The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-18
A DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.
IT. Btyys, coAL ELEYhToR Al
MOST 1o7AILf DEsTRofHD'
IN. n,s,e Started Just Before Haa-f"s'
Two This Morning In the Cooper
shop Adjoining.

ors NJ the most destructive fires that
has visited Richmond for long ''ii'e
occurred carly this morning Ihe h's'
animation that beiated Richmoneers hau
80 danger was az 2:23 o'clock, when
- alarm was turned in from box IT,
located M the corner Of Twenty-eishun
"a Dock streets. The department re-
s,onaed promptly. but when they reached
the scene Of disaster. it was seen 'ha'
more apparatus would be necessary TO
co,.e with the flames, and a second alarm
was turned in at about 20.
THE Hrc originated in the coopers shop
ana barrel factory Of Mr.. George Goeoe''
who is the general manager Tor Ar' war
ncr Moore. The cooper shop was "eoseu
IN between the plant Of the Home ice
company and :. H. HsWes elevator
which contained. It IS said, at least sl'VV'
worth Of coal. The nreraeu put every ehof'
a the saving OF the adjoining buildings
lint The flames from the cooper shop "oie
too hot and severe FOR them to coh'f'b
end ot the height Of the FIRE in the frame
sbop. the coal elevator caught.
There II was that the fire department
rad .belr hands full. A whole square OF
frame buildings VAS IN Imminent o""-
Ger INC coal elevator was In a very
few minutes a mass Of roaring names
and 81 was evident al a glance that the
whole building would go. The hreueh
worked like mad men. but with seem
ing little effect on account OF the scaht
water supply caused by small man.
nd 20 add TO their trouble several OF
,he hose bursted and some Of them
,.,ked badly. The fire was the hottest
hat Richmond has experienced since the
,,,rninc Of tie Chesapeake ana ONO
Grain elevator, several years ago. me
,cat from the frame buildings alone was
intense. but when It was Increased by
%. burning Of thousands upon thousands
OF tons Of coal. there are no words 70
describe it's herceness The buildings
across the street. while the wind was
blowing in the opposite direction caught
fire from the terrible heat.
The Norfrk yacht Seneca, descrip-
ton Of which appears in another column
Of The Times. and the schooner L.
Herbert. were tied up 10 the wharf near
the elevator. and for a while were IN
sreat danger. but were finally pulled
oy,av not. however. before each had re-
ceived a good scorching. The rigging OF
the schooner was seen TO blaze several
times. but the FIRE was promptly eX-
,i,e,,ished before much damage was
done.
II one will imagine for a moment
huge open crate fire, burning THOUSANDS OF
tons Of coal at one time and stirred unui
Il WAS burning its hercest, some idea can
he Obtained of the scene this morning on
Dock street. between Twenty-eighth ana
q,v,entv-nin.h streets. near the Old Do
minion wharf.
No one could give any explanation Of the
origin of the cDntiagration, l talked To- Ihe
,yatchman Of the Home Ice Company
,,ut ne could throw no light on the sub
5sct lie went into the stable about 22l
O'Clock 70 feed the horses, and then IL
was that he saw a blaze shoot from one
Of The windows OF the cooper shop. nc
ran 10 turn in the alarm, but some one
beat him 60 the box.
II Is impossible 10 estimate the loss
correctly. or 70 give any idea Of the In
surance at this late hour. A few thou
sand dollars would cover the Joss OF the
cooper shop. but Il much Of the coal III
the elevator is destroyed the loss will
evceed 10000. The elevator is an i'm
mense one. and was hlled with the win
ter supply Of coal. When / left the IRE
shortly before 4 o'clock. II was still burn
ing. but the arenen had it under control
and no further danger was expected
although the elevator and it's contents
were seemingly total wreck.