Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-07-16


Fifth Avenue; j. G. A. Pizzini. Bartholdi.
FRIDAY NIGHTS FIRE.
Statements of TiremeD. the Electric
Light People, and Others
Insurance people interested were en-
paqed Yesterday in arranging for the adj
iustment of the losses on account
of the Friday night fire. Appraisers
have been appointed and the WORK OF
estimating the injury 20 buildings and
stocks will begin tomorrow morning
The burned building Is owned by Mr..
Edward A. Crenshaw, of Philadelphia,
Who had 1t insured in the Mutual A.
surance Society OF Virginia for $4,000.
IL is thought that it will cost something
like $1,000 to put the structure IN good
condition, Messrs; Lett"lcn Dro.ners nre
as vet unable TO estimate their loss; their
stock is totally ruined. Their insurance
amounted TO -. 200 and was properly re-
norted IN YESTERDAYS DISPATCH. as was
that of Mr. A. +. Jahnke, the ieweller.
Mr.. Hsrwood. the ticket broker, suile cred
some loss, amounting probably TO $3.50; He
had no insurance, but saved oil his tickets
and valuable papers by being close enough
at hand to remove them from the build
ing. -, 49,
idea of the extent of the damage be sus-
tanned by smoke and water. His stock
was insured for Si1. 900. which was placed
as follows: The Royal Of England,
through Howard Swinetord, SOU tne
Virginia State Insurance Company. S3,5OO;
the Virginia Fire and Marine IBsursn CO
COMPANY. $1,000 the Home Insurance
Company OF New York. through Thomas
l.. Alfriend. 81, 500: the Hartford lnsur-
ance Company. through George o. Jefier.
son. 81 900; the Insurance Company OK
North America, through ID. n. Walker d
Co. 81 800 and the German Insurance
Company OF Baltlmore' through ouiIuS
Strauss, $1,000.
WE'RE PREPARING TO BEspoND.
Comment that has been made upon the
apparent failure 10 make prompt response
| TO the alarm given at the Cary-street en-
plne-house by Mr.. Fred. Kohler before the
signal was sent in from Box 2l3 and upon
| the slowness in turning on the electric
currents at the power-house, caused Z
| DrsPATCH reporter TO make inquiry into
| these matters yesterday. Inc hrenen AZ
| the Carv-street engine-house stated 10 the
news-gatherer that as soon as dr. hohIer
| told them that LeftwIch's place was ahre
| they hitched their horses TO their engine
| end hose wagon and were IN route 10 the
burning house when the bells first sound
e.. They expected TO eXtlnguish the IRE
| with little trouble and let 1t stand as
stlll-alarm. Mr.. Kohler's manner, the
| fremen claim. did not cause them to sup
| pose that the blaze would probably De
| serious one.
THE ELECTRIC CURRENT.
From the power house the scribe was
| told that the current was cut on tue rolc
| lev-wire as soon as the confusing signal OF
tens" was sounded, This was. before
| the falling of tho dead-wire and the acci-
| dent to Mr.. Seton w. Lucy and jim, the
| notice dog. IL was subsequent to this oc-
| curence that officers telephoned to tho
| power-house and the light-currents were
shut off.
1t is considered by both the electric
| light people and the officers OF the FIRE
| Alarm Department not only matter OF
| great inconvenience but one OF consldera-
| bic danger to turn of the light-currents
| and throw the entire city or any large
| portion of it IN darkness.
| Superintendent Thorn lsOn, of the Fire
| Alarm Department, IS Of the opinion that
| the accident to Dir. Lucy and the dog was
| due to the falling of the dead wire across
| two incandescent-Eght wires running
| diagonslly across the street between Ninth
| and Tenth The fact that there was no
current on the trolley-wire explodes the
| theory that that wire charged the dead
| wire so as TO produce such shock. Mr..
| Thompson says that the lncandescent
| wires are even more dangerous TO human
| life under such circumstances than the
| trolley or arc-lieht wires. 1t IL. he assured
| the newspaper man, the incandescent cur
| rent that is used for the electrocutlve pur-
| noses in Sing Sing. The dead wire was
| found wrapred around both the trolley
| wire and the Incandescent wire.
| SHOCKED POUR FIREMES.
| Anneular incident occurred during the
| fire. Several members of the department
were working under orders of Assistant
| Chief Shaw from the rear of the burning
building, ana four of them IN jumping
| upon the roof OF shed upon when was
| a little trestle, over which several mean:
descent light wires passed. were knocked
| down and quite severely shocked. The
roofha become thoroughly charged with
Those who were injured during tho fire
| were reported 10 beimprovlng last evening.
Mr. w. j. Nichols. who fell from Jahnkes
| tnird-story window fracturlng his skull
and sustaining other wounds. was said 10
be doing very well, while Seton w. Lucy.
| the Young man who was violently shocked
by the falling of the electric wire, has
almost entirely recovered from the ehects
| of the accident.
Mr.. Alexander Dawson. the fireman who
injured his arm in fall from ladder.
and Mr.. Henry Cohen, whose cheek WAS
gashed by piece of falling window-glass,
are reported to be out of pain.
Chief Fuller ius peaking Yesterday OF the
| criticism that there as delay on the part
of the department IN responding to the
| alarm, said that the second alarm was
turned in FIVE minutes after the first, and
that between these signals two pieces, of
apparatus reached the scene. He further
stated that it was very natural for the pub
lie TO be mistaken as to the time elapsing
between a signal and the arrival of piece
OF apparatus, as he himself had turned in
calls and chafed at the "slowness OF the
response. only to find out that he was
| wrong.