Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-28
A STEAMER FROM RICHMOND
An Appeal For Help From Char
lottcsviIIr Promptly Answered.

lottcstttIr GrOhpttS AhrNeFe"'
About noon yesterday. when thousands
Of the citizens o. Richmond were at.
tending devotional exercises at the va.
rious churches. the news was received
here that the University Of Virginia was
| in danger OF being burned 10 the ground,
and caused CONSERVATION among the
friends here OF that noble and historic
institution Of learning. The intelligence
was first received at II 80 A. NJ. in the
following telegram TO the Chief of the
Fire Department Of Richmond:
CHARLOTTESVILLE. VA. oct. u. 1895.
Chief Fire Department, Richmond. Va:
Please send fire engine at once; the
rotunda and public hall on fire, and the
! university in danger.
(SignedD n. J. WILLIAMS.
Chief Fire Department Charlottesville.
Mr.. Percy Minor was in charge at the
headquarters Of the Fire Department,
and at once endeavored 10 communicate
with Chief Fuller The latter was at
tending services At SeYenth-Street Chris
tan church, and messenger in a very
few minutes had informed him OF the
contents of the telegram. In the mean
time, Chief Shaw had been notified al
his house by phone that the Charlottes.
Vile officials had asked the aid Of the
Fire Department here in extinguishins
the fire, and he notified President Frisch.
korn, Of the Board OF Commissioners OF
the occurrence. President Frischkorn at
that time was at Trinity church.
SENT 4 STEAMER.
ID,,II 49, vt,t, l.
asking as to the water-supply there He
received an answer. stating that it was
very poor, and to send a chemical en-
CINE. To this tho Chief replied that the
chemical engine would be of no use what
ever in such & fire. as 1T was only in
tended for small b!azcs, ard that he
would send Il steamer.
Preparations were Immediately made 20
send steamer No. 3, from the Eeadquar-
ters. to Charlottesville.
Mr.. &. &. Walker, assistant superlntend-
ent OF the Chesapeake and OhiO. was at
once notified 10 have an engine at the
depot, and everything in readiness 20
take the steamer and company of men
TO Charlottesville. The message was de.
livered to Mr.. Walker at his residence
and he Immediately ran to the street
hailed a hack that was passing, and told
the driver to take him to the depot as
fast as possible.
In the mean time the men al the Fire
Department headquarters had not been
idle. The horses Were htched to the
steamers. about 800 feet OF hose NEARLY
double the usual amount carried was
put on a hose-wagOn, and such OF the
iiremen as could be notified. and those
who happened TO be about the engine
houses were on their way 10 The depot,
and in ten minutes the steamer
was at the depot ready TO embark.
with the following men Of the Fire De-
partment: John II. Frschkorn, president
of the Board OF Commissioners; ". II.
Thompson. Superintendent OF Fire-Alarm.
and Chief Shaw, in command or the
following company: Captain William Ca
| nary: David O'Brien. engineer Of the
steamer: Charles BOurbank, fireman:
George Selph, -- Mnligen. r. KesIer.
- Harris, william Hayes. and l.. T.
Miller.
Chief Shaw did not think that he had a
sufficient number OF men. and as there
was a large crowd around the depot. all
| anxious TO go. he pressed into service
the following: Samuel Wackman. George
Burruss. - Baughan. Clarence Bur
ton. - Bargamon, two Cheatwood
brothers. and W. J. Hancock.
ALL ON BOARD.
intendenr Walker. Of the Chesapeake and
Ohio. had worked quite as rapidly in get
ting the train ready as the fire ladd!es
had in getting their apparatus out An
engine two fiat-cars. a coach. and n ca
boose were found waiting. in charge OF
the following crew: Captain H. T. Land
Engineer l.. g. Hall. Fireman Burk.
Brakesmen Dunnavan and Eubank. and
a colored yard helper named Chambers.
The horses were unhtchei from the
steamer and h0se-wagon and the apara-
tus was placed upon the hat-cars bv the
firemen present. assisted By a number
| OF on-lookers, who volunteered their ser
vices. The steamer weighs 7.0oo pounds,
and II was no easy task to place the huge
machine upon the car. but IL was done in
a very few minutes. Rairoad-tles were
nailed 10 the bottom OF tire nat-car in
the front and rear OF the wheels to hold
the steamer in position. Ropes were then
! passed over the steamer and fastened TO
/ the sides OF the car. The hose-wagon
| was placed upon the second nat-car, and
! made secure In the same manner. The
J iiremen and those who had been pressed
into service then took their seats In
the coach. and everything was in readl-
ness.
4 FAST TRAIN
AT 1874. just one hour and fourteen
! minutes after the first telegram had been
| received from Charlottesville, asking the
Richmond Fire Department for all. the
| special train bearing the steamer and the
| firemen was speeding over the rails at
! the rate OF a mile a minute.
! A stop was made al Beaver Dam. 10
] receive orders. and here Chief Shaw teie-