Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-08
AWFUL HOLOCAUST.
Flames Ina Fireworks Factory Csusa
Death and Destruction.
FOURTEEN DEAD AND SIX INJURED
Eleven Almost Instantly Killed, and
Three Expire Later.
THREE DISTINCT EXPLOSIONS.
Tho Building Blown to Atoms and the
HeiShbofhood Shaken.
DEAD BODIES DlSFiGURED.
Two Heads Blown OF and One Man
Burned 10 a Crisp.
HEAVY LOSS OF PROPERTY.
Factories and Dwellings Consumed-I.osses
and characterization Of
HEAVY LOSS OF PROPERTY,
Factories and Dwellings Consumed-Losse
and Insurancc-Condition OF
the Injured.

CAPTAIN JAMisS L. 1OS1,
ROBERT ROLAND. spectator;
JAMES ROLAND. Prince George coun
~;
JAMES PERKINS. employee. heat
blown off:
EDWARD TRAYLOR, employee;
THOMAS VOOLFOLK (colored). sngi
neer. burned 10 a crisp;
JAMES BRYANT. spectator talon;
JOHN WELLS:
JOHN i. HARRIS;
Two bodies, SO dishgured as not TO b
recognizable.
And one colored boy.
INJURED.
The wounded are
EDGAR FARLEY. chief engineer
fatally;
CHARLES SHORT, seriously;
WILLIAM PARKER, seriously
QUINCY LUFSEY, seriously;
SAM DREW (coorcd. badly;
y. w. REDGRAVE. fatally;
WALTER NUNNAILY, badly
WHERE IT BEGAN.
The fire originated in the fireworks
factory OF the Messrs. Romano brothers.
in Blan1ford, from which are distributed
throughout the country some of the finest
fireworks manufactured. OF course. in
the factory building there was stored
large quantity OF powder used for
manufacturing purposes Slight fires
have occurred in this factory before, but
they have always been suppressed by
prompt action 1t vas with the hope
md expectation OF supprcssing this fire
that so many people who went 10 help
10 extinguish the flames were killed and
injured. The fireworks consisted Of a
number Of buildings. some fifteen or
twenty. a few feet apart. in each Of
which only one party worked n store
house. IN which the colnbustibles were
kept, and a packing-room for the storage
Of the manufactures They are all small
frame buildings.
ORIGIN UNKNOWN.
The fire Is said to have occurred in he
homegrown, but how no one seemed Ia
know. The alarm was turned in at 3
O'Clock At the time the fire occurred
Messrs John t. Bland Charles y. Ro-
maine. and Captain James r. Tosh were
standing in the ueighbor'lood c0nyorsing.
and all three OF them Immediately ran
TO the building t. aid in extingushing the
fire. other people also COngre gated, and
all tried by means of buckets OF water
TO Quench the flames.
DEATH! DEATIIM
In n few minutes a. tremendous exnlo-
sion occurred. which shook and startled
the whole neighborhood, and dealt death
TO the noble men who were fighting the
fire The flames had communicated TO the
apartment in which the powder and other
combustibles We're stored. The BUILDING
was blown into sphnters. and a great hole
was made I'm the ground.
INSTANTLY KILLED.
Messrs Bland Romano. and Tosh were
Instantly killed. and this was the eXplo
sion that killed and wounded the others
The body Of Captain Tosh was
burned to. crisp. and could only be
identified by his spectGcles. the cards upor
his person. and his pocket-book and hii
watch The crown Of Mr.. ROmaine' head
was blown of. and Mr.. BANDS body
was greatly disfgured. The other dead
with the exception Of Chief Farley, could
not be rescued until after the fire haC
burned out. and their condition was
pitlable.
REMOVED BY FRIENDS.
The wounded men were all outside Of
the building. some Of them some distance
away. and they were removed by friends
The conclusion of the explosion shattered
every windowpane in ROmaine's trunk
factory some distance away, and all OF
the buildings within a radius Of 800 yards
suffered like damage.
SEEN TO FALL.
Chief-Engineer Farley arrived on the
scene Just moment before the explo-
sion. and alighting from his buggy. was
seen 10 fall as the explosion occurred.
He was fatally injured by the concus-
sion and flying timbcrs. The fire spread
rapidly 10 al OF the frame buildings con-
stituting the fireworks, all of which, with
one or two exceptions. were burned TO
the ground
OTHER BUILDINGS DESTROYED.
In the direction of the wind the
lumber-yard Of Romano Brothers. in
which was stored a large quantity Of
lumber. was burned. Next beyond was
the large tobacco factory Of Bland Broth
ers Wright a three-story building,
which was Quilted and destroyed. with
It's contents. large quantity of leaf and
manufactured tobacco The old whiskey
distiilery. fourstory brick building,
owned by John II. Bryant & Co., of Rich
mond, formerly used as corn and sumac
MIL, was also destroyed. with its ma
>"-HNiSs OtsAs Tie waits dtS
The large frame storage warehouse OF
Romano Brothers. In which were kept
the supplies for their trunk factory, ana
m which were stored large number OF
srunks. was entirely destroyed with Its
contents, en,ailng d loss OF many thou
kasGs o. dollars
hsht frame dwellings occupied by
colofed people were burned with their
FURNITURE. causing considerable loss.
The fire was gotten thoroughly under
fen1roi about o'clock.
A NOBLE MAN.
The body OF Captain Tosh was not found
tntl about o'clock. The Captain was q
candidate for Commissioner OF the Reve.
nue.. AID while he lived In the western
part OF the city, was at the time Of The
NE In Blandford, prosecuting his can.
Vas. lie felt very hopeful OF a nomination
by the Democratic primary on the 18Th
Instant Captain Tosh was noble-heart.
81 chlyairous gentleman, as courteous and
brave as syor tabled knight was, and
manifested his bravery on many battle.
heids during ths late war The death OF
no citizen would be regretted more thar
his. he leaves widow and nine children
JURY SUMMONED.
The Coroner has summoned a jury oi
inquest FOR Sunday at 10 O'Clock A. M.
10 investigate the cause OF the fire. and
the death Of It's victims. 1t Is almost i'm
possible " report the losses and In
6urances.
AlR. JOHN b. BLAND.
M. John Is. Bland was the senior
member OK the weii-known firm OF Bland
Hrothers & Wright. tobacco manufacture
srs. Whose factory Is located In Blandford.
he was one OF Petersburg's most enterpfiz-
ms. energetic, and successful young men.
ana bade fair In the course OF time. with
his nne business talents and good address.
% become one OF our foremost citizens.
He vas member OF the Common coun-
~ from Third Ward. was devoted 10
~ odvancement Of The interests Of the
~ - > pr4miusnt Mason and KNIGHT