agents IN TINS city: 1h'
ONLY person who could have gwen the desired
information. f1r the reason tnat he tended =
the insurance himself. was Mr.. Norton Ia
Ssvaoe. and he could not be found. The co
D%grtuers Of the firm are Messrs. Norton X
SAVAGE. Stephen T.. Beveridge and Cyrus Bos
sieuX.
I.Ier.-At2 $50 this morning thefames ha'
made their way from the cellar TO the uPp,-
floors ana the whole house was being rapidly
consumed. 1t was nard TO say wheIner !
was under control or not. Messrs. Harvey
Blair 81 Co. and the managers OF the hlch
mond Flour Company had a large force o
hand. moving their goods from their respec
tive establishments. The prospects seemed
10 he that certainly tie house where the mr.
originated " uid be an entire loss ana Una
the whole block might be burned. Mr.. say
ace estimated their loss at $4,000 and sai'
that the insurance was about $4,000.
LeicS.-At 3 o'clock the fire was considered
practically under control. but great damag
had been done, and the flames were sti
house occupied by Harvey. Blair d Co.
damaged some by fire. but the principa
damage was caused by water. This was tn
case with both the adjoining houses.
The corner house is owned by MIS-. Jan
NJ. Harvey and Mr.. Charles +. Jones. Ih'
house in which the fire was is the property %
Mr. E O. Noting. The latter IS PRACTICAL,
gutted. Both of the buildings are covere'
bv insurance. Nearly all Of the contents o
the adjoining hou es were moved.