Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-20
A FIRE IN NEAPOLIS.
Planning Mills, Stable, and Large N"'n-
Der of Wooden Buildings Consun cd.

DANVILLE, VA, November lg.-tSpe-
alJ-The large planning and lumber
yard of r.. /. Anderson & Co, on Keen
street, Neapolis. Were entirely destroyed
by fire last night. About S:6 O'Clock
fire was discovered in the planing-miii'
and the town being without water or
fire company, In few minutes the puiiu-
ing, which was a frame structure was en-
veloped in flames and in brief space Oh
time was a pile of ashes.
The fire then moved up Keen street
destroying the stable. but luckily 'he s'ocN
had been taken out. 1t then caueHl d
large pile of wood and spread To = sih'H
office on the south near the railr"'n' Is
was destroyed, as was also the woou'
The office building contained many boxes
NJ vindow-glass, which was melted by
the intense heat.
Before the Office and wood were de-
stroyed two box-cars. which were IN the
ward. owned by the Southern Railway
company, caught on fire ana were en-
tiroly consumed. w..
THE flames then leaped across Keen
street to the north, destroyed the once
of the coal-yard and several frame puiiu-
ings in the rear In this yard were sew
raj cars belonging 10 the southern f1a"-
way Company. but a shifting engine WIS
mt TO work and soon had them SAFE
distance from the fire.
PILES OF LUMBER.
In the southern part of the yard
south side of Keen street were plies OF
lumber. shingles, laths etc Inc neat anu
leaning flames from the burning ONCE
in this part of the yard soon caught ,ie
lumber. and as each pile caught on IRE,
In
a grand as well as an awful one. Inc
flames leaped high in the air. ana as the
niles of lumber would fall, the reports
would sound like pstol-shotS.
The heat was terrific, and at one tlme
q number of houses on Front street were
in imminent danger Of being swailowed
| nm nv the fiery element. The people oc-
| cupving them moved out their thinss
| and then turned their attention 10 SAVING
| the property. which was done py usliis
| buckets of water and using wet blankets
| and Quilts. there being many helping
| h,rds II these houses had caught a
| larye mart of the town OF Neapolis would
| have been In ashes this morning.
COAL CAUGHT.
| A large quantity Of coal also took ire
| and is burning as this dispatch Is sent.
| A number Of telegraph-poles were on
| fire. and several hundred feet or the
| Southern railway. which runs alongside
/ the undergrad, will have TO be repaired
| before trains can run. To prevent acci-
/ dent fagmen were sent ahead 10 nag
/! down all incoming trains
| Last night was cloudy and dark, ana
| the light from the fire could be seen many
| miles. 1t was almost as light as day In
| panvile and Neapolis. The confiagration
| being so early in the night drew together
| thousands of people. The iron bridge be-
| tween Danville and Neapolis was packed
| with humanity
| The Danville Fire Department threw
] across the bridge its hose and furnished
| water from its city, but the distance was
| too great TO be Of much service.
This Is the largest fire that has ever
| taken place in the town. The loss viii
| be heavy, especially on lumber, wood
| and machinery, some OF the latter being
| new and very valuable. The origin OF the
| fire is unknown.
| THE LOSSES.
One million feet of lumber was de-
| stroyed by fire last night The loss Is as
| follows: II. |. Anderson q Co, so 600
| Insurance 5000; Bass. Brown & Lee $40
| no insurance; two boX-cars. $500: foul
| frame houses, s2.0o0. Other losses viii
bring the total up to $4,000. with insurance
less than 5000.