The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-18
Badly Damaged BY the Flames and FaI-
Ing Walls.
STRUGGLE WITH THE HEAT AND COLD.
one OF the biggest CONGREGATIONS the City
Has Ever Seen-An Estimated Loss of
over 100000, But Believed to DO
Fully Covered by Insurance.
1900 People Out of
Employment.


& Ginter Branch Of the American To-
tacco Company. The fire companies of
she district promptly responded and Chief
Fuller was soon on the ground
\ moments survey indicated 70 his ex-
Dcrienced eye that hard fight was in
store for his men. and he stepped to the
box at the corner AMI turned In the three
skies" which is sounded only on occasions
when great connagrauons are threatened.
The three skies is call for the entire
department. and means stern duty for all.
In the face Of n temperature only few
Ndeerees above zero, and the streets COW
ered WITH snow ard ice, the companies
with their engines and apparatus arrived
IN RAPID succession.
Engine company No. made connection
ot rho pluc corner Of Eighth and Cary.
and soon had q stream on the fire, but the
other companies had more difficulty. En-
CINE No / took up position at the Byrd
street crossing Of the Richmond and Allie
ghany railroad. anC dropped their suction
mines into the canal by cutting holes
fhrouch The ice. At the corner of Seventh
and Cary the plug was frozen tight and
water was procured only after fire plen-
fully supplied with oil had been kept up
Ground It for some time
In the meantime the fire had enveloped
the entire second floor of Allen e. Gintcr's
factory, and a stubborn fight was COM
mcuced which lasted twelve hours. and
ended with the total loss Of the double
four-story brick factories of the allen &
Giuter Branch of the American Tobacco
Company on the southwest corner of
Seventh and Cary streets. and the partial
destruction Of the valuable plant of the
Valentine Meat Juice Works, and the in
jury Of several hremen.
From start 10 finish the work was la
borious, difficult and dangerous. and the
nremen deserve unqualified praise for the
manner IN which they stood up 10 duty
through the exposure and suffering of an
arctic day.
The water from the pipes froze almost
as fast as ii fell, and covered the men
with ice all over their hats, clothes. hair
and boards. and the weight Of it would
get so heavy at times that they would
have TO stop and knock II off before they
could move with ease.
The brave fellows, though suffering with
aching fingers and half-froZen faces and
limbs. stood unfalterlngly at their posts
and grimly fought the fire fend at close
quarters.
Much sympathy was expressed for them
by the citizens who saw them in their
ice armOr. and everything possible was
done by the people around for their com
fort.
Touching Scene.
When the hundreds Of girls who work in
the Allen q Ginter cigarette factory came
dONn at o'clock. as usual, to go to work,
not knowing Of the fire. as is their GUS
tom, they brought their luncheon in
baskets.
one Of the young ladies'. hearing that
hqn ~ Z
lunch, and others seeing her did the same
thing, and in few minutes the fire lad
dies were eating sandwiches, pickles, pie
cake. ham, chicken. cOrned beef and the
variety of things that 90 to make mp
the lunch OF a regiment Of young women.
II was a perilOus attack upon their
digestive organs, but in lieu Of hot
breakfast, the picture of which floated
through the brains of the hungry fellows
Il was a boon highly appreciated. Chief
Fuller, in speaking OF their Thoughtful and
timely aid, asked me 10 return his thanks
and those Of the entire department to
the young ladies.
Liquor cigars and hot, steaminG coffee
coon made their appearance in abundance,
and each found a welcome in its place.
II is greatly 10 the credit Of the men
that under such circumstances, when
liquor was freely offered. that they Sc
lec.ed the coffee from choice. and there
was comparatively very little drinking.
The police. as well as the 1iremen had
4 hard time Of it. and though not sub
Iected TO as much exposure, were on ac-
tive duty in the wet and cold all day.
Captain Angle had nearly his whole re-
lief on duty at the fire. and they had
their hands fun keeping order and con
trolling the crowd.
Origin of the Fire.
The cause Of the fire IS shrouded in
doubt, and there is 30 much difference or
opinion on the subject that 1t Is likely
70 remain "A mystery. Mr.. Pope ana
some Of the employees of Allen d enters
are pronounced IN the opinion that the
fire was caused either by the electric
wires from the power house OF the kich-
lnond Railway and Electric Company or
from the Stag and ashes from the boiler
fun aces Of that company. which are
thrown in the alley between the power
house and the factory.
on the other hand. Mr.. j. ;. Dunnlhs-
ton. the engineer at the power house.
saws ne was the first person to discover
the fire and that II originated in
space between the engine and the boiler
room Of the factory, ana that II ne couiu
have gotten his pumps 10 work promptly
he could have put the fire ont. lie fur
Their said that the fire had burned
through the two windows overlooking inc
alley opposite the power house before
any alarm was turned in. He afterwards
got his pumps 10 work ana nsea ms
hose effectively I'm preventing the BURN
Ing OF the power house shed whlch
agght three times. The electric people
claim that none Of their wires were In
contact with the factory except the guy
wires 20 their iron smoke-siack. ana
that Il IS impossible for them 10 anept II
harmfully.
On the other hand, the watchmen' OF
which there were two on duty az Aileh
& enters all night. insist that the hfe
was caused by the electric plant. IL "as
the duty OF the watchmen 70 Visit ever
part OF the building once each hour. lheS
say that they heard "A loud report ana
saw the fire from the electric WORKS
shoot across the factory through tfe
boiler-rooms. and that almost inineola'e-
ly the whole floor was IL iiames.
This was at 5.25 A. NJ, and the priVale
alarm inside the factory was Ihnsn'
diately sounded, and steamers NOS o
and Z quickly responded.
Chief Fuller, who arrived ahead OF me
engines. says that when he arrived ne